Editing Religion and abortion (section)

== Christianity ==
{{main|Christianity and abortion}}
There is scholarly disagreement on how early Christians felt about abortion and whether explicit prohibitions of abortion exist in either the Old Testament or New Testament books of the [[Christian Bible]].  Abortion is not specifically mentioned anywhere in the Bible, nor is there any specific commandment against it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/what-the-bible-actually-says-about-abortion-may-surprise-you-186983|title=What the Bible actually says about abortion may surprise you|date=2022-07-20|website=The Conversation|language=en|access-date=2024-10-04}}</ref> Some scholars have concluded that early Christians took a nuanced stance on what is now called abortion and that at different times, and in separate places, early Christians have taken different stances.<ref name=autogenerated3>[https://books.google.com/books?id=VBN6r3cC6v0C&pg=PA110 When Children Became People: the birth of childhood in early Christianity] by Odd Magne Bakke</ref><ref>[http://faculty.cua.edu/Pennington/Law111/CatholicHistory.htm "Abortion and Catholic Thought: The Little-Told History"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218195040/http://faculty.cua.edu/Pennington/Law111/CatholicHistory.htm |date=2012-02-18 }}</ref><ref name=universityofcalifornia>[https://books.google.com/books?id=-SZnZTSQV9EC&pg=PA12 Abortion and the Politics of Motherhood] by Kristin Luker, University of California Press</ref> Other scholars have concluded that early Christians considered abortion a sin at all stages; although there is disagreement over their thoughts on what type of sin it was,<ref name="prejudices"/><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=VXGkAhyNGAEC&pg=PA166 Ana S. Iltis, Mark J. Cherry, ''At the Roots of Christian Bioethics'' (M & M Scrivener Press 2010] {{ISBN|978-0-9764041-8-7}}), p. 166</ref><ref name="Gorman">[https://books.google.com/books?id=OdsnAAAAYAAJ&q=%22not+only+as+a+sin+like+sexual+immorality%22 Michael J. Gorman, ''Abortion and the Early Church: Christian, Jewish, and Pagan Attitudes'' (InterVarsity Press 1982] {{ISBN|0-87784-397-X}}), p. 50</ref><ref name="Stemcells">[https://books.google.com/books?id=NXnzUgkh6VEC&pg=PA106 Stem cells, human embryos and ethics: interdisciplinary perspectives: Lars Østnor, Springer 2008]</ref> and how grave a sin it was held to be, it was seen as at least as grave as sexual immorality.<ref name="prejudices">Robert Nisbet, ''Prejudices: A Philosophical Dictionary'' (Harvard University Press 1982 {{ISBN|0-674-70066-X}}), p. 2</ref><ref name="Gorman"/> Some early Christians believed that the embryo did not have a soul from conception,<ref name="autogenerated3"/><ref name="harpercollins">[https://archive.org/details/harpercollinsenc00mcbr/page/5 <!-- quote=early christians abortion knowledge development. --> McBrien, Richard P. ''The HarperCollins encyclopedia of Catholicism'']</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ognCKztR8a4C&dq=early+christians+abortion+knowledge+development&pg=PA3 ''The Oxford companion to Christian thought'']</ref><ref name=dictionaryethics>[https://books.google.com/books?id=idsNAAAAQAAJ&dq=thomas+aquinas+abortion&pg=PA1 Dictionary of ethics, theology and society] By Paul A. B. Clarke, Andrew Linzey</ref> and consequently, opinion was divided as to whether or not early abortion was murder or ethically equivalent to murder.<ref name="universityofcalifornia"/><ref name="Stemcells"/>

Early church councils punished women for abortions that were combined with other sexual crimes, as well as makers of abortifacient drugs,<ref name="universityofcalifornia"/> but, like some early Church Fathers such as [[Basil of Caesarea]], did not make a distinction between "formed" and "unformed" foetuses.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=4__yBKLGRngC M. Therese Lysaught, Joseph Kotva, Stephen E. Lammers, Allen Verhey, ''On Moral Medicine: Theological Perspectives on Medical Ethics'' (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 2012] {{ISBN|9780802866011}}), p. 676</ref><ref name="Goyens">[https://books.google.com/books?id=K-KC-IzcgeAC Michèle Goyens, Pieter de Leemans, An Smets, ''Science Translated: Latin and Vernacular Translations of Scientific Treatises in Medieval Europe'' (Leuven University Press 2008] {{ISBN|9789058676719}}), p. 384, 399</ref> While [[Gregory of Nyssa]] and [[Maximus the Confessor]] held that human life already began at conception,<ref name="Goyens"/> [[Augustine of Hippo]] affirmed Aristotle's concepts of [[ensoulment]] occurring some time after conception, after which point abortion was to be considered a homicide,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=B83bmEe77dAC&pg=PA292 The Janus face of prenatal diagnostics]</ref> while still maintaining the condemnation of abortion at any time from conception onward.<ref>Daniel Schiff, ''Abortion in Judaism'' (Cambridge University Press 2002 {{ISBN|978-0-521-52166-6}}), p. 40</ref> Aquinas reiterated Aristotle's views of successive souls: vegetative, animal, and rational. This would be the Catholic Church's position until 1869, when the limitation of automatic excommunication to abortion of a ''formed''  foetus was removed, a change that has been interpreted as an implicit declaration that conception was the moment of ensoulment.<ref name="harpercollins"/> Most early [[penitential]]s imposed equal penances for abortion whether early-term or late-term, but later penitentials in the Middle Ages normally distinguished between the two, imposing heavier penances for late-term abortions and a less severe penance was imposed for the sin of abortion <nowiki>"before [the foetus] has life".</nowiki><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=K-KC-IzcgeAC&dq=penitentials+hard-line+abortion&pg=PA390 Michèle Goyens, Pieter de Leemans, An Smets (editors), ''Science Translated: Latin and Vernacular Translations of Scientific Treatises in Medieval Europe''] (Leuven University Press 2008 {{ISBN|978-90-5867-671-9}}), pp. 390-396</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=oixC8quZYIkC&dq=medieval+penance+abortion+forty&pg=PA255 Patrick J. Geary, ''Readings in Medieval History'' (University of Toronto Press 2010] {{ISBN|978-1-4426-0116-1}}), Vol. 1, p. 255</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=cO5ZFvk8JyAC&dq=medieval+penance+abortion+forty&pg=PA85 Karin E. Olsen, Antonina Harbus, Tette Hofstra, ''Germanic Texts and Latin Models'' (Peeters 2001] {{ISBN|978-90-429-0985-4}}), pp. 84-85</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=GiIqAAAAYAAJ&q=abortion John Thomas McNeill, Helena M. Gamer, ''Medieval Handbooks of Penance'' (Hippocrene Books 1965] {{ISBN|978-0-374-95548-9}})</ref>

Contemporary [[Christian denomination]]s have nuanced positions, thoughts, and teachings about abortion, especially in extenuating circumstances.<ref name=pew>[http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=351 "Religious Groups’ Official Positions on Abortion"] Pew Forum</ref><ref name=where>[https://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-08-13-forum-abortion_x.htm "Where does God stand on abortion?"] USA Today</ref> The [[Catholic Church]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catholic.com/library/Abortion.asp |title=Abortion |work=Catholic Answers |publisher=Catholic.com |date=2004-08-10 |access-date=2011-12-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903232336/http://www.catholic.com/library/Abortion.asp |archive-date=2011-09-03 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.catholicapologetics.info/morality/abortion/abortion.htm The Catholic Teaching on Abortion], ''Allocution to Large Families, Nov. 26, 1951'', [[Pope Pius XII]]</ref> the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.serborth.org/01222009.html |title=The Orthodox Perspective on Abortion at the occasion of the National Sanctity of Human Life Day 2009 |first=Vasilije |last=Vranic |publisher=Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America |date=January 2009 |access-date=2011-12-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7101 |title=The Stand of the Orthodox Church on Controversial Issues |work=Our Faith |first=Stanley S. |last=Harakas |publisher=Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America |access-date=2011-12-30}}</ref> [[Oriental Orthodoxy]], and most [[Evangelical|Evangelical Protestants]] oppose deliberate abortion as immoral while allowing what is sometimes called indirect abortion, namely, an action that does not seek the death of the foetus as an end or a means, but that is followed by the death as a side effect.<ref>Christopher Robert Kaczor, ''The Ethics of Abortion'' (Taylor & Francis 2010 {{ISBN|978-0-415-88468-6}}), p. 187</ref> Evangelical Protestants have some of the most opposed views on the topic of abortion, especially compared to those of traditional religions. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bruce |first=Tricia C. |date=2020-09-18 |title=Efficacy, Distancing, and Reconciling: Religion and Race in Americans' Abortion Attitudes |journal=Religions |language=en |volume=11 |issue=9 |pages=475 |doi=10.3390/rel11090475 |issn=2077-1444|doi-access=free }}</ref> More specifically, the religious philosophy of both the Catholic Church and many Evangelical Christians denominations is that life begins at conception, and both groups have strong moral prohibitions against abortion, equating it to murder. These two denominations are the primary participators in interest advocacy groups and are strongly associated with anti-abortion activities. This group behavior can include lobbying, activism, protesting, as well as education and campaign contributions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Medoff |first1=Marshall H. |last2=Dennis |first2=Christopher |date=October 2011 |title=TRAP Abortion Laws and Partisan Political Party Control of State Government |journal=The American Journal of Economics and Sociology |language=en |volume=70 |issue=4 |pages=951–973 |doi=10.1111/j.1536-7150.2011.00794.x |pmid=22141177 |issn=0002-9246}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bruce |first=Tricia C. |date=2020-09-18 |title=Efficacy, Distancing, and Reconciling: Religion and Race in Americans' Abortion Attitudes |journal=Religions |language=en |volume=11 |issue=9 |pages=475 |doi=10.3390/rel11090475 |issn=2077-1444|doi-access=free }}</ref> However, states with a higher percentage of Catholics or a higher percentage of the population classified as fundamentalist or conservative Protestant are not more likely to have abortion restrictions in their state legislature.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Haas-Wilson |first=Deborah |date=1993 |title=The Economic Impact of State Restrictions on Abortion: Parental Consent and Notification Laws and Medicaid Funding Restrictions |jstor=3325303 |journal=Journal of Policy Analysis and Management |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=498–511 |doi=10.2307/3325303 |pmid=10127357 |issn=0276-8739}}</ref> States or countries with a higher Catholic or Evangelical Christian presence than other denominations have more resources and votes in favor of restrictive abortion laws as well as influence over legislators' perception on the issue of abortion. <ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Medoff |first1=Marshall H. |last2=Dennis |first2=Christopher |date=2011-01-01 |title=Public Preferences, Political Party Control, and Restrictive State Abortion Laws |journal=American Review of Politics |volume=31 |pages=307–331 |doi=10.15763/issn.2374-7781.2010.31.0.307-331 |issn=2374-779X|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Some [[mainline Protestant]] denominations such as the [[Methodist Church]], [[Episcopal Church (United States)]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/21/where-major-religious-groups-stand-on-abortion/ | title=Where major religious groups stand on abortion | date=21 June 2016 }}</ref> [[United Church of Christ]], [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcusa.org/resource/problem-pregnancies-and-abortion/|title=Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Resources - Problem Pregnancies and Abortion|last=(U.S.A.)|first=Presbyterian Church|date=2012-01-11|website=www.pcusa.org|language=en|access-date=2018-07-01}}</ref> and the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of America]], among others, are more permissive of abortion. More generally, some Christian denominations can be considered [[anti-abortion]], while others may favor [[abortion rights]]. Additionally, there are sizable minorities in some denominations that disagree with their denomination's stance on abortion.<ref name="where" /> A national sample of American abortion patients found that the majority identified as Protestant.<ref name="c910">{{cite web | title= | url=https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/Vaughan_uncg_9110078.PDF | access-date=2025-01-21}}</ref>

The more religiously devout and those with more religious engagement tend to hold stronger opinions overall, especially on the abortion debate in regard to religions take on abortion's morality.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}} An individual's religious conservatism has a higher likelihood to oppose abortion. However, members of a denomination can have deviating opinions from vocal religious leaders' beliefs.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}