Abortion Controversy and the Influence of the Christian Church. Religion and Politics in the US


Book Description

Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject Theology - Miscellaneous, grade: 1, , course: World Religions, language: English, abstract: This paper discusses the abortion controversy in the United States. It analyses the influence of the Christian Church on the debate whether abortion should be legal or illegal. This question is especially interesting because, even though the constitution requires a separation of church and state, the US government was in its origin partially defined by Christian values. Furthermore, while in other Western countries the importance of religion is declining, the United States is still a very devout country. The discussion, whether abortion should be legal or not, is a never-ending topic all over the world. In America, it has been debated for decades. In presidential campaigns, it is always addressed, but never as much as in the 2020 race with the possible re-election of Donald Trump. Especially concerning the new seat in the supreme court, which was highly disputed. Recently it was confirmed that the conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett will replace Ginsburg. This could mean that the judiciary branch of the federal government would develop to be more conservative. This could maybe even result in a re-discussion of Roe versus Wade. This would not only affect abortion policies strongly but moreover would be a huge occurrence for American Politics in general. Even though the majority of the American population is positioned in the middle of both political positions, the extreme opinions of Pro-life and Pro-choice have dominated the discussion. Some people are even so involved or even obsessed (some even feel offended in their religious belief) that protests or smaller gatherings in front of abortion clinics are not uncommon. While Pro-choice believes in the option to decide, Pro-life thinks abortion is murder. In general, pro-life tends to be the more conservative view on that topic as it is developing out of the traditional biblical opinion. In the past this had a clear influence on the political decisions concerning the abortion policies. The reason for this is, as we will see, the connection between the strictly believing evangelists and the republicans. How strong was the influence the Church took in this political debate if abortion should be legal or not?




The Rights Turn in Conservative Christian Politics


Book Description

Explains how abortion politics influenced a fundamental shift in conservative Christian politics, teaching conservatives to embrace rights arguments.




Abortion Politics


Book Description

Abortion has remained one of the most volatile and polarizing issues in the United States for over four decades. Americans are more divided today than ever over abortion, and this debate colors the political, economic, and social dynamics of the country. This book provides a balanced, clear-eyed overview of the abortion debate, including the perspectives of both the pro-life and pro-choice movements. It covers the history of the debate from colonial times to the present, the mobilization of mass movements around the issue, the ways it is understood by ordinary Americans, the impact it has had on US political development, and the differences between the abortion conflict in the US and the rest of the world. Throughout these discussions, Ziad Munson demonstrates how the meaning of abortion has shifted to reflect the changing anxieties and cultural divides which it has come to represent. Abortion Politics is an invaluable companion for exploring the abortion issue and what it has to say about American society, as well as the dramatic changes in public understanding of women’s rights, medicine, religion, and partisanship.




Nations under God


Book Description

Why churches in some democratic nations wield enormous political power while churches in other democracies don't In some religious countries, churches have drafted constitutions, restricted abortion, and controlled education. In others, church influence on public policy is far weaker. Why? Nations under God argues that where religious and national identities have historically fused, churches gain enormous moral authority—and covert institutional access. These powerful churches then shape policy in backrooms and secret meetings instead of through open democratic channels such as political parties or the ballot box. Through an in-depth historical analysis of six Christian democracies that share similar religious profiles yet differ in their policy outcomes—Ireland and Italy, Poland and Croatia, and the United States and Canada—Anna Grzymała-Busse examines how churches influenced education, abortion, divorce, stem cell research, and same-sex marriage. She argues that churches gain the greatest political advantage when they appear to be above politics. Because institutional access is covert, they retain their moral authority and their reputation as defenders of the national interest and the common good. Nations under God shows how powerful church officials in Ireland, Canada, and Poland have directly written legislation, vetoed policies, and vetted high-ranking officials. It demonstrates that religiosity itself is not enough for churches to influence politics—churches in Italy and Croatia, for example, are not as influential as we might think—and that churches allied to political parties, such as in the United States, have less influence than their notoriety suggests.




On Repentance And Repair


Book Description

Winner NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARDS in Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice Myra H. Kraft Memorial Award A crucial new lens on repentance, atonement, forgiveness, and repair from harm—from personal transgressions to our culture’s most painful and unresolved issues American culture focuses on letting go of grudges and redemption narratives instead of the perpetrator’s obligations or recompense for harmed parties. As survivor communities have pointed out, these emphases have too often only caused more harm. But Danya Ruttenberg knew there was a better model, rooted in the work of the medieval philosopher Maimonides. For Maimonides, upon whose work Ruttenberg elaborates, forgiveness is much less important than the repair work to which the person who caused harm is obligated. The word traditionally translated as repentance really means something more like return, and in this book, returning is a restoration, as much as is possible, to the victim, and, for the perpetrator of harm, a coming back, in humility and intentionality, to behaving as the person we might like to believe we are. Maimonides laid out 5 steps: naming and owning harm; starting to change/transformation; restitution and accepting consequences; apology; and making different choices. Applying this lens to both our personal relationships and some of the most significant and painful issues of our day, including systemic racism and the legacy of enslavement, sexual violence and harassment in the wake of #MeToo, and Native American land rights, On Repentance and Repair helps us envision a way forward. Rooted in traditional Jewish concepts while doggedly accessible and available to people from any, or no, religious background, On Repentance and Repair is a book for anyone who cares about creating a country and culture that is more whole than the one in which we live, and for anyone who has been hurt or who is struggling to take responsibility for their mistakes.




Pro-Choice and Christian


Book Description

Despite the claim by many Christian leaders that the pro-life/antiabortion position is the only faithful response to the debate about reproductive rights, many people of faith find themselves in a murky middle of this supposedly black-and-white issue. Christians who are pro-abortion rights are rarely pro-abortion. However, they view the decision to carry a pregnancy to term as one to be made by the woman, her medical team, her family, or personal counsel rather than by politicians. Pro-Choice and Christian explores the biblical, theological, political, and medical aspects of the debate in order to provide a thoughtful Christian argument for a pro-choice position with regard to abortion issues. Kira Schlesinger considers relevant Scriptures, the politics of abortion in the United States, and the human realities making abortion a vital issue of justice and compassion. By examining choice from a Christian perspective, Schlesinger provides a common vocabulary for discussing faith and reproductive rights.




The Oxford Handbook of Religion and American Politics


Book Description

Over the past three decades, the study of religion and politics has gone from being ignored by the scholarly 7ommunity to being a major focus of research. Yet, because this important research is not easily accessible to nonspecialists, much of the analysis of religion's role in the political arena that we read in the media is greatly oversimplified. This Handbook seeks to bridge that gap by examining the considerable research that has been conducted to this point and assessing what has been learned, what remains unsettled due to conflicting research findings, and what important questions remain largely unaddressed by current research endeavors. The Handbook is unique to the field of religion and American politics and should be of wide interest to scholars, students, journalists, and others interested in the American political scene.




The Churching of America, 1776-2005


Book Description

This edition offers research, statistics and stories that document-increased participation in religious groups in the US in the 21st century. New chapters chart the development of African American churches from the early 19th century and the ethnic religious communities of recent immigrants.




Abortion from the Religious and Moral Perspective:


Book Description

For approximately three decades, the abortion debate has polarized America. Views range from the extreme conservative position that all abortions are morally objectionable to the extreme liberal position that abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy is acceptable. In the middle are those who advocate laws limiting the number of valid reasons for abortion. This comprehensive volume includes bibliographic citations that address the moral and religious aspects of abortion. It covers such topics as the various arguments both for and against abortion, the status of the fetus, and overviews of several religions' stances on abortion. Citations also include references on how Christianity has influenced abortion politics and law, discussions of Operation Rescue, and official statements on abortion by the Catholic Church and several Protestant denominations. Researchers, as well as anyone interested in the moral and religious elements of abortion, will find this resource invaluable. It covers the literature on abortion and religion found in books, essays, journal articles, academic dissertations and Web sites. And, unlike many of the available bibliographies, this one focuses only on the religious and moral issues, therefore providing greater depth on those two issues within one work.