|
|
|
The Presbyterian Church will not challenge the recent application for a Judicial Review into the lack of abortion rights in Northern Ireland though it believes that 'the law at the minute is adequate and clear and that additional guidelines do not need to be issued.'
'The law as it currently stands in Northern Ireland protects children and cares for mothers' said Rev Norman Cameron, convener of the Presbyterian Church's Committee on Social Issues and Resources. 'While we would oppose any attempt to undermine or liberalise this position, we will not get involved in challenging the application for a judicial review into the matter. However it is important that our opinion is known and so the Committee have issued the following statement clarifying the position of the Presbyterian Church on abortion.'
The Presbyterian Church upholds the sanctity of human life and does so from conception. Accordingly the termination of human life at any stage within the womb should not be considered except under the most extreme circumstances.
We believe that the legal position pertaining in Northern Ireland is adequate, allowing abortion in the most extreme cases, that is when the life of the mother is at risk, or, when allowing the pregnancy to proceed will lead to the mother becoming a mental or physical wreck.
The Church believes that the law is adequate and clear and that additional guidelines do not need to be issued.
The Church recognises that abortion law is tighter here than in England and to that extent there is unequal access to termination. The Church continues to be strenuously opposed to any liberalisation of the law or an extension of the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland as this Act has, in effect, produced a situation of abortion on demand.
The Church recognises the existence of hard cases - pregnancy which is the result of a rape; a foetus which is displaying signs of abnormality - and is sympathetic to people in such situations and would understand why a woman might consider an abortion in such circumstances. Nevertheless we would discourage the taking of innocent human life, even in such hard cases, and would commend those individuals and pro-life agencies which offer support, counselling and care to women going through such stressful times. Abortion is rarely a solution and the many cases of post abortion trauma show this.
As a Church we remain committed to upholding the biblical view that human life is special and made in the image of God. We believe the law as it currently stands in Northern Ireland protects children and cares for mothers and would oppose any attempt to undermine or liberalise this position.
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
PCI Home . . . Press Office . . . News Archive