Current Issues: Abortion, Conception & the Beginning of Human Life

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/abortmp3/"><strong>website</strong></a>.</p><p><strong>1 Introduction  </strong></p><p>What does the Bible say on the subject of abortion? In fact, no scriptures address the subject head-on. This is curious, because abortion and exposure of unwanted infants were common in the ancient world. Various poisons were administered to induce abortions. Several ancient texts related to abortion and exposure of infants:</p><ul><li>The Hippocratic Oath forbade abortions: “I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art” (c.400 BC). There would be little need to forbid them if they were unknown or not performed by some physicians.</li><li>"Ah, women, why do you dig out your child with sharp instruments and administer harsh poisons to your children as yet unborn?... Neither the tigress has done this in the jungles of Armenia, nor has the lioness had the heart to destroy her unborn young. Tender woman does it, though, but does not go unpunished. Often she who slays her own in her uterus dies herself."—Ovid (43 BC-17 AD), <i>Loves</i> 2.14.27-38.</li><li>Exposure: "If you chance you bear a child, if it is male, let it live. If it is female, throw it out."—<i>Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 744 </i>(a text from ancient Egypt, dated to 1 BC).</li></ul><p>While early Christians were vocal in their opposition to abortion (see ¶3), the scriptures typically referenced are far from conclusive. Principles may be adduced, such as the injunction against murder, but it seems circular to define abortion as murder in order to settle the question of its morality. Might there be exceptions? If there are, then a universal prohibition is not possible.</p><p>Most Bible students believe life starts at conception, based on the poetry of Job 10:8-12; Psalm 139:13-16; and Jeremiah 1:5. If they are