By Presbyterians Pro-Life
No child is truly ‘unwanted.’ God has created every child for a purpose. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me.” What might happen if every presbytery responded to ‘unwanted’ children like Jesus?
The Presbytery of South Alabama took time during their two day August presbytery meeting to consider ways they might act like Jesus toward unwanted children, born and unborn.
The Presbytery was surprised by the disapproval of the overture they sent to the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)asking for a two year reflection on the plight of unwanted children. The overture included a request for the Stated Clerk to speak out against the killing of infants born alive in an abortion attempt. It would have established a committee to review current abortion policy, make suggestions for new policy if they saw a need, and evaluate monetary and in kind support for “pro-life” and “pro-choice” groups within and outside the denomination. So focused were commissioners on defeating any possible threat to the 1992 policy statementthey even rejected a substitute motion calling for the church to prayerfully reflect on the lives of unwanted children born and unborn. The negative reception by GA commissioners shocked presbytery pastors and staff who observed the GA’s action to disapprove the overture by a vote of 465 to 133. In so doing they acted in a manner directly contrary to what Jesus would do, and in fact did, during his ministry on earth.
The decision of the GA did not deter the churches of the presbytery, however, from putting into action a similar resolution adopted in their own presbytery. The Presbytery of South Alabama acted to hold a substantial conversation about ministry to children, born and unborn, who are unwanted by society.