Rachel Evans
The Catholic Church and Lutheran Churches are among those Christian denominations that oppose abortion. The Catholic Church teaches that procured abortion is a mortal sin and an intrinsic evil, and that abortion cannot be justified, legalized, or participated in under any circumstance. This is based on the belief that human life begins at conception and must be protected from the moment of conception. The Church's anti-abortion stance has been reiterated by Pope Francis and other Catholic leaders, who have stated that Catholic politicians who support abortion should refrain from receiving the Eucharist. The Lutheran Church is also considered a pro-life or anti-abortion church, with organizations like Lutherans for Life advocating against abortion. However, it is important to note that within these churches, there may be members who hold different views, with some Catholics and Lutherans supporting abortion rights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic Church's stance on abortion | The Catholic Church opposes abortion in all circumstances and leads the national debate on abortion. |
| Catholic Church's belief | The Catholic Church believes that human life begins at conception and that abortion is a mortal sin against the Sixth Commandment ("Thou shalt not kill"). |
| Catholic Church's teachings | The Catholic Church teaches that procured abortion is an intrinsic evil and a crime against human life, dignity, and freedom. The church also teaches that procured abortion cannot be justified, legalized, participated in, or cooperated with, by any means, for any reason, or under any circumstance. |
| Catholic Church's excommunication stance | The Catholic Church states that a person who procures a successful abortion incurs automatic excommunication from the church. |
| Catholic Church's political stance | Catholic politicians who campaign and vote for permissive abortion laws are warned to refrain from receiving the Eucharist or risk being denied it. |
| Lutheran Church's stance on abortion | The Lutheran Church is divided into three denominations in the United States, with the American Lutheran Church and Lutherans for Life taking a pro-life stance, while the Lutheran Women's Caucus supports abortion rights. |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic Church teachings
The Catholic Church is against abortion in all circumstances. It teaches that procured abortion is a mortal sin, an intrinsic evil, and a crime against human life, dignity, and freedom. The Church holds that human life begins at conception and "must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception". It also teaches that procured abortion cannot be justified, legalized, participated in, or cooperated with, for any reason or under any circumstance.
The Catholic Church's opposition to abortion is based on its interpretation of the Sixth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill". It believes that procured abortion is the murder of an unborn person and is therefore a grave sin that incurs automatic excommunication from the Church. This position has been reaffirmed by Church leaders, who have stated that Catholic politicians who support permissive abortion laws should refrain from receiving the Eucharist.
The Church's teaching on abortion has been described as consistent and unchangeable since the first century, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. However, some historians dispute this claim, noting that the Church's stance on abortion before and after "quickening" (when an embryo takes form as a human and can receive a soul) has varied over time.
Despite the Catholic Church's strong opposition to abortion, many Catholics disagree with this position. Surveys show that a majority of U.S. Catholics support legal abortion in all or most cases, and there are Catholic pro-life organizations that support abortion rights.
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Lutheran Church views
Lutheranism in the United States consists of three denominations: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The American Lutheran Church has been described as pro-life, with 2.4 million members as of 1990. However, the Lutheran Women's Caucus is listed among Protestant supporters of abortion rights.
In 1975, pro-abortion activists took over important church committees and subverted them to the point that the Lutheran Church, along with other mainline Protestant denominations, pronounced abortion acceptable. However, it is important to note that the rank-and-file members of these churches were mainly pro-life, and the infiltration by pro-abortionists led to a decline in the mainline churches.
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, with 2.3 million members, is the second-largest Lutheran denomination in the United States. While there is no explicit statement on the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod's position on abortion, the Lutheran Church as a whole has been associated with both pro-life and pro-abortion views.
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, with approximately 400,000 members, is the third-largest Lutheran denomination in the United States. Although there is no direct statement on the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod's stance on abortion, it is part of the broader Lutheran Church, which has a varied outlook on abortion, with some members identifying as pro-life and others as pro-abortion.
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Catholic Church excommunication
The Catholic Church is opposed to abortion in all circumstances, and its anti-abortion teachings are widely publicised. The Church's stance on abortion is based on its belief that human life begins at conception, and that "human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception". Canon 1398 of the Church states that "a person who procures a successful abortion incurs an automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication" from the Church. Excommunication is a form of censure, or "medicinal penalty", that is intended to encourage the person to change their behaviour or attitude, repent, and return to full communion. It is not meant to be vindictive or to make satisfaction for the wrong done.
Excommunication is a severe penalty that presupposes guilt and is considered the most serious punishment that the Catholic Church can inflict. It does not mean that a person is kicked out of the Church, as was previously the case under the 1917 Code. Instead, excommunicated individuals are barred from receiving or administering the sacraments, such as baptism or marriage, and from performing acts of governance within the Church. There are two types of excommunication: latae sententiae excommunication, which occurs automatically upon committing a particular crime, and ferendae sententiae excommunication, which is imposed by a bishop after a warning has been given.
The Catholic Church claims that the practice of excommunication is biblical and referenced by Paul of Tarsus and John the Apostle. It has been used throughout the history of the Church, with the first mitigation of the proscription against communicating with an excommunicated person made by Pope Pius VI in 1794. Mass excommunication was employed by Pope Eugene III in the mid-12th century to suppress heretics with beliefs differing from those taught by the Catholic Church.
In summary, the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion is well-established, and those who procure an abortion are considered to have incurred automatic excommunication, according to Canon 1398. Excommunication is a serious penalty that excludes individuals from certain rites and practices within the Church but does not expel them from the Church itself.
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Catholic politicians' views
The Catholic Church opposes abortion in all circumstances, and this stance has been described as consistent since the first century. The Church teaches that human life begins at conception and that "human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception". This belief has led to the Church's strong opposition to abortion procedures, even before implantation. Canon 1398 of the Church's doctrine provides that "a person who procures a successful abortion incurs an automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication" from the Church.
Despite the Catholic Church's clear stance, Catholic politicians' views on abortion vary. Some Catholic politicians actively support abortion rights, while others oppose them. This divergence in views has caused controversy within the Church, with some bishops threatening to refuse communion or even excommunicate Catholic politicians who promote abortion rights. In 2004, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops decided that individual bishops should decide on a case-by-case basis whether to refuse communion to politicians who support abortion rights.
Some Catholic politicians who support abortion rights have faced significant backlash, including threats of excommunication and refusal of communion. For example, in 2007, Bishop Thomas Tobin asked Representative Patrick Kennedy not to take communion because of his position on abortion. In another instance, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of the San Francisco archdiocese publicly refused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the Holy Communion due to her stance on abortion.
On the other hand, some Catholic politicians who support abortion rights have not faced any repercussions from the Church. For example, in 2001, Pope John Paul II gave communion to Mayor of Rome Francesco Rutelli, who was "personally opposed to abortion but not willing to impose his stance through law". Additionally, Cardinals William Keeler of Baltimore and Theodore McCarrick of Washington declared that they would not withhold communion as a means of sanctioning Catholic politicians who support abortion rights.
The views of Catholic politicians on abortion are influenced by various factors, including personal beliefs, political affiliations, and the desire to appeal to a particular voter base. According to a poll, 29% of Catholic voters choose their candidate based solely on their stance on abortion, with most of these voters preferring anti-abortion candidates. However, 68% of American Catholics believe that one can still be a "good Catholic" even if they disagree with the Church's position on abortion. This diversity of opinions among Catholic politicians and voters reflects the complexity of the abortion issue within the Catholic Church.
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Catholic public opinion
The Catholic Church is against abortion in all circumstances, teaching that procured abortion is a mortal sin against the Sixth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill". The church holds that abortion is an "intrinsic evil" and a crime against human life, dignity, and freedom, and that human life begins at conception and must be "respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception". Canon 1398 states that "a person who procures a successful abortion incurs an automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication" from the Church.
Despite the Catholic Church's stance, public opinion among Catholics is divided. According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, a majority of US Catholics (59%) support legal abortion in all or most cases, indicating a notable shift in Catholic public opinion. This mirrors a broader trend in American society towards increased support for abortion rights. However, other sources suggest that roughly half of US Catholics (48%) support the Church's position, believing that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.
While the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion is well-defined, Catholic public opinion is diverse and evolving. Some Catholics support abortion rights, reflecting a growing divergence from official Church doctrine.
In addition to the Catholic Church, several other Christian denominations have taken a stance on abortion. The Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Lutheran Women's Caucus are among the Protestant supporters of abortion rights. These churches generally view abortion as a personal decision and support reproductive freedom. On the other hand, the Southern Baptist Convention, the Reformed Church in the United States, and Assemblies of God USA oppose abortion, except when necessary to protect the mother's life.
The Lutheran Church in the United States consists of three main denominations: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. While specific data on Lutheran public opinion is scarce, it is worth noting that the American Lutheran Church, with 2.4 million members, is listed among pro-life churches. Additionally, the existence of organizations like "Lutherans for Life" suggests a notable presence of pro-life sentiment within the Lutheran community.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church is against abortion in all circumstances. It believes that abortion is a mortal sin against the Sixth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill". The church also teaches that procured abortion is an intrinsic evil and a crime against human life, dignity, and freedom.
The Lutheran Church is divided into three denominations in the United States: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. While there is no official statement on their stance on abortion, the American Lutheran Church is listed as a pro-life church. There is also an organization called Lutherans for Life, which is a pro-life group that provides support and resources for those who oppose abortion.
While the Catholic Church officially opposes abortion in all circumstances, many Catholics disagree. According to surveys, a majority of U.S. Catholics (59%) support legal abortion in all or most cases, reflecting a notable shift in Catholic public opinion.
I could not find specific information on whether members of the Lutheran Church agree with its stance on abortion. However, it is worth noting that the Lutheran Church is diverse, with different denominations and individual congregations holding varying views.
