Presbyterians Pro-Life
"Relief of Conscience" on abortion:
How to make it work
(Reprinted from Presbyterians Pro-Life NEWS, Winter 1999)
The Board of Pensions (BOP) has put in place a "relief of conscience" provision for churches that do not want their tithes and offerings used to pay for abortions. Payment for abortions is included in the denomination's medical benefits plan which congregations are required to provide for all installed pastors.
Under the new "relief of conscience" provision which became effective in January 1998, congregations' dues may be diverted from abortion coverage to a fund for medical claims of adopted newborn dependents.
There are several reasons why few churches have taken advantage of the new provision.
1.
Lack of information. Presbyterians pay for the mandatory medical benefits plan designed and administered by the Board of Pensions of the PC(USA) with their tithes and offerings. Most Presbyterians do not know that the contributions they make to the mission of the Church are used to provide abortion coverage for Presbyterian pastors and their dependents. The BOP will not volunteer the information, but if you inquire, they will tell you that they have no exclusions on the abortion coverage. They reimburse for any abortion for which a proper claim form is submitted.2.
Lack of communication. The Board of Pensions sent forms and information on how to apply for relief to "middle governing bodies": presbyteries and synods. They notified plan members (mostly pastors) of the plan's existence (through a BOP members' newsletter called "At Your Service"), but only presbyteries were informed about how the provision works, and each presbytery used its discretion in notifying its member congregations. The 1998 General Assembly, noting the problem, asked the Board of Pensions to communicate to all sessions and pastors the specific description" of the program, including "details on how to enroll in it." Pastors on the G.A. committee have advised PPL that they are still waiting for such communication.Reference to the "relief of conscience" provision is difficult to find on the denomination's web page (www.pcusa.org), but you can go to the Board of Pensions (then click "Library," then "Publications," then "Alphabetical," and scroll down to click on "Relief of Conscience Letter") [Letter in pdf] (note: this link was updated in August 2004 as the PCUSA website changes its format).
While the Board's commentary speaks of "majority" and "minority" positions on abortion, this is not accurate since it is the abortion policy adopted by the General Assembly - - by the "majority" - - which acknowledges a variety of positions on abortion in the Church and requires that missions funds not be used in violation of conscience with regard to abortion. Information can be obtained from the Board of Pensions by calling 1-800-773-7752.
If you would like to ask your session to apply for "relief of conscience," see below.
3. Lack of agreement.
If a church member objects to paying for abortions, that concerned member must persuade the session to agree to request the relief of conscience provision, and then the presbytery must confirm the session's request as legitimate. Failure of a session to support the request will block a member's ability to avoid paying for abortions when giving to his or her church. This is legal, but it's wrong.Payment for unrestricted abortion coverage is not consistent with
PC(USA) G.A. policyThe Board of Pensions has said that it will respond to direction from the General Assembly. But the BOP has been unwilling to discuss the application of the General Assembly's abortion policy to its coverage. When the G.A. changed its abortion policy in 1992, the BOP did not change theirs. The 1992 G.A. policy eliminated any suggestion that Presbyterians should fund abortions. Further, the 1992 G.A. policy identified specific cases in which abortion is morally wrong, and expressed support for alternatives to abortion. The 1997 G.A. stated its grave moral concern regarding partial birth abortions, but even those are not excluded from the BOP coverage.
The Board of Pensions, which designs its own medical benefits plan could limit abortion coverage by its own decision virtually overnight. No General Assembly directed it to provide unrestricted abortion coverage; that was its own decision.
The "relief of conscience" program provides relief more in concept than in reality. The plan is mandatory. No installed pastor can choose to seek alternative coverage. Real relief would come from limits on abortion coverage. A serious reading of the 1992 abortion policy would lead to a significant change in coverage.
The U.S. government currently restricts abortion coverage provided by federal tax dollars to incidences of rape, incest and threat to the physical life of the mother. Federal employee medical insurance plans (there are more than 500 of them) are significantly more restrictive in abortion coverage than the mandatory plan of the PC(USA).
If you would like to consider raising the concern of abortion coverage by the mandatory medical plan at the next General Assembly and would like to have assistance in formulating an overture, please contact PPL.
How to request "Relief of Conscience"
If you would like to request "Relief of Conscience," you have two options. You can obtain a form from the Board of Pensions to complete, or you can ask your session to approve a resolution worded as described below. The sample shown consists of wording recommended by the Board of Pensions and follows the items on their form. After session approval, your Clerk of Session will send your session's action to the Stated Clerk of your presbytery with a request for presbytery approval.
It is then the responsibility of the presbytery to notify the Board of Pensions. We recommend that your session follow up with an inquiry to the Board of Pensions to be sure your presbytery-approved form or resolution has been received and acted on, since there is no provision for the courtesy of such acknowledgment by the Board of Pensions, and there have been incidences where the requests apparently did not reach the BOP.
Keep in mind that the denomination's Medical Plan is mandatory for all installed pastors and that the Plan pays for any abortion performed for any reason at any time during pregnancy for Plan members and their dependents. You are asking your session to make the request in order to honor the consciences of those in your congregation who do not believe it is moral for their tithes and offerings to be spent in that way. Requesting relief does not change the dollar amount of your congregation's dues for the Medical Plan and does not change the Medical Plan coverage provided for your pastors and their dependents. Receiving "Relief of Conscience" only designates how a portion of the Medical Plan dues paid by your congregation will be spent. The General Assembly approved making Relief of Conscience available.
The suggested session resolution, which must have the presbytery's approval:
That the Presbytery of [your presbytery's name] grant "Relief of Conscience" to [your church's name, your church's complete address with zip code], [PIN--your church's PIN number], based on their opposition to the Benefits Plan of the Presbyterian church (U.S.A.) making payments for abortions, and hereby requests the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) grant relief.
If you have questions, call the Board of Pensions at 800-773-7752.
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