Abortion: Texts, Themes, Metaphors

Abortion: Biblical Texts, Themes and Metaphors

Exodus 20:13; Deut 5:17: The Prohibition of Murder

does the context in either case provide any help defining "killing"?
do Gen 4:10-11 or Gen 9:5-6 explain why killing is unacceptable?
is there a right to life in the OT? If so, what justifies capital punishment for cursing one's parents (Ex 21:17) or committing adultery (Deut 22:22)?

Exodus 21:22-23: A Case of Criminal Negligence

*Version*	*Translation*	*First Case*	*Second Case*
*NASV*	And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman's husband may demand of him; and he shall pay as the judges decide. But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life.	miscarriage: fine	injury or death to mother: lex talionis
*RSV*	When men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no harm follows, the one who hurt her shall be fined, according as the woman's husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,
*NRSV*	When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman's husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine. If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,
*NIV*	If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely [1] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, [1] Or: she has a miscarriage	premature delivery: fine	injury or death to mother or child: lex talionis
*KJV*	If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
*La Sainte Bible* (Louis Segond)	Si des hommes se querellent, et qu'ils heurtent une femme enceinte, et la fasse accoucher, sans autre accident, ils seront punis d'une amende imposée par le mari de la femme, et qu'ils paieront devant les juges. Mais s'il y a un accident, tu donneras vie pour vie,	live birth: fine	inury or death: lex talionis
*Espanol*	Si algunos riñeren, é hiriesen á mujer preñada, y ésta abortare, pero sin haber muerte, será penado conforme á lo que le impusiere el marido de la mujer y juzgaren los árbitros. Mas si hubiere muerte, entonces pagarás vida por vida,

is this legal text relevant at all for the abortion debate?
are there significant differences between various translations?
does it "posit a qualitative distinction between the fetus and the mother" (MVNT 447)?
if so, might this text support those who give more weight to a mother's rights than her unborn child's?

Acts 2:44-47; 4:32-35; 6:1-4; 1 Cor 5:1-13; 11:17-34: Sharing and Discipline in the Christian Community

are these sorts of texts relevant for the abortion debate?
how would the contemporary debate be different if the church recovered the New Testament's vision for community?

Rom 15:1-7; 1 Cor 11:1; Gal 6:2; Phil 2:1-13: Imitating Christ to Each Other

how well do we accept one another as Christ accepted us? In your experience, is the church a welcoming community?

Gen 1:28; Gen 17:6, 16; 21:1-2; Exod 1:20-21; Job 42:12-17; Luke 1:25, 58: The Blessing of Children

is be fruitful and multiply a command or a blessing?
why does the OT place such a high value on bearing children?
is the Hebrew perspective on children as divine blessing even remotely relevant in our modern world, characterised by overpopulation, birth control and increasingly fragmented families?
does this theme help to explain the Bible's silence on abortion?
can couples who are physically unable to bear children relate to this theme?
should modern Christian couples feel free to opt out of having children?

Are there any legitimate grounds for abortion in the Christian community?

when the life of the mother is threatened?
when the pregnancy has resulted from rape or incest?
when the fetus is severely (or mildly) deformed or handicapped?
when the mother (or family) will suffer substantial economic hardship?
when the mother is very young and single?
during the first few days and weeks of gestation?

Discuss the following statement:

"Surely if the New Testament writers could dare to formulate exceptions to Jesus' explicit teaching against divorce, the church can also act--in fear and trembling under the guidance of the Spirit--to identify exceptions to the traditional prohibition of abortion, a matter where we have no command of the Lord." (MVNT 456)

Does the silence of the NT call for more discernment and flexibility on the issue of abortion than, say, on the matter of violence, on which there is ample, and essentially univocal, NT testimony? (See MVNT 341)
Does it make any difference that Jewish and early Christian opposition to abortion did not distinguish cases of rape and incest, even though such behaviors were well known?

How should the contemporary church contribute to the broader moral and legal debate on abortion?

crisis pregnancy centers
clinic bombings
picketing
letter writing
public debate
.

legislative initiatives
media initiatives
educational programs
alternative communities
.
.

Discuss the following statements:

"We should recognize the futility of seeking to compel the state to enforce Christian teaching against abortion. . . because we recognize that the convictions that cause us to reject abortion within the church are intelligible only within the symbolic world of Scripture." (MVNT 457)

.

"Thus, the primary task of the Christian community on this issue is to form a countercommunity of witness, summoning the world to see the gospel in action." (MVNT 458)

.

"Even peaceful efforts to legislate against abortion are simply doomed to failure in the present cultural climate. The world needs to be shown another way, not forced by law to abandon something it perceives as a 'right'." (MVNT 458)

Might this argument undercut the efforts of Christians to oppose other social evils, like slavery, the oppression of women, war, genocide?
Is it ever appropriate for Christians to engage in "peaceful efforts to legislate against" perceived social evils?