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Evangelicals Hold Strong in Opposing Legal Abortion, but Some Are Wavering
PJ Media ^ | 02/28/2018 | D.C McCalilster

Posted on 02/28/2018 9:27:44 AM PST by SeekAndFind

A Pew Research Center survey shows that while most evangelicals oppose legal abortion in high numbers, some have edged close to the national figure of 57 percent in their support.

Members of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) are the highest-ranked evangelicals in support of legal abortion (54%), followed by those in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (46%) and Seventh-Day Adventists (42%). All other evangelicals are below 40 percent in their support of abortion:

Churches of Christ: 36%

Southern Baptist Convention: 30%

Church of the Nazarene: 27%

Assemblies of God: 26%

Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee): 20%

“Among all those who are part of the evangelical tradition, nearly twice as many say they oppose legal abortion as support it,” Pew reports.

The numbers are even more stark when you compare evangelicals to people who aren’t religious. While 70 percent of white evangelical Protestants think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, 80 percent of Americans who are not affiliated with a church are supportive of legal abortion, along with two-thirds of white mainline Protestants:

Only 35% of those who are part of the mainline Protestant tradition say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, with 60% in support of keeping abortion legal. Members of the Episcopal Church (79%) and the United Church of Christ (72%) are especially likely to support legal abortion, while most members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the mainline Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (65%) also take this position.

Most of those surveyed agreed with their denomination’s official policy on abortion, but this was not true in every case. The PCA's stance, for example, opposes abortion, stating that it is the “intentional killing of an unborn child between conception and birth.” The denomination holds to the sanctity of life and the personhood of the unborn.

In the same way, the Catholic Church officially opposes legalized abortion, holding to the sanctity of life. However, 48 percent of its members surveyed deviated from the church’s stance and said they supported legal abortion. In a 2017 Pew report comparing Protestants and Catholics, that number jumps to 53 percent.

How committed people are to their faith plays a big role in whether they are for or against legal abortion. Most of those who said religion is very important in forming their view about abortion oppose it (73%). People who attend religious services once a week are also against legal abortion (53%), as are those who pray daily (71%) and read the Bible at least once a week (52%).

Here is a complete list of the survey of Americans’ views on abortion by religious group:

Unitarian Universalist: 90%

Atheist: 87%

Agnostic: 87%

Jewish: 83%

Buddhist: 82%

Episcopal Church: 79%

United Church of Christ: 72%

Hindu: 68%

Presbyterian Church USA: 65%

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: 65%

African Methodist Episcopal Church: 64%

United Methodist Church: 58%

All U.S. Adults: 57%

National Baptist Convention: 57%

Anglican Church: 56%

Muslim: 55%

Presbyterian Church in America: 54%

Orthodox Christian: 53%

Catholic: 48%

American Baptist Churches USA: 47%

Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod: 46%

Seventh-Day Adventist: 42%

Church of God in Christ: 41%

Churches of God in Christ: 36%

Southern Baptist Convention: 30%

Mormon: 27%

Church of the Nazarene: 27%

Assemblies of God: 26%

Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn.): 20%

Jehovah’s Witness: 18%



TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion; evangelicals

1 posted on 02/28/2018 9:27:44 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

The left LOVES to push-poll because its their way of FABRICATING what they WANT to happen and manufacture the false feeling that things are changing to THEIR world view.


2 posted on 02/28/2018 9:32:54 AM PST by ICE-FLYER (God bless and keep the United States of America)
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To: ICE-FLYER

As a lifelong member of the LCMS I find that statistic hard to believe. That is not the Church I know


3 posted on 02/28/2018 9:35:24 AM PST by Mom MD ( .)
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To: SeekAndFind

Kinda dismaying to see churches FOUNDED on opposing social liberalism in the modern age so quickly going the way of the churches they left: Anglicans, PCUSA, LCMS...


4 posted on 02/28/2018 9:36:13 AM PST by dangus (.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I always wondered what the difference was between Unitarians and atheists; now I know - Unitarians are stronger in their support of abortion.


5 posted on 02/28/2018 9:42:32 AM PST by Stosh
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To: SeekAndFind

The fact that even 1% of people professing faith in Jesus Christ approve is a travesty.


6 posted on 02/28/2018 9:43:00 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Mom MD

RE: As a lifelong member of the LCMS I find that statistic hard to believe. That is not the Church I know

Maybe officially the LCMS opposes abortion, but have you actually polled MEMBERS?

The RC Church opposes abortion as well, but look how many PERCENT of their church members support abortion.


7 posted on 02/28/2018 9:44:37 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: dangus

Any church that’s a member of The World Council of Churches is apostate. Flee it. Those are rainbow churches of the here and now. Example: ELCA staff health insurance covers abortion on demand up to 22 weeks.

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches


8 posted on 02/28/2018 9:46:36 AM PST by polymuser (Its terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged today. - Chesteron)
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To: SeekAndFind

My mom was shocked to encounter Catholic NUNS who supported abortion, and that was forty years ago.


9 posted on 02/28/2018 9:52:04 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: SeekAndFind

They stopped opposing what is now, well, OK in their lives — divorce, shacking up, abortion, gambling, insobriety, illegitimacy, homosexuality.


10 posted on 02/28/2018 9:52:27 AM PST by polymuser (Its terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged today. - Chesteron)
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To: SeekAndFind

Thanks for this post.


11 posted on 02/28/2018 9:55:09 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: SeekAndFind

All the members I know are solidly against abortion. The RC Church is decidedly more politically and socially liberal than the LCMS and I know a good many pro abortion Catholics


12 posted on 02/28/2018 10:11:52 AM PST by Mom MD ( .)
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To: SeekAndFind

IMH, and Biblical opinion, anyone supportive of abortion is anti-God.

At their 2012 convention, democrat delegates denied God THREE times.


13 posted on 02/28/2018 11:46:48 AM PST by onedoug
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To: SeekAndFind

Texas now needs to pass an ABORTION BAN! We will just tell the Libtard “Judges” we are a Sanctuary State for the UNBORN!


14 posted on 03/06/2018 7:42:54 AM PST by 2harddrive
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To: SeekAndFind

36% Southern Baptist Convention . . . .should be a ZERO. God is taking names . . .this is an outright travesty. How about bringing back “just say no” and let it being in the churches.


15 posted on 10/25/2018 7:41:29 AM PDT by Maudeen (http://ThereIsHopeinJesus.com/)
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To: Maudeen

OOPS. . .Make that 30% . . .30% too many


16 posted on 10/25/2018 7:42:43 AM PDT by Maudeen (http://ThereIsHopeinJesus.com/)
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To: SeekAndFind

My denomination is not listed. Hmmm


17 posted on 10/25/2018 7:44:00 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (If your church believes in evolution it is not a Christian church.)
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To: DungeonMaster

RE: My denomination is not listed. Hmmm

Would you like to share the denomination’s name with us?


18 posted on 10/25/2018 7:45:23 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: Stosh
I always wondered what the difference was between Unitarians and atheists; now I know - Unitarians are stronger in their support of abortion.

I was studying Wicca quite a few years ago because it seemed to be growing quickly. One book had a Q&A in the back and the question was "What if there are no covens to join in my town". The answer was "Look for a Unitarian Church".

19 posted on 10/25/2018 7:46:24 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (If your church believes in evolution it is not a Christian church.)
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To: SeekAndFind
Would you like to share the denomination’s name with us?

Sure. Plymouth Brethren.

20 posted on 10/25/2018 7:48:15 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (If your church believes in evolution it is not a Christian church.)
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