Resources on Women’s Health and Abortion
Assembled June, 2022 by Mary Grahame Hunter, with contributions by Deacon Tim Spannaus
Prepared as part of our preparation for a Prayerful Response to the forthcoming Supreme Court Discussion regarding the Roe v. Wade decision. To take part in the discussion forum, please join us for Coffee Hour on June 26, following the 11:00 Eucharist. The decision still remains in draft form at this time.
This is a non-comprehensive list of books and articles to help us prepare for our discussion on abortion. These books are available at many public libraries across southeast Michigan and we encourage you to check your library’s website to see if you have access. If the book does not appear to be available at your library, please contact your librarian as they will likely be able to request it from another library. These books may also be purchased in print or digital formats.
We have some of these in the Cathedral Library, available now.
History and background of abortion in America
Without Apology: The Abortion Struggle Now by Jenny Brown is a short but thorough overview of the history of abortion in the US (it was legal or not criminalized until 1873) and the state of the reproductive rights movement today.
A Broad overview of statements of the church and theologically informed sources
Trust Women by Rebecca Todd Peters. This book also covers the history of abortion in the US, but its focus is an argument for reproductive justice, including the right to an abortion for any reason at any time, in light of Christian ethics. Peters is a Presbyterian minister and has an advanced degree in Christian ethics. This book includes excellent background information on the status of abortion in Christian thought throughout church history. One caveat: Peters only discusses cis women, with no mention of people of other genders who need abortions.
A Complicated Choice by Katy Zeh addresses nuance and pastoral care in abortion services.
Web Resources
General Convention Reports and Resolutions (From the Episcopal Church)
Report to the 75th General Convention
Acts of Convention: Resolution 1994-A054
A summary of these resolutions from the Office of Government Relations.
There is no single religious view on abortion. Click here to view one article that addresses this discussion. Here is a second article that also addresses this.
The Limits of Privilege by Rebecca Traister is about how abortion bans affect everyone and claiming that privileged women will not be impacted is counterproductive to abortion rights.
Gillian Frank is a historian whose book Making Choice Sacred about the Clergy Consultation Network is unfortunately not out yet, but he has some good interviews and here is a page with some of his work including interviews with members of the network.
This article about religious Christian women who provide abortion care in Alabama and see it as an expression of their faith.
An article on how the ban on abortion in Poland affected women.
An article from Religious News Service about the end of Roe.
A statement from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.
An article that addresses the complexities of early Christian writings on abortion.
Implications of the decision beyond abortion rights
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg has written extensively about abortion and religious freedom on her website and Twitter feed. Making abortion illegal infringes on the religious rights of Jewish people, as abortion is required in Judaism when the life of the parent is in danger.
Should the decision regarding Roe v. Wade determine that the right to privacy doesn’t apply and the right hasn’t been “recognized long enough to be considered historic,” this could mean that the Supreme Court will be next examining Obergefell (same sex marriage), Griswold v. Connecticut (right to use contraception) and Lawrence v. Texas (decriminalization of sodomy).