Beyond the Binaries, Part 9: Abortion and the Law, Part 2: The Complexity of Criminalization, Part 1
The purpose and function of criminalization and criminal punishment is the subject of a great deal of debate. At one level, the designation of a…
The purpose and function of criminalization and criminal punishment is the subject of a great deal of debate. At one level, the designation of a…
My point here is to highlight why the questions of life and personhood are such complex and sometimes contradictory issues in the legal system.
"The very fact that such a diversity of opinions exists among science and medical professionals should give us all pause when we hear the claim that “science proves” that human personhood begins at conception.
The view that abortion is murder from conception has actually been the minority view in the Western church for most of Christian history. Perhaps acknowledging this complexity and diversity of thought will evoke a spirit of humility within us as we engage the issue today.
“The Christian tradition has taken a generally negative view of abortion, but the moral basis and perceived implications of this negative view have varied greatly.”[1] So begins philosophy professor Peter Millican’s entry on abortion in The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought. This is, as we’ll see, an accurate summary.