Reader Responses to A Theology of Choice

As a practicing gynecologist and staff physician at then Providence Lying-in Hospital, at that time I was privy to the events described in this article and in particular to many conversations with Reverend David Ames, which I personally recall. The history is accurate. The worry for the future is well founded.

In 1764 Brown was officially established under the chief direction of the Baptists. Dr. Frank identifies “Catholics” as the primary opponents to abortion. When I began studying at Brown in 1949, freshmen were still required to attend a weekly “Chapel” in Sayles Hall encompassing moral values. Jews and Christians for more than 21 centuries (the Jews much longer) have regarded the [deity] named “I Am” as the true God who put first in His revealed Commandments: “You shall not kill.” Unfortunately, because we live in an imperfect world, moral theologians have had to indicate that killing a person can sometimes be justified through one’s properly formed conscience, such as in self-defense. Abortion clearly is the killing of an unborn human being. This can not be broadly permitted from a moral point of view. Ideally, an unwanted child should not be conceived to begin with. There truly is no way in this context to define an abortion entirely a health issue. This situation can be dealt with only with fully understanding and doing what “I Am” intends.