ABSTRACT
In ethical discussions the word abortion is used to describe the deliberate termination of the developing fetus in the mother’s womb. Christian opinion from at least the time of the Didache has condemned “the slaying of the child by abortion” (Didache 2.2), although on the question of whether abortion is sometimes justifiable as the lesser of two evils, Protestant opinion is deeply divided. Roman Catholic and Evangelical leaders, working together, have led the ongoing opposition to abortion. Indeed, according to The London Times, “the Catholic and the fundamentalist Protestant religions form the backbone of the anti-abortion movement.” However, the United Kingdom Abortion Act of 1967 closely followed the recommendations made by the Church of England in Abortion: An Ethical Discussion of 1965, a report issued by that group’s Board for Social Responsibility. The act also enjoyed the support of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, the Methodist and Baptist Churches, and the British Council of Churches. A comparable situation existed in the United States, where fundamentalist Protestant opinion was vehemently opposed to abortion on any grounds, whereas the leadership of many Protestant churches including the Episcopal, the Methodists, and the Society of Friends has consistently favored a more liberal position.
