LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – “Catholics for Choice is thrilled that Michigan voters decisively passed Proposal 3 and have established the right to reproductive freedom, including abortion care, in the state constitution.” Those words come from Catholics for Choice President Jamie L. Manson, M. Div. Catholics for Choice is a nonprofit organization whose website says that it “lifts up the voices of the majority of Catholics who believe in reproductive freedom” and they call themselves an “intersection of faith and reproductive freedom.” They disagree with the dictates of the Catholic hierarchy on matters related to abortion, contraception, gender and religious freedom.

Manson goes on to say, “If there’s one lesson to be learned from the 2022 midterms, it’s that protecting abortion access is popular, and in the Great Lakes State, not even the money and might of the Catholic bishops – who spent millions of dollars trying to torpedo Prop. 3 and required anti-abortion letters to be read from the pulpit at Mass — was strong enough to stop it. Instead, pro-choice voters of faith turned out in droves to send their leaders a message: abortion rights are part of our fundamental values. Those leaders would be wise to listen.”

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The unofficial results show Proposal 3 being passed by Michigan voters on Tuesday with 56.6% of the vote. The proposal takes effect on December 23, 2022 and will codify reproductive and abortion rights into the Michigan Constitution.

Catholics for Choice believes the support of abortion access is popular among congregants and points to a Pew August 2020 poll that shows 68% of Catholics had supported Roe v. Wade. A Guttmacher Institute report also showed in 2014 that 1 in 4 abortion patients was Catholic. A 2018 Gallup poll showed that 75% of Catholics think abortion should be legal either in all circumstances or in certain circumstances.

In 1917, the Vatican codified a total ban on abortion into cannon law. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states “Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.”

In addition to that, one of the 10 commandments in the Bible is “Thou Shalt Not Kill.” While some churches take that commandment to heart, others have decided to support a woman’s right to choose to abort her pregnancy and in supporting that right, many faith leaders and houses of worship across Michigan – not just the Catholic churches – chose to support Proposal 3.

Helping to support the proposal to pass was a group of faith leaders who held a press conference in June at the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan office in Detroit.

Those abortion advocates included Pastor Elizabeth Friedman from Lord of Light Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor. She said last Friday in her capacity as pastor of Lord of Light and not speaking for the congregation, “I believe that women are made in the image of God, that they have been endowed with dignity and agency, that they are fully capable of making their own medical decisions, and that they can and should be trusted to make those decisions themselves. I believe that reproductive care should be between a woman and her doctor. The right to religious freedom also means the right not to have someone else’s religion imposed on me, and many faiths – including my own – affirm the right to access reproductive care.”

In response to her feelings about the passage of Proposal 3, she told Michigan News Source, “I am encouraged by the passage of Proposal 3 because it affirms the God-given dignity and agency of women, who can and should be trusted to make their own medical decisions.”

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Also appearing at the June press conference was Pastor John Duckworth of Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church in Westland who said he’s “passionate as a pastor that everyone have access to reproductive health care.”

Rabbi Asher Lopatin of Kehillat Etz Chayim in Detroit was also in attendance and he said, “Abortion is not only permitted in Judaism, but at times required if the life of the pregnant person is in danger.”

Not appearing at the press conference but supporting the proposal’s passage is Rev. Dr. Roland Stringfellow, Senior Pastor and Teacher at Metropolitan Community Church in Detroit. Michigan News Source contacted him about his thoughts on the passage of the proposal and he said, “I have never felt it was a contradiction being a faithful Christian and supporting a woman’s right to choose what happens to her body. There are circumstances in life that are not right or unfortunate (such as rape, incest, or an unwanted pregnancy) that would lead a person to abort their pregnancy. I believe God lovingly is with the person in these circumstances and gives grace to all involved.”

He goes on to say, “In the case of Michigan’s Proposal 3, people of faith are taught to love and respect one another. It’s not one’s place to judge – or make – anyone else’s moral decisions, particularly on issues as deeply personal as when or whether to have children. Had Proposal 3 not passed, it would have been an infringement upon all Michiganders that a particular moral stance would have been imposed upon the masses. Freedom of religion should allow citizens to worship as they choose free from persecution, not impose their beliefs on others. Many people within my faith community have similar sentiments.”

Stringfellow said, “Whereas I do not promote any candidate for office to my church, I do speak to ‘loving our neighbor as ourselves.’ That includes supporting a person’s right to keep their pregnancy or to end it. It also includes valuing and respecting the lives of anyone who is being downtrodden by oppression. I realize that I have Christian sisters and brothers who strongly disagree with my point of view, but I hope we can agree that our nation and our community is home to many faith traditions, each with its unique values regarding reproductive health. God is the author of life and life (and death) occur at its appointed time, not mine. I believe it is our responsibility to reflect compassion and understanding to the one who has to make a difficult decision about their health care.”

Another strong advocate for abortion access has been Rev. Bonnie A. Perry, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. Michigan News Source wrote about Perry in August concerning her opinion piece that she had written after the Dobbs case happened, reversing Roe v Wade. She said it put “Michigan women at risk of losing their reproductive freedoms” and “flies against the deeply compassionate beliefs of the Episcopal Church.”

She went on to advocate protecting abortion by saying, “I call on Christians of compassion to act now to protect reproductive freedoms in Michigan.”

About the passage of the proposal, Bishop Perry told Michigan News Source, “Clearly the people of the state of Michigan have spoken and the passage of Proposal Three was the will of the people. I will always respect the outcomes of elections.”

However, not all faith leaders and churches have been (or are) on board with the support of Proposal 3. The Michigan Catholic Conference had released a letter to Catholics in Michigan to reject the proposal, calling it “the most extreme proposal concerning abortion this state or country has ever seen.”

Now that the proposal has passed, Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron posted on the archdiocesan website on November 9th, “We awake today to the news that Proposal 3 has passed, altering our state constitution to allow for unregulated and unsafe abortion on demand in Michigan.” He said people of faith are “deeply saddened by this grave assault on the dignity and sanctity of unborn, innocent human life.”

Vigneron asked for Catholics to join him in prayer and renew their “commitment to accompanying women and families in need, with greater resolve than ever.” He also pledged to “continue our efforts to build a culture of life in which abortion is unthinkable, all families receive the support they need, and the dignity of all people is recognized.”

Pastor John W. Fisher of United Methodist Church in Oshtemo Township doesn’t feel the same way about abortion access. He decided to take a stand to support the proposal by putting a sign out in front of his church. In fact, he was so adamant about supporting the proposal that he put out six signs. The first five signs were vandalized but he was determined to show his support of the proposal. He said, “It was important for us that we have it be known, make a witness…”

Fisher said in a perfect world there are no abortions but he doesn’t think it should be illegal. He said his congregation of about 50 were mostly in support of Prop 3.

For a church to take a stand, one way or another, might seem confusing to some but the law allows them to support or oppose a ballot proposal. Even though the proposal may fall down on the side of one political party’s beliefs or another, it’s not considered partisan political activity as ballot proposals are technically “nonpartisan” which means the Johnson Amendment restrictions added to the IRS code don’t apply.

Jeffrey J. Walsh, bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord talked to Up North Live ahead of the vote and said, “We looked at it very much as a moral issue that touches at the very heart of the message of the gospel and what we think is good for the common good of any society.”

He said that there were about 75 churches in his Northern Michigan region who had been actively engaging in the anti-Prop 3 messaging and that he himself had written a letter for his region’s parishes to be read during church services at the Sunday before the vote.

He added about the proposal, “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever – and his truths are not negotiable or compromised.”