This commentary was written by the Reproductive Liberty Task Force of the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ.
In early July 2022, more than 100 clergy and laypeople of the United Church of Christ in Vermont signed a letter in response to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs case, which overturned Roe v. Wade. This letter included: “We believe that God is the Creator of all living beings and things, and that all human beings are created with the gift of free will and are of equal value. We believe that all people have a right to determine what one does with one’s own body, recognizing the difficult and painful yet life-supporting and sustaining necessity in making the decision to have an abortion. This is a statement rooted in our Christian faith which opposes any policy, precedent, statement, or law that limits a human being’s right to bodily autonomy, determination, dignity, and respect.”
Since 1971, the National Setting of the United Church of Christ has proclaimed its support of a woman’s right to abortion and reproductive health care. The National Setting has also offered guidance about the related issues of bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom. For over 50 years, the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ has supported the National Setting’s proclamations and listened to its guidance. In this time, we join with Vermont’s many faith leaders and our elected officials who have had the wisdom to begin a proactive approach in ensuring the right to reproductive liberty for women and pregnant people. We applaud this long process of creating the abortion amendment, known as Article 22 or Proposal 5, that will be on the Vermont ballot for voter approval on Nov. 8.
We are aware that many stories have emerged in the news since Roe. V. Wade was overturned. Stories about how women, pregnant people, and their families of all incomes and beliefs are increasingly unable to access basic reproductive health care and procedures that in many instances will literally save their life. Stories about providers of legitimate medical care being threatened with prosecution and loss of their license to practice. Real stories that anticipate what is to come as states move to further restrict access to birth control and insurance reimbursement for many other legitimate, routine reproductive health care.
The national coordinated assault on reproductive rights affects us all as Christians and as people who care about a quality of life that is due to all peoples.
Within Christianity, there’s a diversity of understandings about what our faith requires of us. Moved by our faith as laity and clergy in the United Church of Christ we affirm God’s gift of free will and proclaim our support for reproductive liberty. Not in spite of our Christian faith, but because of it, we encourage every Vermonter to vote in favor of Proposal 5/Article 22, the abortion right amendment to the Vermont Constitution.