Christianity and Abortion: My Faith Calls Me to Oppose Ballot Measure 106
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Religious leaders and elected officials are speaking out against Measure 106 because they believe no one should be denied access to critical reproductive healthcare, including abortion, simply because they are low-income or rely on the state for their health insurance. #NoCuts2Care
I am pro-choice not in spite of my faith, but because of it.
My faith supports the moral capacity and the human right to make choices about whether and when to become a parent.
Abortion is a complex, deeply personal decision for a woman to consider if she needs it. Ultimately, this decision should be left to a woman, her family, her faith and her physician — not politics. No matter how you feel about abortion, no one should be denied health care because they can’t afford it.
One of my bottom line beliefs is that people of good faith can come to different conclusions on difficult issues.
Still, as an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, I personally believe the decision to oppose Ballot Measure 106 is an easy one. This dangerous constitutional amendment unfairly discriminates against Oregon families who are struggling with poverty and imposes even greater burdens on them by denying them essential reproductive health care. Measure 106 will reduce health coverage for more than 350,000 Oregonians.
People must not be forced to act contrary to their conscience, nor must they be prevented from acting in accordance to their conscience. In Christian terms, we recognize that Jesus affirmed the moral agency of women. We should all follow that example.
As a faith leader, I want to help foster a world where all women are trusted to make moral decisions about their bodies and their lives. Where the decision to start a family is thoughtful and planned. Where policymakers and advocates are free to support policies that create a more just and compassionate society. Where lifesaving health care is not blocked by religious special interests.
It is also our responsibility to provide every support system possible to help women and families raise children in our society. No one should be forced into making the decision to have an abortion because of economic factors. We need to move past this political distraction and focus on the health and well-being of children and families.
Our state should reflect a culture of justice and equality where the dignity of all women is acknowledged through policies that support their moral choices. Ballot Measure 106 is a backdoor ban on abortion that takes away a woman’s choices, based on her income or healthcare coverage.
Faith and reproductive freedom are not enemies. According to 2017 research from Pew, nearly two-thirds of Protestants and nearly half of evangelicals say the U.S. Supreme Court should not overturn Roe v Wade. The General Synod of the United Church of Christ has called for reproductive choice since the 1960s.
Roe even sees strong support even from Catholic Americans. More than 60 percent of Catholics believe abortion should be legal; in addition, 6 in 10 voters say abortion can be a moral choice. According to Catholics for Choice, Catholic women access abortion at similar rates as women of other faiths or no faith.
We have a duty to protect the well-being of our families. Voting NO on Measure 106 upholds our shared moral responsibility to ensure that every Oregonian has the full range of reproductive care, by removing obstacles and by providing equitable access for all.
I'm Voting For Kate Brown
Friday, October 12, 2018
Oregon Governor Kate Brown has amassed a solid record during her tenure. We deserve a governor in Oregon with her combination of leadership and compassion. I’ll cast my vote for her with confidence in Oregon with her at the helm.
Our state faces many challenges. We have a president hostile to the values that have made Oregon great. Those values have traditionally transcended partisanship in Oregon and include a commitment to the environment, strong public education, expanded healthcare, and services for the most vulnerable in society.
As governor, Kate Brown has followed the economic philosophy advanced by President Obama (policies that reversed the Great Recession) and that continue to make Oregon strong. It is entirely possible that the GOP tax plan, put forward by Donald Trump and his allies, will once again turn the economy in a downward spiral. If so, we know from experience that Kate Brown has the values to protect the progress we’ve made as a state.
State Rep. Knute Buehler is the GOP candidate. He’s running as a moderate Republican but his record doesn’t match his rhetoric. Kate Brown backs the assault weapons ban pushed by faith leaders and students in Oregon. Rep. Buehler opposes a ban and received an “A” rating from the Oregon Firearms Federation, the group that believes the NRA is too liberal, in 2016.
Rep. Buehler supports a ballot measure that would create racial profiling and hurt immigrant families in Oregon (Gov. Brown opposes Measure 105 along with much of the state's law enforcement community, faith and business leaders, and civil rights advocates), he’s campaigning to end homelessness but was kicked off the Housing Committee in the Oregon House and opposes a regional ballot measure to build new affordable housing (Gov. Brown has endorsed Measure 26-199) and even though he is a medical doctor, Rep. Buehler supports exemptions for vaccinations. Medical (and faith) leaders will tell you that Rep. Buehler’s views could help cause new epidemics.
For those who know me, you know in one way or another I’ve been involved in the effort to end homelessness for the last thirty years. I have more to say about Rep. Buehler’s empty plan to end homelessness on Twitter.
1. The @GOP’s @KnuteBuehler released a plan to end #homelessness today following his recent photo-op at a shelter. Plans are good. But we’ve had many in #Oregon that didn’t deliver. This plan doesn’t add up. https://t.co/CpXj4XdavM #orpol
— Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie (@RevChuckCurrie) August 14, 2018
But the bottom line is this: Governor Brown is creating affordable housing and supports efforts to create more affordable housing. I hope to sit down with Kate Brown directly after the election to talk more about how we can support students experiencing homelessness in our public schools.
Polls say the race is close. It shouldn’t be. Kate Brown’s values and lifetime of public service make her the ideal choice for governor. Be sure to vote because in this race every vote matters!
Note: As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I trust deeply in the Constitutional principle of separation of church and state and my endorsement is therefore a personal one and does not represent the views of my denomination (or the university where I serve). Good people of faith can come to different conclusions as to how they will vote. But as a citizen, I believe that all Americans must engage in the political process as individuals for democracy to thrive.
Personal Reaction From Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie To Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report
Sunday, October 07, 2018
Climate change is humanity’s ultimate test. We cannot claim to love our neighbors or God at this point in history without massive changes to protect our children and the future of Creation. As the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has concluded in their just-released report, the changes needed will require an abrupt reordering of the world economy. Still, this is not just an economic or environmental crisis. We also face a spiritual crisis. Climate change now forces us to rethink our relationships with Creation as a whole. Christianity and other faith traditions teach that humans are called to be stewards of Creation; not exploiters of it. Recognition of this sacred role will now determine what the future of all Creation will be. The stakes could not be higher.
Read the report: http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/
Read The New York Times story: https://nyti.ms/2Cw5MF8
Personal Statement from Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie on Judge Brett Kavanaugh
Friday, October 05, 2018
The elevation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court will have a deleterious effect on American democracy. His nomination has been opposed by the National Council of Churches, along with other faith bodies, and hundreds of religious leaders have urged the U.S. Senate not to confirm his appointment. For those of us concerned about true religious freedom, voting rights (and other civil rights), protection of the environment, and the epidemic of gun violence, this is a sad day. What makes this a tragedy are the serious and credible allegations of sexual assault against Judge Kavanaugh. A majority of U.S. Senate members, not to mention President Trump (himself accused of sexual assault), have chosen to place ideology over the voices of women. People of faith have a special obligation to continue the hard work of building up the ideal of the Beloved Community. I believe that work becomes more difficult but more urgent still with Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court.