PERSPECTIVES  |  Overview

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Perspectives
A Matter of Faith and Conscience
Pro-choice religions are among the most trusted institutions in the United States. These traditions, with more than 20 million members in the U.S., support reproductive choice as the most responsible position a religious institution can take on this issue.

The Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalist Association, and Reform, Reconstructionist and Conservative Judaism all have official statements in support of reproductive choice as a matter of conscience, adopted by their governing bodies. Religious and religiously affiliated organizations from these and other traditions and independent religious organizations such as Catholics for Choice are members of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Members of the Coalition do not necessarily agree on various issues but work together to keep reproductive choice safe and legal and to improve family planning, contraception, sexuality education, healthcare, prenatal and postnatal services, and other human services that prevention unintended pregnancy, reduce the need for abortion, and reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Statement of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
As people of faith, we

seek a society that values human life and human dignity and honors individual conscience.

respect the value of potential human life while remaining firmly committed to women as responsible, moral decision-makers.

believe the ability to make moral decisions—including about reproductive issues—is the very basis of an individual's dignity.

seek to correct the conditions that underlie the high rate of unintended pregnancy and abortion, through responsible sexuality education, affordable family planning services, and high-quality, accessible medical care.

strive to make reproductive justice a reality by furthering the medical, economic, and educational resources necessary for healthy children, families and communities.

will protect the right of individuals to follow their own religious views in reproductive decisions and decisions about family formation.

October 10, 2008