(AgapePress) - A Presbyterian pro-life group says it is disappointed with the denomination’s statement on abortion.

Many Christians reacted with disbelief this week when the Presbyterian Church (USA) affirmed the unrestricted right to abortion, and also reaffirmed that late-term abortions would be paid for by the church in its medical benefits plan.

Di Lupton is a board member of Presbyterians Pro-Life, an independent Virginia-based organization made up of PCUSA members and pastors striving for renewal in the denomination. Lupton, who is critical of the denomination's affirmation of abortion-on-demand, says most members of the denomination are in shock over the church’s statement, which was approved by an almost 4-1 margin at the General Assembly.

"It's hard to fathom how as a denomination our [overall abortion] policy ... says that although we don't have agreement on when life begins, we do have agreement that once life has begun it's to be cherished and protected," she says. "We believe when we're talking about viable infants who have just not yet been born, certainly they fall into that category that deserve our protection."

Lupton admits she is having a lot of difficulty accepting the church’s stance. "Many of us in the denomination are having a hard time with it," she says. "For those of us who are sitting in our churches and ... putting our money into the offering plates to go for spreading the work of the gospel, to know that it goes into this plan that has abortion coverage of any abortion, it's a problem -- but particularly for abortion of a viable infant."

Other Christian leaders were less diplomatic, saying any support of abortion is in direct conflict with Biblical teaching.

© 2002 AgapePress all rights reserved.

E-mail this page to a friend

Printer-Friendly Version

Read all of our current headlines