From praise to grief: How Christian denominations reacted to Supreme Court's abortion ruling

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Monday, June 27, 2022

The installation service for the Rev. Teresa Hord Owens, elected president of the Disciples of Christ at their General Assembly, held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 12, 2017. | Ron Alvey

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The day after the court overturned Roe, Rev. Teresa "Terri" Hord Owens, the general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), acknowledged the different perspectives on the abortion issue.

"For decades, the issue of women's reproductive rights has been a divisive one in the US, even as Roe v Wade was considered settled law and an established precedent," she wrote in a statement. "Hostile debates and even violence have accompanied this debate in recent years, the impacts of which have been felt in our churches as well."

Owens said the denomination's General Assembly has "wrestled with the abortion issue on the floor on many occasions" but has affirmed support for "reproductive freedom for women."

She added that the General Assembly supports pregnancy prevention education, equal healthcare access for poor women, including "reproductive care."

"I pray that we as Disciples will find ways to hold our hearts and be mindful of the great pain that this decision has caused for many, even as we recognize that there are also those who have welcomed this decision," Owens stated.

"Our ability to navigate the tension of disagreement can be a powerful witness to the Christ we follow," she continued.

"I hope that you will familiarize yourself with the history of the church's strong support for reproductive freedom for women, and that our continued wrestling might yet bear witness to the power of God's limitless love for all."