Abortion and the Religious Left
by Hans Zeiger

There is talk of the high places in the Old Testament. Kings were judged in history on the basis of whether they removed the high places. What are the high places in America today? Though there are many, the worst are the thousands of abortion clinics scattered across our land. America's Christians should have confronted these high places, but conservative churches are afraid to talk about abortion.

It came as no surprise that Planned Parenthood created a new wing of its multi-million dollar operation last week by ordaining Rev. Dr. Ignacio Castuera as the official Chaplain of Planned Parenthood. Rev. Castuera is pastor of St. John's United Methodist Church in Los Angeles and he has served on the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Clergy Advisory Board since 1994. Castuera has been active in the Planned Parenthood Pro-Choice Religious Network and he headed the Latina Outreach Project of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Castuera will be the new spokesman for America's leading purveyor of abortion by marketing the pro-death message in America's churches.

Abortion rights actaully became a central tenet of liberal church doctrine several years before Roe v. Wade. In 1970, the Presbyterian Church USA was the first major denomination to end its opposition to abortion. Soon after, it was joined by the United Methodists, Lutheran Church in America, United Church of Christ, and Disciples of Christ. The Evangelical Lutheran Church also supported abortion when it was formed from mergers in 1991. The ELCA health care plan even covers pastors and church employees who choose to have abortions.

In 1972 the Presbyterian Church USA stated that abortion is a "personal choice." In 1983 the PCUSA General Assembly declared abortion a "stewardship responsibility." Their most recent resolution in 1992 asseverates, "The decision of a woman to terminate a pregnancy can be a morally acceptable ... decision."

The United Church of Christ went tot he point of proposing abortion coverage in a national health care plan. Before President Clinton vetoed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act in the 1990s, the UCC joined the National Abortion Rights Action League in condemning the congressionally approved ban. The United Methodist Church has also been a staunch advocate for partial birth abortion. The United Methodists organized the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice in the 1970s. Their motto proclaims "We're pro-choice because of our faith." Organizations that make up the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice include the American Humanist Association and the Society for Humanistic Judaism. Its branch organizations include the Clergy for Choice Network and Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom.

The liberal churches speak out on abortion, but the conservative ones are silent. Churches must preach the Gospel before all else. Because, this is not a physical battle. This is not even a merely cultural battle. It is spiritual warfare. Unless traditional Christians speak up, there will be only one army on the field.

Hans Zeiger is president of the Scout Honor Coalition. A columnist and student at Hillsdale College, his commentary was recently featured on the Rush Limbaugh Show: Contact: hazeiger@Hillsdale.edu