Episcopalian Priest, the Rev. Nina Churchman wrote a letter to Episcopal Life Online saying that women shouldn’t have to ask for forgiveness for aborting a child. In fact, Rev. Churchman then goes one step further and says God rejoices in the woman’s choice to abort. Here’s the text in full:
After reading the 3 June article, “Pregnancy-loss Prayers”, I found the text for Rachel’s Tears online and was sickened to discover that the rite for abortion is couched wholly in terms of sin and transgression. The Episcopal Church, by resolution, has long held that women have the freedom to choose an abortion. It is not considered a sin. That this new rite begins with the words, “I seek God’s forgiveness…” and includes “God rejoices that you have come seeking God’s merciful forgiveness…” is contrary to the resolution. Women should be able to mourn the loss of an aborted fetus without having to confess anything. God, unlike what the liturgy states, also rejoices that women facing unplanned pregnancies have the freedom to carefully choose the best option – birth, adoption or abortion – for themselves and their families. No woman makes this decision lightly or frivolously. But each needs the non-judgmental and non-coercive support of her faith community to make the best decision for her circumstances.
The wording of this liturgy focuses solely on guilt and sin instead of the grief and healing that may accompany a very difficult but appropriate decision to terminate a pregnancy. If anyone is paying attention at the General Convention, this rite should not be approved.
Firstly, the question of sin being based on resolution seems strange to me. I wonder if before that resolution passed, did Churchman believe abortion was a sin. I’d bet not. What if at some future date the Episcopal Church reinstates abortion as a sin, do some people in Heaven then have to go to Hell?
But the point the Rev. Churchman is making that God rejoices in the choice of abortion is absurd, illogical and offensive. God creates each life. Breathes a soul into each of us. For the Rev. Churchman to say that God rejoices in the destruction of a baby is awful. Truly heartbreaking stuff from an alleged follower of Christ. And further, her point that God doesn’t really differentiate between giving birth to the baby or killing the baby is shocking.
We’ve seen and heard many folks over the years saying they’re “personally opposed” to abortion but don’t believe it should be illegal for everyone. To me, that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. But Churchman is not only taking it one step further by saying she is perfectly fine with abortion, she then says that God isn’t even “personally opposed” to killing one’s baby.
I fear that Rev. Churchman confuses forgiveness and understanding for acceptance of sin. Though God may not reject outright those who have had an abortion – that should never be confused with rejoicing in the sin. God rejoices in repentance.
Pic from Midwest Conservative Journal
June 24, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Karen you don't get it. The Episcopals are uber-heretics. Their church ALLOWS abortion. This priestess is saying nothing wrong/against her "church" teaching. We cannot be allarmed or offended or in any way responsible for anything the heretic says as they are simply in darkness. If they choose to remain in this darkness, God will be their judge, as he will be ours. We need to make sure those who call themselves Catholic do not follow them into darkness or bring shame to OUR church.
June 24, 2009 at 9:12 pm
I went to confession last Saturday. It had been one month since my last confession. I am a Catholic. I KNEW that I had committed a sin and I felt so bad that I hurt my loving Lord and God, Jesus Christ, that I could not wait any longer. I knew I had committed a sin because I have studied the faith for many years. I also knew because my sense of natural law told me so. I approached the priest with trepidation, but knew that he represented a loving, merciful God. My point is, what do the Episcopalians do? Does the Rev. Churchman approach each statement she makes with trepidation? Does she have the moral certainty of her judgments? If not, how can she (or anyone else) look at themselves in the mirror? On the day of judgment, what will we tell our God, who is a God of Justice as well as Mercy? That we "thought" we were doing the right thing? If God has knit us in our mothers' wombs (Ps.139)(cf.Gal 1:15), are we permitted to "unknit" the babies in the womb through abortion? Some of the comments above are phrased much better than mine and reflect people with greater intelligence. My little comments are from my heart and the depths of my soul. Lord, have mercy on us! I love you, your brother in Christ. Joe
June 24, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Joe there is no "moral certainty" in the Piskie church. They don't have dogma as in Catholicism. It's basically a moral free-for-all. This priestess' own sense of morality comes not from God, but from her own feelings on the subject, which are then validated by her version of "Spirit/Universe/Mother-Earth/Pele-the-Vocano-God or whatever she believes in personally.
I don't understand why anyone can possibly take the ECUSA seriously.
June 24, 2009 at 10:35 pm
If God creates the life, why would he approve of taking it. What part of Thou Shall Not Kill do they not understand.
June 24, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Is the Episcopalian Church that stupid that they allow such an imbecile to represent their church.
June 24, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Bible trivia: How did the chosen people deal with false prophets?
June 24, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Piskie priestess?
June 25, 2009 at 12:34 am
The Scary thing is that so called "Christians" , (yes Episcopalians are Christian) will look to this wacko for guidance and
direction! We are in troubled times people.The streets of Tehran look more stable than our moral society.Prime Minister Obama could not be more pleased.
June 25, 2009 at 1:18 am
How sad is it that some Christians are being talked into thinking that there choices cannot possibly be sinful when it comes to killing a child? How can people truly be a symbol of God's love when there are people (clergy)who tell them that making a decision based on selfish needs and not God's law is okay. This is why the world is the way it is today. My heart aches that this woman is so far from God and that she was given a gift of influence and is now using it for evil purposes. How disheartening.
June 25, 2009 at 1:26 am
Note the focus on the creature, not the Creator? With abortion, the "choice" of the creature holds primacy over everything- even the Creator's will.
It is man, and man's will which is held sacred in the post-christian church – not God, and God's creations.
June 25, 2009 at 1:39 am
Oh, if stupidity and/or insanity were only painful !!! We might get some converts if that were the case.
June 25, 2009 at 5:26 am
This is one of several reasons why I left the Episcopal church after 50 years. My father, God rest his soul, continued as a minister to his death but I have felt so marginalized by "Feminist" services, Progressive politics and complete disregard and disrespect for God that I no longer attend.
June 25, 2009 at 6:00 am
Oh how I wish that the Holy Spirit prevented stupidity.
June 25, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Pray for the many Episcopalians who see the horrible error in this… and welcome them home to the Catholic Church.
June 25, 2009 at 1:17 pm
when i speak with women who have had abortions they tell me that they do not feel "empowered" or "freedom" from "their right to abort." But rather are left in great bondage of guilt, sorrow, shame etc. It is Jesus who makes us free, not man!
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:6
Have Mercy Lord!
June 25, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Disgusting. And she is a "follower of Christ?" What's next, bring your grandmother to church to be euthanized so God can rejoice in that too? Wrong.
I'm sorry, but this lady (rather Praying Mantis, I'm pretty sure she'd eat her young if given the chance) needs to get her head checked and while the doctor's at it give her a perpetual enima, after all her butt is where her head is supposed to be.
Sincerely disgusted and praying for her soul.
June 25, 2009 at 4:15 pm
The Harvard Divinity School apponted a pro-choice Episcopal prIest as their new dean recently and she made similar comments to this priest said recently. It sucks big time! We are supposed to stand up for the right of a child to exist, and yet this lady goes against what God's word says for the sake of poltical and social expediency! God help us all!
June 25, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Momof6 said…
"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a liar from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth; because truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father thereof." John 8:44
Ms. Churchman=a daughter of Satan. Satan is leading the Episcopal Church. Ms. Churchman should say the truth—SATAN rejoices when women have abortions.
June 24, 2009 9:19 AM
Mom of 6 it might just be because I am also a mom of 6 but I think that you are right. ….Satan is the one that rejoices when women have abortions. God have mercy on Ms. Churchman's soul and all those that push Satan's agenda in the world.
June 27, 2009 at 3:51 am
Here's the Dean of the Episcopal School of Divinity referred to above who proclaims that abortion is a "blessing".
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/9363917/Abortion_is_a_blessing_and_abortionists_are_doing_holy_work_says_Anglican_priest/
June 27, 2009 at 3:07 pm
God warned us:
"An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?" (Jeremiah 5: 30-31)
"Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the LORD. Therefore their way shall be to them like slippery paths in the darkness, into which they shall be driven and fall, for I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment, declares the LORD." (Jeremiah 23: 11-12)
"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." (2 Timothy 4: 2-4)