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PROTESTANT PASTORS ASKED TO SPEAK UP ON ABORTION

LOUISVILLE, KY, February 19, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A panel discussion at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary this month stressed that the future of the pro-life movement rests on Christian pastors and leaders courageously confronting the issue of abortion. The Baptist Press reports that two Southern Baptist leaders joined a pro-life Presbyterian activist and a former United States congressman on the panel.

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission said "I know ministers in my local community who will not preach on the issue because they say, 'There are people in my congregation that have had abortions and I don't want to stir up the issue.'" Speaking about abortion, Land said: "It's not a political issue," he said. "It has political consequences. ... [Instead,] it is the most profound moral and spiritual issue of our time."

Joining Land on the panel were R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Seminary; David McIntosh, former U.S. Representative from Indiana's 2nd District (1994-2000); Terry Schlossberg, executive director of Presbyterians Pro-Life; and Russell Moore, head of the Henry Institute and assistant professor of Christian theology at the seminary.

The Baptist leaders discussed their thankfulness that the Southern Baptists have returned to a pro-life position after veering off track during the 1970s. The Presbyterian leader present noted that the current position of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is 'pro-choice' but her organization is seeking to guide the denomination back to its historical pro-life roots.

The abortion issue was described as "the critical criterion for this realignment" of the Christian church with its true historical roots.

See the full coverage by the Baptist Press:
http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?ID=15263

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