Presbyterians Pro-Life

In the early 1970's the Presbyterian Church in both its northern and southern streams began to advocate actively for abortion rights. In the southern stream of the Presbyterian Church several pastors organized resistance to this change in the church's historic position on abortion and formed Presbyterians Pro-Life.

In 1983, when the northern and southern churches merged, PPL was recognized as a Special Organization under the rules of the Book of Order of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

That was also the year that the General Assembly adopted what became the position of the newly merged denomination, the policy statement and recommendations of The Covenant of Life and the Caring Community and Covenant and Creation: Theological Reflections on Contraception and Abortion. That position affirmed abortion as a stewardship responsibility; it said, "the responsible decision to choose abortion may arise from analysis of the projected resources for caregiving in a specific situation."

After several years of protest over the reversal of the church's historic stand, the General Assembly authorized a new study. In 1992 the G.A. adopted a new position which no longer affirmed abortion as a good moral choice, but found the matter so ambiguous that it said the church could offer no moral guidance, that each woman would have to decide for herself in each pregnancy whether abortion was right or wrong for her.

In the 1980's, local chapters of PPL began to form and the network grew rapidly.

These verses speak of four benefits of joining together. First, it makes us more productive in our work. Second, we can help each other in times of fatigue and discouragement. Third, we warm each other with fellowship (both physically and spiritually). And, fourth, we protect each other in battle.

Binding together in work and fellowship will help us overcome the helplessness of isolation. That isolation is an important reason why individuals, families, and perhaps even churches, leave our denomination.

God has charged the church with the responsibility of teaching and upholding spiritual and moral truth, and with putting that into practice. It is crucially important to call the people of God back to the truth about our responsibility to all those who bear the image of God, particularly those who are the most vulnerable. That is exactly the meaning of Scripture's admonition to care for "widows and orphans."

We want to see both the policy of our denomination and the hearts of Presbyterians change. We want God's people to bow in repentance and complete turning away from the evil of abortion and any other action that takes the lives of innocent human beings.

To do that we need chapters throughout the denomination. We need to encourage each other. We need to call up those who are silent. We need to extend the Gospel to those who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God in abortion, just as in any other area of life. We need a strong, firm witness to spread throughout our denomination like salt, like leaven. We need many active chapter of PPL.

Local chapters are key to stimulating the growth of the pro-life voice in our denomination because they

• Equip and inform local Presbyterians about abortion and other life issues through study groups and workshops
• Sponsor meetings to educate and help build the pro-life constituency in our denomination
• Encourage Presbyterians to support and become involved in ministries that provide alternatives to abortion, and follow-up for women who have had abortions and regret their decision; support churches that become Resource Centers for Alternatives to Abortion
• Encourage local churches to take a pro-life position on abortion
• Develop initiatives for change in our denomination's position on abortion
• Support and encourage biblical sexuality, particularly in instructional materials for children and youth
• Provide materials and a pro-life witness at presbytery meetings
• Support PPL's presence at General Assembly with financial contributions and local chapter representatives on the team
• Provide fellowship, warmth, and help in battle to those who would otherwise be isolated in their witness for life

If there are at least three of you as Presbyterians who are prepared to make a commitment to meeting regularly for the purpose of developing a pro-life witness in your churches and presbytery, you are ready to become a local chapter of Presbyterians Pro-Life.

Simply complete the local chapter application and send it to the PPL office. In return you'll receive a chapter charter and local chapter manual, filled with information about how to organize your chapter and begin to build your constituency.

You will also begin receiving a packet of newsletters to help you distribute information about PPL, and you'll receive mailings specifically for chapters. PPL staff are ready to help you connect with other pro-life Presbyterians in your area, and assist your chapter development.