The Bible on Abortion
This issue must have been of great relevance to women of the Bible (and still is so to women today.) Hence it is of interest to ask: what does the Bible have to say about it?
With respect to the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament the answer is simple: Nothing.
Those who want to mobilize this book to support their views either for or against, cite certain verses that are only tenuously connected to it. Abortion itself is never mentioned.
The question is: Why? You might say: the Bible leaves the decision to the woman and is therefore "pro-choice." But that would be a gross anachronism.
Another possibility is that children were so highly valued that no woman would contemplate an abortion. But there were cases of rape or adultery. Some women, who conceived from such incidents, must have been motivated to do away with the testimony.
Could it be that abortion was simply unknown? I have consulted many sources and all concur that it was known in antiquity
What then explains the absence of the issue of abortion from the Hebrew Bible? Disappointingly, the truth is that I don't know. It is one of the mysteries of the Bible I would like to share with biblical Fiction friends
Eva Etzioni-Halevy
women-in-the-bible.com
With respect to the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament the answer is simple: Nothing.
Those who want to mobilize this book to support their views either for or against, cite certain verses that are only tenuously connected to it. Abortion itself is never mentioned.
The question is: Why? You might say: the Bible leaves the decision to the woman and is therefore "pro-choice." But that would be a gross anachronism.
Another possibility is that children were so highly valued that no woman would contemplate an abortion. But there were cases of rape or adultery. Some women, who conceived from such incidents, must have been motivated to do away with the testimony.
Could it be that abortion was simply unknown? I have consulted many sources and all concur that it was known in antiquity
What then explains the absence of the issue of abortion from the Hebrew Bible? Disappointingly, the truth is that I don't know. It is one of the mysteries of the Bible I would like to share with biblical Fiction friends
Eva Etzioni-Halevy
women-in-the-bible.com
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Permalink Reply by Laura J. Davis on -
Interesting topic. Since we know that God valued life one would have to assume that abortion was forbidden. He detested the pagan practices of child sacrifice as well. One of the commandments is Thou Shall Not Murder. Abortion is murder. I think that would cover any questions. On another note, there is a novel that was just released by author Donna Dawson. It is called Rescued and talks about the alternative to abortion that would solve both sides of the debate. It is an amazing theory that she has put forth and many doctors are wondering why it hasn't been implemented already. You can find out more about Donna and her novel at http://www.authordonnadawson.com
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