Rakestraw and Clark
“reliable and affordable means of contraception. Improve the quality of life for the born as well as the unborn by finding ways to
provide poor families with food, shelter, and clothing; by paying just wages for women’s work; by developing adequate, affordable
child care centers and shelter for battered spouses and children; and by providing thorough sex education that teaches people to honor
human dignity in their relationships”
Geisler
oThree positions on abortion
o1. Status of the unborn: fully human (essentialism)
o2. Status of the unborn: potentially human (potentiality principle)
o3. Status of the unborn: subhuman (actuality principle)
Cases
Roe v wade
Doe v Bolten
Webster Decision
Gonzalez partial birth
Verses
Genesis 2:7
Job 34:14-15
Isaiah 57:16
Ecclesiastes 6:3-5
Matthew 26:24
Other arguments
No self-conscious
Physical dependence
Hormonal signals
Zygote’s reliance on material molecules for its development
Safety of the mother (illegal abortions)
Autonomous rights of the mother’s body
Abuse and neglect
Right to privacy
Rape
Autonomous rights of the mother and her consent to pregnancy
Fourteenth amendment
Society determines when a person’s life begins
Intrinsic values are insufficient to determine human value
Clark & Rakestraw pgs. 52-53
(National Institue of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2019)
Anencephalic fetus:
I would first mention to her that she is in a very difficult decision and at times like those, it is difficult to trust in God. I would
encourage to continue having a relationship with God because truly he is the only one that can give us peace and consolation in times
of suffering. Isaiah 59:8-9 (Common English Bible) states, “My plans aren’t your plans, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my plans than your plans.”
My friend mentions that she is not sure if, “a group of cells that completely lacks the potential for conscious life to be a
human person.” I don’t think the mother should abort the baby on the basis that the unborn baby does not merit human status. Human
status is merited by our DNA. This case study reminds me of the PVS case study mentioned in another chapter. In the PVS case, the
individual was irreversibly unconscious. Therefore, based on theological evidence, her spirit was with the Lord the moment she
entered a PVS state, although her physical body, because of the functioning brain stem, had a heartbeat, could give breaths, and had
somewhat functioning organs. I had mentioned to the daughter to remove mechanically administered food and hydration, and to
physically give her mother’s body food and hydration and care for any outwardly wounds as a closure for her (the daughter) that she
nourished her mother until her physical last breath.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2019), “a baby born with anencephaly is usually
blind, deaf, unconscious, and unable to feel pain [because of the undeveloped forebrain]…reflex actions such as breathing and
responses to sound or touch may occur [because of the rudimentary brain stem].” I would suggest the mother to speak with her
husband and they both
agree to deliver the baby and like the PVS case, try to get closure and know that both did what they could for the baby’s body,
although his/her spirit is with the Lord. Nonetheless, it is their decision. Again, I don’t think she should abort because the child isn’t
human. If she were to choose to abort, for her own closure in the situation and because the spirit the baby is with the Lord.
Carter, J. (2019). FactChecker: Could U.S. churches solve the orphan crisis? Retrieved from The Gospel Coalition website:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/factchecker-u-s-churches-solve-orphan-crisis/
Finer, L., Frohwirth, L., Dauphinee, L., Singh, S., & Moore, A. (2005). Reasons U.S. women have abortions: Quantitative and
qualitative perspectives. Perspective on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 37(3), 110–118. Retrieved from
https://www.guttmacher.org/journals/psrh/2005/reasons-us-women-have-abortions-quantitative-and-qualitative-perspectives
How many couples are waiting to adopt? (n.d.).
Mollenkott, V. (1996). Reproductive choice: Basic to justice for women. In D. Clark & R. Rakestraw (Eds.), Reading in christian
ethics, vol 2: Issues and applications (8th ed., pp. 26–31). Baker Books.
National Institue of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2019). Anencephaly information page.
Hi Amanda,
In all situations, but especially in situations like these, Christians should converse with the Lord and
determine what His plan is for them in their present situations. As believers, we have access to the
Healer (Matthew 4:23, New International Version), Counselor (Isaiah 9:6, New International Version),
and Physician (Matthew 9:12, New International Version).
I read the abstract to the article that you linked and I agree with your assessment: I think under the
situation, the mother should keep the child. Her risk of hemorrhage, uterine perforation, and bowel
perforation is higher than her risk of passing away in delivery. In the former case, she might pass
away as a result of the risks. In the latter, she has 70% of living, and allowing her child to live as well.
It is difficult to contemplate the gravity of living in a Third World country, pregnant, and malnourished. I
agree with Virginia Mollenkott's (1996) statement: "... we will also resist attempts to force sterilization
onto Third World or other powerless women, and we will try to see to it that everyone is supplied with
reliable, affordable means of contraception." First World countries should supply Second and Third
World countries contraception and medical equipment.
Nonetheless, I would quote my favorite verse to her found in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9,16 (New Living
Translation). It states, " we are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are
perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get
knocked down, but we are not destroyed. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying,
our spirits are being renewed every day."
(Mollenkott, 1996)
Carter, J. (2019). FactChecker: Could U.S. churches solve the orphan crisis? Retrieved from The
Gospel Coalition website: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/factchecker-u-s-churches-
solve-orphan-crisis/
Finer, L., Frohwirth, L., Dauphinee, L., Singh, S., & Moore, A. (2005). Reasons U.S. women have
abortions: Quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Perspective on Sexual and Reproductive
Health 37, (3), 110–118. Retrieved from https://www.guttmacher.org/journals/psrh/2005/reasons-
us-women-have-abortions-quantitative-and-qualitative-perspectives
How many couples are waiting to adopt? (n.d.).
Mollenkott, V. (1996). Reproductive choice: Basic to justice for women. In D. Clark & R. Rakestraw
(Eds.), Reading in christian ethics, vol 2: Issues and applications (8th ed., pp. 26–31). Baker
Books.
National Institue of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2019). Anencephaly information page.
(Carter, 2019; “How many couples are waiting to adopt?,” n.d.)
I think that all babies are fully human. I think that there needs to be an increase of contraception, sex education and affordable child
care. I think abortion is murdering a growing human being. A human being under development. However, the rate of unsafe abortions
in the united states is…
There are two questions to be answered: is the baby human? Despite that answer, should women nonetheless get abortions.
Church
Religious freedom?
Promiscuity
Family planning
Most women have abortions because they don’t feel like they have support or the means to take care of the child (paper)
God is in control
Adoption (I have a huge heart for adoption)
(Finer, Frohwirth, Dauphinee, Singh, & Moore, 2005)
Carter, J. (2019). FactChecker: Could U.S. churches solve the orphan crisis? Retrieved from The Gospel Coalition website:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/factchecker-u-s-churches-solve-orphan-crisis/
Finer, L., Frohwirth, L., Dauphinee, L., Singh, S., & Moore, A. (2005). Reasons U.S. women have abortions: Quantitative and
qualitative perspectives. Perspective on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 37(3), 110–118. Retrieved from
https://www.guttmacher.org/journals/psrh/2005/reasons-us-women-have-abortions-quantitative-and-qualitative-perspectives
How many couples are waiting to adopt? (n.d.).
Mollenkott, V. (1996). Reproductive choice: Basic to justice for women. In D. Clark & R. Rakestraw (Eds.), Reading in christian
ethics, vol 2: Issues and applications (8th ed., pp. 26–31). Baker Books.
National Institue of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2019). Anencephaly information page.
