Chemung County Pride day held at Park Church, Elmira, NY.
"We believe that abortion is a complex moral and ethical issue and that the decision about abortion must remain a private matter between a woman, her conscience, and her God."
- PPFA Clergy Advisory Board
- PPFA Clergy Advisory Board
Faith, social justice, and sexual and reproductive health and rights are intertwined in ways that are not often publicly explored. Although we tend to hear only about the anti-choice religious perspective, religious support for the right to choose is both broad and deep. Many faith communities have also affirmed their support for comprehensive sexuality education. Still others have clearly welcomed gay and lesbian people as an integral part of their communities. At Planned Parenthood, we are grateful to have strong support from religious leaders in Tompkins County and the Southern Tier.
Planned Parenthood's resources for faith communities and religious leaders include:
- Sexuality education programs and materials for religious youth and adult groups.
- Annual luncheon program for religious leaders.
- Opportunities and support for pro-choice advocacy, including Cornell?s "Pro-choice at the Pulpit" panel presentation, and Clergy Lobby Day in Albany.
- The Southern Tier Interfaith Coalition (STIC) meets regularly to plan events and bring together people of different faiths in order to find common ground on issues of religion, reproductive freedom and peace.
- Support for religious leaders who seek to better understand the many issues surrounding pregnancy options counseling. On behalf of the women we serve, we are grateful to the religious leaders who provide compassionate options counseling to women who request pastoral counseling.
Religious Approaches to Choice
To learn more about religious approaches to choice, go to:
- Americans United for Separation of Church and State - works for religious freedom through preservation of separation of church and state, and includes a clergy network.
- Catholics for a Free Choice
- Family Planning Advocates of New York State - organizes state-wide Concerned Clergy for Choice and sponsors annual Clergy Lobby Day in Albany.
- Planned Parenthood Federation of America - Clergy Voices from Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
- Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice - "pro-faith, pro-family, pro-choice."
- Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing
- Sacred Choices - exploring pro-choice traditions within major religious faiths.
- Sexuality Information and Education Council of the US - links, supportive statements from faith communities regarding sexuality and sex education.
