From a sermon by the new dean Episcopal Divinity School, the Rev. Katherine Ragsdale:
Finally, the last sign I want to identify relates to my fellow clergy. Too often even those who support us can be heard talking about abortion as a tragedy. Let’s be very clear about this:
When a woman finds herself pregnant due to violence and chooses an abortion, it is the violence that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing.
When a woman finds that the fetus she is carrying has anomalies incompatible with life, that it will not live and that she requires an abortion – often a late-term abortion – to protect her life, her health, or her fertility, it is the shattering of her hopes and dreams for that pregnancy that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing.
When a woman wants a child but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing.
And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion – there is not a tragedy in sight — only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call is simply blessing.
These are the two things I want you, please, to remember – abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Let me hear you say it: abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.
WTF? I haven’t read something his hellishly chilling for a long time.
H/T: Rod Dreher
How’s this for fun, courtesy of the comments section following the sermon:
Anonymous said…
The only possible circumstance in which an abortion could be considered a blessing is IF YOUR MOTHER HAD ABORTED YOU!!!!
12:26 AM
Anonymous said…
Your a SAD SAD lady, and I will not give you credence by referring to you as a “MINISTER???”
The devil is sitting on your shoulder and waiting to take you to hell after you complete HIS WORK.
Hell–the greatest abortion of all!
Whoa is right. Its things like this that make it easier for me to walk away from The Episcopal Church.
Ah yes, this brings back fond memories of my own recent sermon on “safe, affordable” hand grenades:
When a priest wants a hand grenade but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education or access to health care, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports that are the tragedies; the hand grenade is a blessing.
And when a priest has every option open to her and has access to safe, affordable hand grenades, there is not a tragedy in sight—only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of military weapons without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to use God’s gifts is simply blessing.
These are the two things I want you, please, to remember—hand grenades are a blessing and our work is not done! Let me hear you say it: hand grenades are a blessing and our work is not done! C’mon, pull out those pins and say it with me now: hand grenades are a…
I’d like to hear more of your sermons.
WTF is right. Liberal or no liberal, I cannot believe a priest in God’s Church would preach such a thing!
It’s shit like this that makes me look sideways at Episcopalians.
the sermon has been taken down now.
Episcopalians (and I am in that camp) are greatly deserving of sideways glances. We are the ones who, after all, consecrated JS Spong, who is not even a theist.
Anyone mind if I make an inflammatory comment? Didn’t think so:
“When a woman wants a child but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food . . . the abortion is a blessing.”
Sounds like aborting Jesus would have been a blessing.
God forbid we have the rapper Nas take the Lord’s place. Observe in his lyrics “The Cross”:
I carry the cross, if Virgin Mary had an abortion
I’d still be carried in the chariot by stampeding horses
Had to bring it back to New York
I’m happy that the streets is back in New York
For you rappers, I carry the cross
Wouldn’t we be so redeemed.
More like “woe”
And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
Brilliant, Hill.
Theophilus-
Shouldn’t we be crediting another?
Sadly, of course, I cannot take credit for that. It is a passage that I think is all too often ignored (it comes immediately before the crucifixion in Luke). It is stunningly prophetic in way that only just now seems to be coming to fulfillment. I came upon it for the first time (in any intentional way) thanks to this very helpful book:
http://www.amazon.com/Blessed-Are-Barren-Planned-Parenthood/dp/0898703530
Highly recommended for a kind of social history of Planned Parenthood. It is out of print but relatively easy to find.
I keep going back to the original post looking for the “April 1st” date… but I can’t find it.
This beggars belief… but deepy troubles me because I am:
1. an Anglican minister (that I live on the opposite side of the planet to the author at Episcopal Divinity School is a blessing)
2. Someone who was adopted at birth (another blessing)
3. The proud Dad of two IVF kids. (a double blessing)
Geoff-Might be time to consider leaving the collared life and to consider the emergent church…
Leave?! For the love of the majority of Anglicans who disagree with this woman, by all means stay, Geoff! Stay!
I’m not trying to be pugnacious, but Roger, what in the world does the emergent church have to genuinely answer this? There’s more in a ounce of Anglican doctrine to show this poor woman her error than in a pound of emergent … stuff.
Cornelius, I assure you that Roger is being facetious, at least somewhat.
I’m currently on study leave for 3 years.
I also spent 2.5 years doing house church / intentional living
while in LA in the mid-to-late 90′s.
So I guess the collared life is a on-again off-again relationship anyway
(bet you won’t find that in the Ordinal!)