Abortion brings to an end with irreversible finality both the existence and the destiny of the developing human person. Conscious of the inviolability of life, the Vatican Council Il teaches: "God, the Lord of life, has conferred on man the sur- The judgment of the Church on the evil of terminating life derives from the Christian awareness that men are not the masters but the ministers of life. Hence, the Council declares: "... whatever is opposed to life itself, such as any type Excerpts from CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH IN THE MODERN WORLD Second Vatican Council December 7, 1965 27. Coming down to practical and particularly urgent consequences, this Council lays stress on reverence for man; everyone must consider his every neighbor without exception as another self, taking into account first of all his life and the means necessary to living it with dignity, so as not to imitate the rich man who had no concern for the poor man Lazarus.9 In our times a special obligation binds us to make ourselves the neighbor of every person without exception, and of actively helping him when he comes across our path, whether he be an old person abandoned by all, a foreign laborer unjustly looked down upon, a refugee, a child born of an unlawful union and wrongly suffering for a sin he did not commit, or a hungry person who disturbs our conscience by recalling the voice of the Lord, "As long as you did it for one of these the least of my brethren, you did it for me" (Matt. 25:40). Furthermore, whatever is opposed to life itself, such as any type of murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia or wilful selfdestruction, whatever violates the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, torments inflicted on body or mind, attempts to coerce the will itself; whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where men are treated as mere tools for profit, rather than as free and responsible persons; all these things and others of their like are infamies indeed. They poison human society, but they do more harm to those who practice them than those who suffer from the injury. Moreover, they are a supreme dishonor to the Creator. From No. 51: To these problems there are those who presume to offer dishonorable solutions indeed; they do not recoil even from the taking of life. But the Church issues the reminder that a true contradiction cannot exist between the divine laws pertaining to the transmission of life and those pertaining to authentic conjugal love. For God, the Lord of life, has conferred on men the surpassing ministry of safeguarding life in a manner which is worthy of man. Therefore from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care, while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes. . . . All should be persuaded that human life and the task of transmitting it are not realities bound up with this world alone. Hence they cannot be measured or perceived only in terms of it, but always have a bearing on the eternal destiny of men. Senator BAYH. Let me say to those who are present and are guests of the committee that as one who has been a strong advocate of the right to speak and the right to protest, it might be uncharacteristic for me to suggest that orderliness is imperative. I am not prepared to do so unless it gets out of hand, but I am obliged to suggest to all of you, and I saw this yesterday with each side trying to out applaud the other, the more times we have for a demonstration of this kind the less time we will have to listen to witnesses. This issue in its severity and sensitivity is not going to be decided by an applause meter. I am prepared to suggest to my colleague from Kentucky that we have a little problem here, in which our staff, in pursuing my instructions, put together a comprehensive study group that goes beyond my expectations. I would like to work right on through the lunch hour here and maybe have a bite to eat sent in and ask the tolerance of the witnesses who may be confronted with occasional munching. Senator Cook. May I say to the chairman that is perfectly all right. I will have to say I have to be downtown at a meeting with Mr. Simon at 2:30, that I will have to be there. So I would have no objection to going right straight through to the time that I have to leave. Senator BAYH. I apologize for putting you in that particular position. As I look at the list of scheduled witnesses and each one is eminently well qualified to express his opinions on this, we have a number of hours of work ahead of us. I would just as soon not take some of that time for the convenience of eating lunch in a more private surrounding. Our next group of witnesses, the second panel, is Bishop A. James Armstrong, bishop of the Dakota areas, north central jurisdiction, president of the board of church and society, United Methodist Church; Prof. Barbara McNeel, professor of human relations and educational psychology, Colgate Rochester/Bexley Hall/Croger Theological School, N.Y.; Mrs. Jane Stitt, laywoman, teacher at Abilene Christian College, member task force to study abortion; and Rabbi Balfour Brickner, director of the commission of interfaith activities, director of the New York Federation of Reformed Synagogues. As our distinguished witnesses are coming forth, I wish to apologize to them for the long wait they had. What this committee is trying to do is find out the truth and to allow the broad spectrum of thought on abortion to be expressed. This can't be done easily. I see a former constituent of mine, a very good friend and very prestigious theologian and clergyman, Bishop Armstrong, and understand that he is the first speaker for the panel. STATEMENT OF A. JAMES ARMSTRONG, BISHOP OF THE DAKOTAS AREAS, NORTH CENTRAL JURISDICTION; PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF CHURCH AND SOCIETY, UNITED METHODIST CHURCH; BARBARA MCNEEL, PROFESSOR OF HUMAN RELATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY, COLGATE ROCHESTER/BEXLEY HALL/CROZER THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL, ROCHESTER, N.Y.; JANE STITT, LAYWOMAN, TEACHER, ABILENE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE MEMBER, TASK FORCE TO STUDY ABORTION ESTABLISHED BY THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH; AND RABBI BALFOUR BRICKNER, DIRECTOR, COMMISSION ON INTERFAITH ACTIVITIES; DIRECTOR, NEW YORK FEDERATION OF REFORMED SYNAGOGUES, UNION OF AMERICAN HEBREW CONGREGATIONS Bishop ARMSTRONG. First, a word of gratitude for the privilege of appearing before the Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Amend ments. I am James Armstrong, bishop of the Dakota area of the United Methodist Church and president of the board of church and society of the United Methodist Church. I also represent the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, "a joining together of religious organizations which have officially adopted the position that decisions concerning abortion should be made according to individual conscience." These religious groups inIclude the division of social ministries of the American Baptist Churches, the National Council of Jewish Women, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the Center for Social Action, and the board of homeland ministries of the United Church of Christ, the general executive board and the Commission on Women's Concerns of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, the church and society unit, the Washington office, and the women's program unit of the United Presbyterian Church of the United States, the Unitarian Universalist Association, the board of church and society and the women's division of the United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation, B'nai B'rith women, Catholics for a Free Choice, the Washington office, and only the Washington office, of the Church of the Brethren, National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, the American Ethical Union, and the American Humanist Association. I respectfully request that a compilation of statements of the members be added to the record. Senator BAYH. Without objection, so ordered. Bishop ARMSTRONG. The Social Principles of my denomination say: Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion. But we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother, for whom devastating damage may result from |