Melbourne Anglicans and abortion

Victoria is currently reviewing state abortion laws. It has called for community submissions on this issue. The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne (ADOM) has sent in a submission. You can see it on the Melbourne Anglican website at:
www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/main.php?pg=download&id=10497

The ADOM submission says:

1. "Our consensus view is the gradualist position which argues that while the embryo/foetus is fully human from the time of conception, it accrues moral significance and value as it develops."

2. "The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, even within the diversity of members' views, supports the provision of safe and affordable abortions with appropriate safeguards for women who, for whatever reasons, request them."

3. Archbishop Freier's Introduction to the Submission states: "Their report constitutes, in effect, a consensus opinion."

BUT...

1. Many Melbourne Anglicans do not hold to the gradualist view, and would see it as contrary to biblical teaching, and the historic and worldwide Anglican view on this issue.

2. Many Melbourne Anglicans feel rightly outraged that the Diocese has represented them in this way.

SO...

The letter below has been prepared. The idea is to express our collective response to the Diocese and to the State in a firm and measured way.

If you'd like to participate in this, please print out the letter, collect signatures as appropriate and send them to:
St Jude's, 235 Palmerston St, Carlton Vic 3053, by February 6.

As drafted, the letter is addressed to the editor of The Melbourne Anglican and is from members of the ADOM.

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To the editor,

We the undersigned members of Melbourne Anglican churches strongly disagree with the position on abortion outlined in the ‘Submission to the Victorian Law Reform Commission Inquiry on the Law of Abortion from the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, 9th November 2007’ as posted on the Melbourne Anglican website at www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/main.php?pg=download&id=10497 and referred to in the December 2007 edition of The Melbourne Anglican.

We do not hold the ‘gradualist’ position with respect to the moral value of developing embryos / foetuses. We believe that the Bible teaches that all human life has absolute moral value irrespective of race, gender, wealth, education, age (including the unborn) or level of disability. We are therefore generally opposed to abortion as it seems to us to be a form of killing – and killing of the most vulnerable members of our society at that. We believe our view is in line with historical Christian teaching and the official position of the worldwide Anglican Communion as expressed at the 1930 Lambeth Conference, a position that has never been overturned.

We do understand that occasionally the moral considerations are more complicated – eg., when a mother’s life is directly placed in immediate and exceptional danger by a pregnancy or birth (not being merely the normal dangers of pregnancy or childbirth) but could be protected only by destroying the unborn child. Because of such complex cases where a decision to terminate may be morally justifiable, we do not advocate a blanket-ban on abortion. Nevertheless, we believe that such situations are exceptional, must be addressed with appropriate gravity and do not cancel out our general opposition to abortion.

We agree that abortion is an extremely sensitive issue that must be discussed with great discretion and care. We recognise that in a fallen world many people, including Anglicans, will have personal experiences of abortion. We affirm that in Christ there is unqualified forgiveness for all who repent and that the Church must proclaim and embody that message. We accept the responsibility to deal lovingly and compassionately with all members of our Church and society, including those who have been party to abortions.

We are seeking to make our strong objections to the content of the original Submission, including its moral position and recommendations, known to the Victorian Law Reform Commission.

Faithfully,