Posted on 06/09/2010 6:00:15 AM PDT by NYer
Evangelical leaders are overwhelmingly open to artificial methods of contraception, according to the April Evangelical Leaders Survey. Nearly 90 percent said they approved of artificial methods of contraception. In a separate poll conducted by the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) in partnership with Gallup, Inc., 90/91 percent of evangelicals find hormonal/barrier methods of contraception to be morally acceptable for adults.1
“Most associate evangelicals with Catholics in their steady leadership in pro-life advocacy, and rightly so,” said Leith Anderson, president of the NAE. “But it may come as a surprise that unlike the Catholic church, we are open to contraception.”
Indicative of their commitment to honoring the sanctity of human life, several leaders included caveats in their affirmative answers saying while they approve of contraception, they would strongly object to drugs or procedures that terminate a pregnancy once conception has taken place. George Brushaber, president emeritus of Bethel University, said that contraception should be used “with proper biblical and medical guidance.”
“Personally, I don’t believe there are any Scriptural prohibitions to most common methods of contraception,” said Randy Bell of the Association for Biblical Higher Education. “I can say from personal experience that God can defeat such methods if he chooses to do so.”
Many noted that biblical sexuality is not limited to procreation, but that its purpose extends to the consummation and expression of love within marriage. “Our leaders indicate that contraception can be utilized if all biblical purposes of sex are upheld and that it may actually aid in keeping the balance,” Anderson said.
Greg Johnson, president of Standing Together, approves of artificial methods of contraception, but added, “I believe the church does have a responsibility to communicate and preach the importance of family and that couples should not carelessly allow themselves to use contraception as a way to avoid having children and a growing family altogether.”
Two leaders said they would not approve or disapprove, but would leave it to married couples to decide based on the ethical and biblical criteria of a given situation.
The NAE Generation Forum’s publication, “Theology of Sex,” is a resource to help ministers and church leaders create healthy dialogue about God’s intentions for sex. For more information on the Generation Forum or the “Theology of Sex” publication, visit www.naegeneration.com.
The Evangelical Leaders Survey is a monthly poll of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals. They include the CEOs of denominations and representatives of a broad array of evangelical organizations including missions, universities, publishers and churches.
Yes, I see it on FR sometimes, and in books and articles I read elsewhere. It’s all very reminiscent of ancient Greece. Ugh.
I can give you some sources later or tomorrow - out the door to a swim meet now.
Well said.
Congratulations!
Thanks! Have fun!
Isn't it the Christian (and Jewish) belief that our values are determined by, come from, God? And that deciding our values, contrary to God, is an error of pride?
What is the purpose of free will?
ty
Bringing up old arguments. :0)
Amen!
It wasn’t an argument, I asked for proof that women actually are good at giving directions, all I have gotten so far is a bunch of claims that it’s true. :-)
Not from me! :)
In this context, I'd approach it something like:
God gave us free will, the full purpose of this we can only speculate. We can say that it allows us to make choices and therefore be responsible for our choices and also consciously affect ourselves and others and the world around us - for good or for bad.
In the context of this discussion these choices are value judgements: making decisions determined by our values.
Moral discernment, Scripture, the Church, experience teaches us that there are absolute values, whose source is God and these include Goodness, Truth and Beauty. Further that these values are for our own good - they result in greater happiness and freedom, less suffering. I.e. God's values are an expression of God's love for us.
The purpose of our free will is to use it to make choices - often unclear or very difficult - based on these absolute values, weighing circumstances, evaluating conditions and growing in discernment and wisdom to align our will, and our values, those of the divine.
It wasn’t an argument, I asked for proof that women actually are good at giving directions, all I have gotten so far is a bunch of claims that it’s true. :-)
You make a fine point. My ex-wife can tell you to go to h*ll in 4 languages, but she couldn’t give you the directions if her life depended on it.
The Pew study is correct and I posted it so people could read it for themselves.
I realize Roman Catholics are unfamiliar with this concept, but I would encourage all of them to try.
AMEN, Alex. I've always thought those Puritans were a lot rowdier than their reputations would have us believe.
The Pew Study contained accurate data, your summarization of it was highly flawed.
Now, where are all of those other studies you boasted of that support your hypothesis or are you still sifting and spinning them?
God gave a command to “be fruitful and multiple”. Some mistakenly interpret to “be fruitful” only in a sexual term.
I would have to agree about oral contraceptions. That wasn’t in my mind when I wrote that.
Exactly and excellent reference.
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