Abortion from different religions perspective

Running head: ABORTION FROM DIFFERENT RELIGIONS PERSPECTIVE
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Introduction:
The existing religious views on abortion range widely from conditional acceptance, to neutrality, to vehement rejection. Monotheist religions preach and advocate religious views that consider abortion in views ranging from murder to justice. The opinions are reflected in not only the views but even traditions and practices. Religiously the topic of abortion centralizes on the rights and status of the fetus, the rights and status of the mother, the role, interference and influence of medical technology, and the quantitative and qualitative value of life. The topic also discusses the social, economic and political concerns relating to the issues of fertility and infertility, and the meaning and magnitude of deciding such issues in relation to faith and religion.
Christianity, Islam and Judaism are all inter related monotheistic religions that follow religious texts, human`s ability to reason and resonate, and precedents to make ethical decisions. These three religions consist of, in themselves and among each other, very diverse and dividing opinions on abortion. Most religious scholars, in all three of these religions, believe that God creates all life. Therefore, the embryo, from the moment of its conception, because its human life created by God, deserves rights similar to other humans. Rejection of this life, abortion of the embryo is believed to be the rejection of God`s creation. Abortion is generally considered a sin against life, as murder, suicide etc. The sin is considered to be profound even if performed in response to pre-natal diagnosis of any disease.
On the contrary, many religious scholars consider abortion to be allowed for preventing fetal abnormalities and saving the mother`s life. (Maguire, 2001)
Christianity:
Christian beliefs about abortion are divided in two phases: The early Christian views on abortion and the later Christian views on abortion.
Most Christian churches including the Easter Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy and Roman Catholic Church are against and oppose abortion under all circumstances. Other churches oppose abortion but are flexible in their opposition depending on the situation, like abortion is allowed if there is a danger to the mother`s or baby`s life.
In the early Christian views on abortion, there is believed to be a discord on whether early abortion was wrong or not. A few early Christians believed that a fetus does not have a soul till quickening, so early abortion was acceptable and was not counted as murder. Christianity developed in a society where abortion, infanticide and genocide were common ways for population control. Abortion was also performed when the fetus was a result of immorality, infidelity, prostitution or incest. However, religiously strict Christians believed abortion to be sin so evil that it was compared to immorality and oppression. The early Christian councils did not consider abortion as murder, but had sever specific punishments on abortions that resulted from some form of sexual crimes (Luker, 1984), and also on the production and manufacturing of abortion drugs. Some Christian Councils enforced a denial of communion even at death or a ten year exclusion from communion on people who committed adultery followed by abortion, and those who made abortion drugs. (Ronzani, 2007)
The later Christian views on abortion were slightly influenced by the economical condition of families. In the reign of the first Christian ruler Constantine, abortion was allowed where parents were poor and found it difficult to care for many children. There was a more flexible and relaxed approach towards abortion. The catholic views on abortion are based on the encyclical Casti Connubii 1930 regarding Christian marriage by Pope Pius XI and Donum Vitae 1987 meaning the gift of life of Pope John Paul II. The encyclical Evangelium Vitae 1995, meaning the gospel of life of Pope John Paul II outlined the sanctified value of human life from its very beginning rejecting abortion even before the quickening of the fetus. Donum Vitae is an extensive literature outlining clear prohibition regarding issues of genetic screening in cases of selective abortions, in vitro fertilization letting humans play God, abortion and other related topics.
Protestant churches have no official opinion on the status of fetus. Both the fetus and the mother are considered when the question of abortion arises. In general Protestant church has similar opinions to the Catholic Church, with exceptions in case of a risk to the life ...