Faith and Reproductive Rights

The faith community has always supported individuals and families facing challenges.  And mainstream religious leaders played a central role in helping to legalize and increase access to contraception--and later abortion services.

Planned Parenthood has a long history of working in partnership with the faith community. One of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest’s founders was the Reverend Arthur Elcombe, an Episcopalian priest. Over the years we’ve collaborated with faith-based organizations, and some of our former board members have been clergy.

At the national level the Planned Parenthood Federation of America's Clergy Advocacy Board, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Catholics for Choice and other faith-based groups are leading national efforts to increase public awareness of the theological and moral basis for advocating for reproductive health.

Here at home Faith Leaders for Reproductive Justice, a group of clergy from diverse faith traditions in our 3-county region, host community forums, write opinion pieces for local publications, and amplify the message that people of faith can and do support reproductive health, rights and justice.