The interesting question that misses the point is how often we counsel women considering an abortion and what we say. It ignores the teaching aspect of the pastoral office. If the woman has been taught and nurtured in the faith by Christian preaching and teaching, she already knows she isn’t having an abortion when she goes to the pastor unless to ask about some unusual complication of the matter. She needs counsel, aid, emotional support through a difficult time, and in some cases absolution and assurance of God’s grace. But going to the pastor for help deciding whether or not to get an abortion would be something that doesn’t enter it. Just because she has a legal choice doesn’t mean she has a moral choice.
Every year I go over this exact scenario individually in my office with every confirmand, boys and girls. We talk about being sinners, the messed up world, the unforeseen difficulties, etc. and always tell them that I don’t expect it to be them, but it has been known to happen that someone I’ve confirmed calls me for help because she has gotten pregnant or he’s gotten his girlfriend pregnant. When that happens, all the things we talk about in class come into play— repentance and faith, the promise of God’s presence, the need for a church family and community, and so forth. But the world will have an easy way out that problem— pay for an abortion and move on. Christians, however, do not have that option (we cover the rate exceptional circumstances occupying Brian’s mind right now in class), so as a church family we rally to help however we can, if even by helping arrange an adoption. I then have the same discussion again (it is part of a 45 minute one in one discussion) with the parents present. So there are no surprises and no ignorance of the matter. Killing the child is not a Christian solution to a problem pregnancy.
I know my parishioners struggle with many sins. But when I counsel them, it isn’t about whether to commit the sins or not. I’ve counseled many people concerning pornography, for example, but they don’t come to me asking for help deciding whether they should look at pornography. They know the answer to that question already. They’ve been taught right from wrong. They need encouragement, guidance, assurance, and forgiveness to help them on their Christian walk. If they came for help determining whether or not to hire strippers for a party, I would not consider it a success if I talked them out of it. I would consider it a major failure of the preaching a d teaching office that it was a question in my member’s mind.
