Essay

Savannah Kulavic

RE: Discussion Board Forum 3 (Abortion)

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I really like how you broke down your argument by including the ways in which logic can be applied to ethical dilemmas on a biblical standpoint. I have to agree with you that based on the Divine command theory it would be morally wrong to get an abortion. 

Psalms 139 explains how God made us in the womb and he saw our unformed body, which would lead me to believe that life begins at conception. Psalms 139:13 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb." If life begins before we are formed then abortion at any stage would be murder and as we know " Thou shalt not kill." Exodus 20:13. This would clearly be a violation and wrong doing in the eyes of God. 

The argument that life does not begin until baby can survive outside the womb seems weak. My daughter was born at 37 weeks (considered full term) and could not breath on her own the first few days, so does that mean that technically an abortion up to that point would have been ok? I think not, so going off of this idea that life does not begin until baby can survive outside of the womb does not seem right. After all how can we gage that, it is said that a baby isn't "viable" until about 24 weeks, but the youngest surviving baby born was only 21 weeks and 4 days. 

All this being said do you feel there is/are exceptions that would not be viewed as "immoral?" For example if the mother has a health condition that would cause death to her along with the baby would abortion be appropriate? I can see an argument being made for both sides. If a mother knew that is would cause her death and still let her pregnancy continue would she be "killing" herself this would go against "thou shall not kill" as well, so how do we make this determination?

Based on the above, "The Bible establishes that the penalty for hurting a pregnant woman without hurting the fetus is less than that given when both are hurt... I believe the emphasis is on the pregnancy of a woman, if not, it would simply generalize a woman getting hurt, not a pregnant one." This to me would mean that the pregnancy is worth more than the mothers life which I do not agree with. I believe both are equal and one is not of more worth. The mother is just as important as the baby and neither hold greater value. So where do we draw the line?

I do believe this passage supports that there are two lives involved and that there is life inside the womb which is why there is greater consequence if both are injured; as both are people. I believe that is why it is so hard to answer the question above. The baby in the womb has just as much right to live as the mother, so does that mean that abortion even during this situation is ethically wrong? Do we choose ourselves or do we choose to sacrifice ourselves?    

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Aaron Gleason Instructor Manager (Professor)

RE: Discussion Board Forum 3 (Abortion)

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You wrote:

The Divine nature theory is one of the best approaches employed by Christians in dealing with various issues. This theory presents God as the source of morality. My Christian faith makes me believe that the Bible is the ultimate source of answers to moral questions.

Isn't this equivocating between Divine Command and Divine nature theory?

I only ask, not to try to refute you or anything, because I don't see much actual difference between the theories for Evangelicals in particular. Catholics are another matter, they have a long tradition of philosophy about God's nature. But Evangelicals learn about God's nature from the scriptures, so I just don't see much difference between the theories from my perspective. What do you think?

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