Religious Coalition For Reproductive Choice - History

History

In the 1960s, clergy who counseled women concerned about an unintended pregnancy were increasingly horrified by the injury and death being suffered by women undergoing illegal abortions. They became convinced of their moral responsibility to help women with unwelcome pregnancies locate safe abortion providers. In 1967, Reverend Howard Moody and Arlene Carmen organized the first Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion, at Judson Memorial Church in New York City. The service was a network of clergy who counseled women and identified safe abortion providers. Similar services developed throughout the country.

Simultaneously, Protestant denominations and other religious organizations were working to pass their own policies supporting decriminalization of abortion and collectively lobbying for decriminalization legislation. They were convinced that religious freedom required reproductive freedom. They consistently pointed out that where religions disagree, no one religious view should be legislated.

Even when the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that the right to privacy encompassed a woman’s decision about abortion in its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, denominations and faith groups that had worked so hard for legalization knew the struggle had not ended. They founded the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (RCAR) that year to provide interfaith support for women's right to choose abortion. The original intent was to focus primarily on abortion and the issue of separation of church and state.

Local affiliates were established in key states to block an anticipated constitutional amendment to counter the guarantees of the Roe v. Wade decision. However, the need for interfaith support for reproductive rights has continued and even intensified and RCRC has accordingly expanded.