How far German Christians are from consensus about the abortion review
Demonstration for abortion in Berlin. Photo EPA, Clemens Bilan, and Canva
Christian Life
It’s okay to scrap abortion from the criminal law, some Christians say. But others fundamentally disagree. In Germany, this is not just theory but practice, Wolfgang Stock writes.
The German parliament, the Bundestag, has held intense debates in recent months about the further liberalisation of the German abortion law (Criminal Code paragraph 218). There, abortions up to the 14th week of pregnancy are exempt from punishment if the woman seeks counselling beforehand.
There is a large majority in society in favour of change, and 327 of the 733 members of the Bundestag from five of the seven parliamentary groups have signed a corresponding motion. This is well below the required majority. In addition, the sudden early elections next month have stopped the project.
However, the discussion has led to very controversial reactions within the Christian churches. The Council of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) (the highest governing body of the large mainstream “Landeskirchen”) has spoken out in favour of a partial revision. In contrast, conservative Protestant circles and the Catholic Church have harshly criticised this legislative initiative.
Of course, this still applies, even though this legislative initiative has been stopped for now. Further, it is unlikely that there will be a chance in the next parliament because the Christian Democratic CDU/CSU will probably be stronger after the election on February 23. Members of this parliamentary group will mostly vote against the plans.
One of the most prominent critics within the EKD is Thomas Rachel, CDU member of the Bundestag and member of the EKD Council. He holds that Germany has a “cleverly balanced regulation” with the current abortion law. The proven “dual advocacy” for the woman’s right to self-determination and the unborn child’s right to life should not be “unnecessarily eliminated” by removing it from criminal law. Rachel described the EKD Council’s statement as a “paradigm shift” that caused him “great concern”, Rachel said.
Steffen Kern, a member of the EKD Synod, is also very critical of the Council’s statement: Many Protestants did not feel represented. The resolution had been “knitted too quickly and with a hot needle”. Forcing doctors “to kill human lives would never be ethically justifiable. Fundamental Christian values are being turned upside down here”, Kern said.
Kern is not only a member of the Synod of the EKD but also President of the “Gnadauer Gemeinschaftsverband “(Evangelical Gnadau Community Association) within the churches. The Gnadauer Gemeinschaftsverband is the umbrella organisation of the regional church community movement in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.
It is the largest free movement within the Protestant Church in Germany. It includes 13 Bible schools and colleges, 6 missionary societies, 16 deaconess motherhouses, 13 other organisations, 16 diaconal institutions and 34 regional community associations, two of which are in Austria, and 6 youth associations.
The Roman Catholic Church is fundamentally opposed to a change in abortion law. The German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) emphasises that abortion must remain a criminal offence. Only a criminal law can sufficiently guarantee the constitutionally required protection of unborn life.
Even though a vote on the change of abortion rights in parliament did not take place because of the new elections, the debate reveals profound ethical and theological differences within the Christian churches and free churches. There is no consensus at all on this ethically complex issue.
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