By Peter J. Smith
PRINCETON, New Jersey, September 7, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Organizers of an unusual conference designed to bring abortion supporters and pro-life advocates together for a productive dialogue say they are hoping for greater pro-life participation in the event. So far only a small proportion of the conference’s registered attendees, which will feature prominent pro-life as well as pro-abortion speakers, identify themselves as pro-life advocates.
Organizers of the Princeton University conference say the event is intended to initiate a thought-provoking dialogue that will encourage mutual respect, emphasize points of commonality, and bring about deeper understanding of the issues surrounding abortion.
“Right now most of the registrants are pro-choice,” said Jennifer Miller, executive director of Bioethics International, one of the conference’s organizers. “We need to have a greater pro-life attendance for a fruitful conference and dialogue.”
The event at Princeton scheduled for October 15-16 is called “Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Fair Minded Words: A Conference on Life and Choice in the Abortion Debate.”
The title comes from the speech President Barack Obama delivered at Notre Dame University in 2009 – an appearance that sparked controversy given the president’s notoriously extreme views on abortion.
The organizers of the conference say, however, that they intend to have the open and “fair-minded” dialogue over abortion that Obama spoke about in his Notre Dame speech. They hope the event will give an opportunity for speakers to engage those on the opposite side of the abortion debate in a very personal way, and to move beyond the talking points.
The speakers come from vastly different sides of the abortion debate: Princeton’s infamous utilitarian bioethicist Peter Singer, Catholics for Choice founder and University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Frances Kissling (called by some the “philosopher of the pro-choice movement”), Forham University theologian Charles Camosy, and bioethicist Jennifer Miller are all co-chairing the conference. Pro-life speakers include Vatican consultant Helen Alvare, Stanford University biochemist William Hurlbut, Senior Fellow in Ethics at the Culture of Life Foundation Christian Brugger, and Christopher Kaczor, author of books including “How to Stay Catholic in College” and “The Ethics of Abortion.”
The two day conference not only intends to provide a forum for debate for over 40 featured speakers, but also for registered participants as well. The topics discussed have a Q & A format built into them for participating members of the audience.
The conference sessions will discuss a number of the following questions: “The Moral Status of the Fetus,”“A Woman’s Moral Duty to the Fetus?”, Do Some Reasons for Abortion Exacerbate Discrimination against Persons?”, “Preventing Unintended Pregnancies,”“When Might a Fetus Feel Pain and What Should We Do about It?” and others. (see program here)
Early registration for the conference is $75 per adult until September 8. Afterwards adult registration is $100. Groups of 20 or more can register for $50 per person before September 8.
There is also a $35 standard student rate for those with valid student ID. Faculty and students of sponsoring universities (Princeton University, Fordham University, Bioethics International, and the University of Pennsylvania) can attend for $25 with valid student ID.
The costs cover full two-day conference access, the Friday cocktail reception, and Saturday lunch.
Individuals interested can register here.
To learn more about “Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Fair Minded Words: A Conference on Life and Choice in the Abortion Debate” visit the site here.