Communities of faith and the global family planning movement: friends or foes?

Abstract

Within the Christian community, diverse views exist on the theological and moral dimensions of family planning, and specifically of contraception. Discussion of these issues frequently focuses on the family planning as a collection of methods and commodities used to space or limit pregnancies. Often missing from the discussion is the notion of family planning as a social and political movement, and the degree to which this movement’s philosophy and goals are compatible with Christian theology. Nevertheless, faith-based aid organizations, including those with no objection to contraceptive use, must seriously grapple with the moral and practical implications of partnering with the institutions of the global family planning movement.

Bioethics, the global church, and family planning

“…For example, one of the criticisms about "unmet need" made in a previous paper is that it assumes that if a woman is not currently using contraception, regardless of her reason, she has an "unmet need." 1 This assumption might imply an ethical obligation to use contraception throughout one's childbearing years to avoid having an unacceptably high number of children. 2 Thus, it was of particular interest to CBHD to address questions concerning family planning and the global Church in light of Christian bioethical and/or Christian bioethical resources that could be brought to bear on the conversation.…”

“…Oas's editorial questions the legitimacy of the assumed existence of a broadly "unmet need." 1 Oas raises important areas of concern specifically for those who are firmly located within the theological and ethical commitments of the Roman Catholic tradition, but also those from other ecclesial traditions that share prolife convictions and a concern for the promotion of marriage and family. In this volume, Wubbenhorst and Wubbenhorst, likewise, raise a variety of considerations from an evangelical perspective, many of which would be applicable across the broad spectrum of confessional Christianity.…”