Standing firm

In January, the United States observed the passage of twenty-five years since the Supreme Court Roe vs. Wade decision made abortion legal. This decision led to the 1975 Mennonite Church statement on abortion. The statement was written by members of the Faith, Life and Strategy Committee (FLSC) and adopted by the General Assembly during the August 1975 meetings.

Robert Hartzler, then FLSC chairperson, noted how different the atmosphere regarding abortion was then. "When we put the statement on the floor, no one wanted to talk. We had to push for discussion. Finally some older females who were health practitioners stood and discussed matters of substance. The statement was adopted with no opposing votes."

Another committee member, Don Jacobs, agreed. "Abortion wasn't causing dissension in the church at that time. The statement just explained that Mennonites believe in the basic sanctity of life. At that time, individual women's rights to their bodies were not an issue."

The situation in both the Mennonite Church and society has changed, however. Anna Bowman, one of two women on the committee, explained that the 1975 statement was written, "prior to the pro-life, pro-choice polarization. We weren't as aware that the members of our churches were in a privileged position." As a social worker, Bowman is aware that many women seeking abortions have not been taught to make responsible choices independent of the men in their lives and do not have support when caught in an unplanned pregnancy. "As a denomination, we still know what we believe, but face a new, different question: Do we have the right to make our beliefs the law of the land, especially when others aren't so privileged?"

Linda Gehman Peachey, former MCC U. S. peace staff person, edited the MCC packet of information on abortion. "While putting together the packet, I didn't find it hard to decide my personal position on abortion, or even a policy for our church members, because we believe in taking the costly stand to protect life. I did find it difficult to figure out public policy: do we expect everyone to take this choice? I want to be pro-life, but also pro-woman. As a denomination, we can support policies which make abortion less necessary: legislative bills that help mothers and children. What can we as a church do to be woman and child friendly?"

Clearly, the official stand of the Mennonite Church continues to be that all life is valuable. We must remember that we take this stand because of our theology, because we worship a God of love and life.

Just as clearly, we are not sure how to deal with legislation or the purpose of government.

In the Sept 14, 1993 Gospel Herald, Marlene Kropf wrote "If we open our eyes to the justice dimensions of the abortion issue, we quickly realize that poor women suffer most when legal abortions are not available. There is also something inconsistent about forcing parents to give birth to handicapped children and then not providing support for the care of those children."

"Not many Mennonite Church statements call for specific legislation," J. Daryl Byler, of MCC Washington noted. "This isn't part of our tradition. Our statements are clear on moral issues and the alternatives we support." Byler's office continues to explore how best to help the church work with the legislative issue of abortion. "We don't include abortion in the congressional voting records we publish each year. There are several reasons for this: First, there are many votes taken each year, and, second, usually abortion legislation is attached to another bill." Thus it is difficult to decide how to vote on a bill serving many purposes. "If we do speak to legislation," Byler emphasizes, however, " it must be while we are working on alternatives to abortion. We can all agree on this."

Vicki Markley-Sairs, who publishes the Mennonite pro-life magazine, Meribath, explained how we should present alternatives to abortion. "We need to be like Paul in the marketplace in Areopagus (Acts 17). Paul didn't compromise his beliefs, didn't force his way on others, but called out their best. We part company with our pro-life friends when they become coercive. We've been good at providing for physical needs (of those caught by unplanned pregnancies), but weak in presenting our pro-life ideas in the marketplace." (Updated note: Meribath is no longer published.)

An important way to decrease the need for abortions, Bowman believes, is to give women a voice. "We need to put our energy into helping women find the voice to say 'no' to men, to the need to be important to men, to do whatever men tell them to do. We need to change social structures to encourage women to make responsible choices."

In the same Gospel Herald article, Gehman Peachey sums up a compassionate pro-life stance for the Mennonite Church. "In short, let us take this statement seriously. Let us become known as churches that welcome, shelter, and value people-especially women, especially children, especially those whom our society would cast off. To do this with integrity, the church must offer new models of family, congregational, and community life which truly affirm women and children. We cannot speak to women of the sanctity of life if they feel their own lives demeaned and treated with disrespect. We cannot speak of the preciousness of children if we turn a blind eye to child abuse and neglect. And so I pray that we might truly embrace Jesus' example and teaching-that true power lies not in the violent assertion of our rights but rather in the strength to love, to protect, to encourage, and to trust in God. May we have the humility to recognize and confess our own misuse of power. May we have the commitment to learn new ways of living together which rely not on domination and control but rather on mutuality, respect, and compassion. May we continue to follow Jesus."