Evangelist/Editor
- William J. Stewart June 20, 2004 / Volume
8, Issue 25
Early Christians And
Abortion
With a federal election fast
approaching in Canada, candidates are busy going from door to door,
talking with constituents, attempting to rally support in their
campaigns. A local MP hopeful, Rob Hutchinson (NDP) stopped by a few
weeks back. I politely, but firmly informed him that he would not
receive my vote, as we fundamentally disagree on important moral issues.
We briefly commented on same-sex marriages and capital punishment, but the majority of our conversation focussed on abortion. Mr. Hutchinson had trouble reconciling my support of capital punishment with my utter detest of abortion. Sadly, he fails to acknowledge two things:
1) when a criminal is put to death, it is not an act of murder, but an exercise of justice afforded to governing authorities (Ro 13:1-7)
2) when an unborn child is put to death, it is not merely a collection of tissue called a “fetus”, but an innocent human being (Jer 1:5)
To strengthen his position on abortion, Mr. Hutchinson informed me that the early church supported abortion. He stated that ample evidence could be found in quotes from antiquity to demonstrate that the early Christians were not opposed to the act of aborting a pregnancy. When asked for the evidence, our MP want-to-be said he would likely be too busy to supply me with any specifics, but that the testimony of early Christians should be easy enough to find.
Indeed, evidence of what the early church believed on abortion was not difficult to find. However, Mr. Hutchinson will not like what the evidence reveals. Notice:
Though the Bible does not specifically address the issue of abortion, it certainly does supply information which necessarily infers that God is opposed to such an action, and that all who would serve Him should likewise appal such a deed. Note:
God knows us from before our birth, even before our conception:
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered my in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” (Ps 139:13-16)
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jer 1:5)
God values the life of an unborn child the same as the life of a grown man:
“If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” (Ex 21:22-25)
Was Mr. Hutchinson misinformed or lying? I do not know. What I do know, is that the evidence clearly shows that the church in the first, second, third and fourth century was opposed to abortion. More importantly, the Bible plainly establishes that God considers the aborting of a pregnancy to be an act of murder, and under the law of Moses, it was punishable by death.
What a calamity that our nation is willing to put to death over 100,000 unborn children each year, calling it a woman’s “right to choose”, while criminals, deserving of death enjoy benefits unbecoming of their sorry state! What twisted madness has caused our nation to act so corruptly?
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20)
We briefly commented on same-sex marriages and capital punishment, but the majority of our conversation focussed on abortion. Mr. Hutchinson had trouble reconciling my support of capital punishment with my utter detest of abortion. Sadly, he fails to acknowledge two things:
1) when a criminal is put to death, it is not an act of murder, but an exercise of justice afforded to governing authorities (Ro 13:1-7)
2) when an unborn child is put to death, it is not merely a collection of tissue called a “fetus”, but an innocent human being (Jer 1:5)
To strengthen his position on abortion, Mr. Hutchinson informed me that the early church supported abortion. He stated that ample evidence could be found in quotes from antiquity to demonstrate that the early Christians were not opposed to the act of aborting a pregnancy. When asked for the evidence, our MP want-to-be said he would likely be too busy to supply me with any specifics, but that the testimony of early Christians should be easy enough to find.
Indeed, evidence of what the early church believed on abortion was not difficult to find. However, Mr. Hutchinson will not like what the evidence reveals. Notice:
- Thou shalt not slay the child by procuring abortion; nor, again, shalt thou destroy it after it is born. (74 AD — Letter of Barnabas 19)
- There are some women among you who by drinking special potions extinguish the life of the future human in their very bowels, thus committing murder before they even give birth. (170 AD — Octavius 30, Minucius Felix)
- Among surgeons’ tools there is a certain instrument, which is formed with a nicely-adjusted flexible frame for opening the uterus first of all and keeping it open; it is further furnished with an annular blade, by means of which the limbs within the womb are dissected with anxious but unfaltering care; its last appendage being a blunt or covered hook, wherewith the entire fetus is extracted by a violent delivery. There is also a copper needle or spike, by which the actual death is managed in this furtive robber of life: they give it, from its infanticide function, the name of embruosphaktes, ‘the slayer of the infant’, which of course was alive. (210 AD — The Soul 25, Tertullian)
- To hinder a birth is merely a speedier man-killing, nor does it matter whether you take away a life that is born, or destroy ont that is coming to birth. That is a man which is going to be one; you have the fruit already in its seed. (210 AD — Apology 9, Tertullian)
- (Christians) marry, like everyone else, and they beget children, but they do not cast out their offspring. (250 AD — Letter of Diognetus, Diognetus)
- The man, or woman, is a murderer that gives a philtrum, if the man that takes it die upon it; so are they who take medicines to procure abortion; and so are they who kill on the highway, and rapparees. (374 AD — First Canonical Letter 8, Basil the Great)
- Wherefore I beseech you, flee fornication... Why sow where the ground makes it its care to destroy the fruit? – where there are many efforts at abortion? – where there is murder before birth? For even the harlot you do not let continue a mere harlot, but make her a murderess also. You see how drunkenness leads to prostitution, prostitution to adultery, adultery to murder; or rather to something even worse than murder. For I have no names to give it, since it does not take off the thing born, but prevents its being born. Why then do thou abuse the gift of God, and fight with His laws, and follow after what is a curse as if a blessing, and make the chamber of procreation a chamber of murder, and arm the woman that was given for childbearing unto slaughter? (391 AD — Homilies on Romans, John Chrysostom)
- Some go so far as to take potions, that they
may insure barrenness, and thus murder human beings almost before their
conception. Some, when they find themselves with child through their
sin, use drugs to procure abortion, and when, as often happens, they
die with their offspring, they enter the lower world laden with the
guilt not only of adultery against Christ but also of suicide and child
murder. (396 AD — Letters 22, Jerome)
Though the Bible does not specifically address the issue of abortion, it certainly does supply information which necessarily infers that God is opposed to such an action, and that all who would serve Him should likewise appal such a deed. Note:
God knows us from before our birth, even before our conception:
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered my in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” (Ps 139:13-16)
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jer 1:5)
God values the life of an unborn child the same as the life of a grown man:
“If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” (Ex 21:22-25)
Was Mr. Hutchinson misinformed or lying? I do not know. What I do know, is that the evidence clearly shows that the church in the first, second, third and fourth century was opposed to abortion. More importantly, the Bible plainly establishes that God considers the aborting of a pregnancy to be an act of murder, and under the law of Moses, it was punishable by death.
What a calamity that our nation is willing to put to death over 100,000 unborn children each year, calling it a woman’s “right to choose”, while criminals, deserving of death enjoy benefits unbecoming of their sorry state! What twisted madness has caused our nation to act so corruptly?
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20)
____________________________
In a recently televised leader’s debate, the issue of abortion came up, but no leader would dare use the word. The coined phrase was “a woman’s right to choose”. What a cowardly phrase!! I believe in a woman’s right to choose. She is free to choose what clothing she will wear. She is free to choose what hair style she will have. She is free to choose what school she will be educated at. She is free to choose where she will work (if she is so inclined). She is free to choose the name given to her child. But by no means is she free to choose to kill her unborn child! It is an act of murder!!!
In a recently televised leader’s debate, the issue of abortion came up, but no leader would dare use the word. The coined phrase was “a woman’s right to choose”. What a cowardly phrase!! I believe in a woman’s right to choose. She is free to choose what clothing she will wear. She is free to choose what hair style she will have. She is free to choose what school she will be educated at. She is free to choose where she will work (if she is so inclined). She is free to choose the name given to her child. But by no means is she free to choose to kill her unborn child! It is an act of murder!!!
ANSWERING THE
ATHEIST Vol. 4, Iss. 25 -- 06/20/2004
The Atheist's
Complaint:
How old was Benjamin when his clan migrated to Egypt? Some
verses say he was an infant (Genesis 44:20, 22), while other verses say
he was a grown man with ten sons (Genesis 46:8, 21). Is there a
contradiction?
Response:
Consider the words used of
Benjamin which cause the questioner to think that he was an infant:
“child” - Heb. yeled, which is used of a child, or descendent. Though commonly used of those who are young, it need not be of an infant. Benjamin was indeed a child to his father, and even to the rest of his brothers, as he was the youngest.
“young” - Heb. qatan, which can mean small or insignificant, but with regard to people, refers to one who is young, younger or youngest. Although it may commonly be used of those who are very young, it is likewise valid to use it of Benjamin, as he was indeed the youngest of all Jacob’s sons.
“lad” - Heb. na’ar, used of a boy, a servant or a young man. Though Benjamin had his own children, he was still Jacob’s boy, and comparatively, a young man before his brothers.
An older man might refer to his forty year old son as “a child of his old age”. That does not make the forty year old an infant. He might likewise be called “young”, and even a “lad”; these words do not change the fact that he is a forty year old. Words used to describe age are relative.
Note the reason why “the lad cannot leave his father”. It was not because Benjamin was an infant, but “if he should leave his father, his father would die.” Jacob had already lost Joseph, and could not bear to lose Benjamin also. Perhaps Jacob was overprotective, maybe even “babied” Benjamin, but that does not change the fact that he was a grown man.
There is no contradiction.
“child” - Heb. yeled, which is used of a child, or descendent. Though commonly used of those who are young, it need not be of an infant. Benjamin was indeed a child to his father, and even to the rest of his brothers, as he was the youngest.
“young” - Heb. qatan, which can mean small or insignificant, but with regard to people, refers to one who is young, younger or youngest. Although it may commonly be used of those who are very young, it is likewise valid to use it of Benjamin, as he was indeed the youngest of all Jacob’s sons.
“lad” - Heb. na’ar, used of a boy, a servant or a young man. Though Benjamin had his own children, he was still Jacob’s boy, and comparatively, a young man before his brothers.
An older man might refer to his forty year old son as “a child of his old age”. That does not make the forty year old an infant. He might likewise be called “young”, and even a “lad”; these words do not change the fact that he is a forty year old. Words used to describe age are relative.
Note the reason why “the lad cannot leave his father”. It was not because Benjamin was an infant, but “if he should leave his father, his father would die.” Jacob had already lost Joseph, and could not bear to lose Benjamin also. Perhaps Jacob was overprotective, maybe even “babied” Benjamin, but that does not change the fact that he was a grown man.
There is no contradiction.
When in Kingston, Ontario, worship with the Limestone
Church of Christ
assembling at 332 Montreal Street
MEETING TIMES:
Sunday Bible Classes..........................10:00
a.m.
Sunday Worship Assembly...................11:00 a.m.
Sunday Bible Classes............................6:00 p.m.
Wednesday Bible Classes......................7:00 p.m.
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''~``
( o o )
+oooO--(_)--Oooo-----------------------+
| William J. Stewart |
| 332 Montreal St. |
| .oooO Kingston, ON K7K 3H3 |
| ( ) Oooo. Phone: 613-542-4271 |
+--\ (----( )------------------------+
\_) ) / www.lookinguntojesus.net
(_/
''~``
( o o )
+oooO--(_)--Oooo-----------------------+
| William J. Stewart |
| 332 Montreal St. |
| .oooO Kingston, ON K7K 3H3 |
| ( ) Oooo. Phone: 613-542-4271 |
+--\ (----( )------------------------+
\_) ) / www.lookinguntojesus.net
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