ELCA Exposed News on Abortion
Analysis of the ELCA position on abortion - (PDF file)
We commend the tens and hundreds of thousands of members of the ELCA who have held steadfastly to the teaching of the Bible and the historic Christian commitments regarding the sanctity of human life. We know they are grieved by the strange doctrine and teaching, which advocates the killing of innocent, unborn children, into which many bishops, pastors, and other leaders have taken their church.
. . .A member of the ELCA inquired of the Board of Pensions as to whether they would pay for an abortion for the purpose of sex selection. That board stated that they would pay for an abortion for that purpose. The secretary of the ELCA confirmed this conclusion. . .
. . .A member of the ELCA inquired of the Board of Pensions as to whether they would pay for an abortion for the purpose of sex selection. That board stated that they would pay for an abortion for that purpose. The secretary of the ELCA confirmed this conclusion. . .
ELCA Churchwide Assembly Minutes 1997 (p. 774-784)
(In the action below the ELCA rejected putting any restrictions on the abortions the ELCA health insurance covers)
Yes–271; No–651
DEFEATED: To amend the recommendation of the Memorials Committee by
substituting the following for paragraph five:
To express to the Church Council that the spirit of this
Churchwide Assembly is that the ELCA Health Plan should pay
for induced abortion of pregnancy only in cases that involve
pregnancy that results from the violence of rape or incest, or
serious threats to the physical health of the mother, or
abnormalities of the embryo or fetus that are incompatible with
life.
Yes–271; No–651
DEFEATED: To amend the recommendation of the Memorials Committee by
substituting the following for paragraph five:
To express to the Church Council that the spirit of this
Churchwide Assembly is that the ELCA Health Plan should pay
for induced abortion of pregnancy only in cases that involve
pregnancy that results from the violence of rape or incest, or
serious threats to the physical health of the mother, or
abnormalities of the embryo or fetus that are incompatible with
life.
ELCA Churchwide Assembly Minutes 2001 (p. 360-366)
Three ELCA Synods asked the ELCA "to direct the Board of Pensions
to enact regulations that would limit payment for abortions to those exceptional cases where the life of the mother is threatened, where the pregnancy resulted from rape, incest, or where the embryo or fetus has lethal abnormalities incompatible with life."
But the Memorials Committee made a recommendation that was moved and seconded. It said ". . .To decline to direct the Church Council of the ELCA to undertake at this
time alteration of the terms of the medical plan for church workers that is
administered through the Board of Pensions."
The Assembly voted on the Memorials Committee recommendation. It passed, Yes–815; No–125
to enact regulations that would limit payment for abortions to those exceptional cases where the life of the mother is threatened, where the pregnancy resulted from rape, incest, or where the embryo or fetus has lethal abnormalities incompatible with life."
But the Memorials Committee made a recommendation that was moved and seconded. It said ". . .To decline to direct the Church Council of the ELCA to undertake at this
time alteration of the terms of the medical plan for church workers that is
administered through the Board of Pensions."
The Assembly voted on the Memorials Committee recommendation. It passed, Yes–815; No–125