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Ecumenical Group
Challenges Pastors
To
Develop Pro-Life Ministry
By Kathleen Sweeney
Special to the Herald
An ecumenical gathering of pastors, theologians and pro-life leaders at Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax county, Virginia, recently stressed the need for growth in both theological and practical aspects of pastoral ministry on human life issues.
The conference, "Building a Ministry for Life," was sponsored by the National Pro-Life Religious Council (NPRC), a coalition of Protestant and Catholic pro-life groups. It was the first pastors' conference on life issues that NPRC has sponsored.
Speakers included Dr. Elizabeth Achtemeier, Presbyterian theologian and seminary professor for many years; Dr. Carl Braaten, executive director of the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology and co-editor of ProEcclesia; Dr. John Kilner, director of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity; Pastor Leonard Klein, senior pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, York, Pa; Dr. Richard Land, president/CEO of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention; Father John Richard Neuhaus, president of the Institute on Religion in Public Life and editor of First Things; Olivia Gans, director of the American Victims of Abortion; and Father Marcus Pollard, associate pastor of St. Louis Parish in Alexandria, Virginia.
The continued hesitation of some Christian pastors to preach on abortion and euthanasia, and to provide active ministering to women and families in need of spiritual direction in these areas, was one underlying problem that the conference considered.
Another critical question was how to counter the scientific community's pressure to carry on genetic and cloning research using human embryos and how to communicate the ethical considerations based on a culture of life.
Father Neuhaus pointed out that if Christians do not actively question the direction in which scientific or technological advance is going, many such efforts will proceed with a "why not?' attitude.
"Ideas do have consequences," he said, "We have to get our ideas straight."
Dr. Achtemeier identified the underlying issue in the abortion debate as the failure to recognize the sovereignty of God over His creation. Unless we recognize that "we are not our own," but belong to our loving Creator, she said, "we cannot have much affect on the abortion mentality."
Gans gave a moving testimony about her own healing process after an abortion. She said there is a long-term spiritual journey needed. The topic of spiritual direction for this healing process was taken up by Father Pollard, who first heard Gans speak on this topic at his seminary several years ago. He described the different stages of counseling involved and the spiritual depth that can be pare ot it.
For those interested in the full text of these talks, a set of tapes is available through "Make It Happen," 9923 Natick Rd., Burke, VA 22015.
Kathleen Sweeney is a member of St. Agnes Parish in Arlington. She writes frequently on pro-life topics and has worked closely with the National Pro-Life Religious Council.
Copyright ©1998 Arlington Catholic Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
This article was published in the Arlington
Catholic Herald,
200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 607, Arlington, VA 22203; Vol 23, No 44;
dated Nov 5, 1998, on page 9.
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A note from the Web Master:
It is noteworthy and honorable that some folks are willing to stand up for a ban on Partial-Birth Abortion. Let us not forget that Abortion is also murder. We must understand that murder is murder no matter the method. Because one method of abortion seems to be horrible does not justify the other methods. We should be horrified and sickened by any Abortion regardless of the method. The Fifth Commandment spells it out clearly: "Thou shalt not kill." A fetus is a person, a human being with a God given soul. Imagine the pain the Lord must feel when any Abortion occurs. Please contact both of your Senators and Representative, via letter or phone, to let them know how horrified you are that Abortions are legal and to stop Partial-Birth Abortions and all other Abortions as soon as possible.
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