Life Issues
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is pro-life on abortion. Their official statement upholds that "Because the CRC believes that all human beings are imagebearers of God, it affirms the unique value of all human life. Mindful of the sixth commandment—"You shall not murder" (Ex. 20:13)—the church condemns the wanton or arbitrary destruction of any human being at any stage of its development from the point of conception to the point of death. The church affirms that an induced abortion is an allowable option only when the life of the mother-to-be is genuinely threatened by the continuation of the pregnancy./ The church calls believers to show Christian compassion and to offer support to those experiencing unwanted pregnancies as well as to those who have undergone abortions. Further, it calls believers to speak out against the atrocity of abortion, to promote action and legislation that reflect the teaching of Scripture regarding the sanctity of human life, and to reject all violence against those who perpetrate abortion." In 2010, the Synod adopted a recommendation "to instruct the Office of Social Justice and Hunger Action (OSJ) to boldly advocate for the church’s position against abortion, and to help equip churches to promote the sanctity of human life" (Acts of Synod 2010, p. 883)."
Unlike other Christian denominations, the CRC doesn't have an official stance on euthanasia. Their Acts of the 1972 Synod, however, can be interpreted as also a condemnation of euthanasia, since it verberates "the wanton or arbitrary destruction of any human being at any stage of its development from the point of conception to the point of death". (Acts of Synod 1972, p. 64) The CRC already expressed his official opposition to legal euthanasia both in Canada and the United States.
The CRC has a moderate stance on the death penalty: "The CRC has declared that modern states are not obligated by Scripture, creed, or principle to institute and practice capital punishment. It does, however, recognize that Scripture acknowledges the right of modern states to institute and practice capital punishment if it is exercised with utmost restraint."
On the issue of the social acceptance of homosexuality, the CRC has taken a negative stance, referring to homosexuality as "a condition of distorted sexuality that reflects the brokenness of our sinful world." While the CRC does not advocate banishing same sex oriented people, it does take the position that homosexual people should not live a homosexual lifestyle. This position is grounded in a conceptual distinction which argues that homosexual orientation is not sinful, but homosexualism, or acting on same sex desires, is sinful and should be avoided.
Read more about this topic: Christian Reformed Church In North America
Famous quotes containing the words life and/or issues:
“He who does not accept and respect those who want to reject life does not truly accept and respect life itself.”
—Thomas Szasz (b. 1920)
“The hard truth is that what may be acceptable in elite culture may not be acceptable in mass culture, that tastes which pose only innocent ethical issues as the property of a minority become corrupting when they become more established. Taste is context, and the context has changed.”
—Susan Sontag (b. 1933)