Nancy Pelosi's Mistake

Recently Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, got herself into trouble by discussing the theology of abortion. Her comments on St. Augustine and the creation of the soul were intriguing but ill-advised. She should have known that she would be stirring up a hornet's nest that would have better been left undisturbed. Jesuit Tom Reese suggested that she should not have ventured into the theoloy of abortion. I agree with him. But I would suggest that the Bishops need to be equally careful not to plunge into the politics of abortion.

In this country the Church cannot dictate public policy. They are free to clearly state their positions on issues of morality, but all moral truths are not codified into civil law. These are political judgements. The Church can expect their followers to adhere to their moral dictums, but they ought not demand that Catholics support particular laws under pain of ecclesiastical punishment. None of the laws that have been suggeseted conform exactly to Catholic teaching. Consequently the Church is actually supporting legislation that differs from its position on abortion. For example, Church leaders have at times supported laws that allow abortion in cases of rape or incest, or parental notification laws that presume the legality of abortion. How can one accept policies contrary to your position, but then demand of others that they follow in lock-step the legislative priorities you have decided to pursue. This micromanaging of the legislative process for Catholics is insulting and demeaning in a country that prides itself on the separation of Church and State.

One might suggest as a guideline a desire to reduce the number of abortions. How does one do that? It could be done in any number of ways. Legislation is a messy business and compromise is a major part of what the final piece of legislation may look like. Politicians and voters must all exercise their individual consciences in terms of what they see as the best legislative structure for this pluralistic society. While Catholics may need to adhere to the moral teaching of the Church they do not need to adhere to specific legislative options.

Moreover, this election is too important to become sidetracked by peripheral issues. The economy is coming apart before our eyes leaving too many people struggling to survive. Geopolitical issues of war and peace hang in the balance. However important the issue of abortion may be, history has shown that the occupant of the White House has little or no impact on legal or policy decisions related to abortion. It would be most unfortunate if the clergy were to somehow imply that Catholics should or should not vote for this or that candidate based on their views on abortion.