Catholics opposing views on abortion over History Research Paper

Catholics opposing views on abortion over History - Research Paper Example The early Christians were opposed to abortion because it exposed the unborn babies thus making them die. Abortion was condemned with disregarding to what stage of the pregnancy it was carried out in the first three centuries of Christianity. This can be captured in Tertullian writings in 197AD that† it does not matter whether you take away life that is born or destroy one that is coming to birth. In both instances, destruction is murder.† The council of Ancyra (314) is said to have referred to an ancient law that excommunicated women that aborted their children deliberately. (life.org.nz, 2011) The second mention of abortion is in a theological tract known as the Epistle of the pseudo-Barnabas which was written in about 138 and highly regarded by the theologians of Alexandria. The author of this publication treats abortion as corollary to the law of fraternal charity which was in existence. This can be captured in the written statements that, â€Å"You shall love your ne ighbor more than your own life. You shall not slay the child by abortion.† (catholicculture.org, 2011) Athenagoras who was an Athenian philosopher states in a letter he writes to Marcus Aurelius (177) that â€Å"All those who use abortifacients are homicides and they will have to account to God for their abortions as well as the killing of men†. ... arly church councils established strong precedents in history in relation to matters of abortion which were later ratified and strengthened by the council of Chalcendon in 415 and Consillium Quinisextum in 692. During the early period of foundation of Christianity, there were many writers who condemned abortion as a gravel evil. These include Christians writer like Hippolytus (235), Cyprian (258), St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (375), St Jerome (d. 420), St Augustine(d. 430), Caesarius, the Bishop of Arles(d. 543), and St Martin of Braga(580). The first collection of church laws that were promulgated with the authority of pope for the universal church was The Decretals of Pope Gregory IX in 1324. These laws list one canon that describes a murderer as one who procures an abortion. The decrials emphasized the idea of formed and unformed so as to determine the kind of penalties that applied for this type of crime. From the 13 century and the other succeeding centuries, the council of churc hes in existence continued to condemn abortion. (catholicculture.org, 2011) In 1588, the first papal legislation that was meant to bring into play penal sanction against abortion came into existence and was referred to EFFRAENATAM of Pope Sixtus V who reigned in the period 1585-1590. In 1591, Pope Gregory XIV altered slightly the constitution of Sixtus V so as to apply harsher punishments among those that caused abortion of animated fetus (a fetus whose movement could be felt). In spite of the changes to the constitution, the seriousness of abortion offences were emphasized (Haney, 2008, p 24). Not until in the 18th century when Martin Luther king led a reformation from the Catholic Church, most Catholics were united and accepted the Magisterium authority and condemnation of abortion. In

A Man Dedicated to the Struggle for Racial Equality Research Paper

A Man Dedicated to the Struggle for Racial Equality - Research Paper Example Though Dr. Chavis is well-known as a civil right movement leader who worked closely with the Prominent African-American leader, Martin Luther King, he has actively took part in a number of other movements including â€Å"National African American Leadership Summit† (NAALS), â€Å"National Association for the Advancement of Colored People† (NAACP), Million March, etc. From the very beginning of his youth, he has started an activist’s life. While he had been a freshman at St. Augustine College in 1965, he became Martin Luther King’s youth coordinator for the State of North Carolina. In the same year, he also joined the â€Å"Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee† (SNCC), the â€Å"American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees† (AFSCME), and the â€Å"Congress of Racial Equality† (CORE). Religious Activism of Benjamin Chavis Mohammed One of the most significant aspects of Benjamin Chavis’ activism is the religiou s dimension. ... In 1968, starting his career as a field officer in the â€Å"United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice† Chavis Mohammad significantly contributed to the coordination of racial justice strategies with American Black community. Starting with the membership in the â€Å"Southern Christian Leadership Conference† (SCLC) Benjamin had been involved with a significant number of Christianity related organizations throughout his whole life until he joined the Nation of Islam. Though his strategy to join the Nation of Islam was to set an example of peaceful religious cohabitation and to increase the religious tolerance, he was suspended by the authority of the â€Å"United Church of Christ† (UCC). Often some critics allege that Benjamin Chavis’ religiosity was more of a strategy to survive amid the hostility of the whites than of a wholehearted Christian emotion. In this regard, Encyclopedia of World Biography writes that in the mid 20th century, even as the walls of racial segregation was crumbling down under the crushing pressures of various civil society movements, leaders like Chavis Muhammad and Martin Luther King’s were being â€Å"shaped against this back drop of hatred and bigotry. Chavis became involved in his church, finding shelter from such hostile attitudes†. (Encyclopedia of World Biography 1) Racial Awareness and Family-inspiration to Fight for Rights Since Benjamin Chavis was blissfully born in a self-aware African-American family, he was familiar with the black people’s struggle for right in the white dominated US society.