MAGUIRE, D C: Sacred Choices

The right to contraception and abortion in ten world religions.

Fortress Press, 2001

160 pages

Inter-faith, abortion, contraception, theology

"Dr. Maguire is a professor of moral theological ethics at Marquette University, a Jesuit institution. He earned a degree in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, a leading conservative Catholic university." "Major religious traditions contain strong affirmations of the right to family planning, including contraception and when necessary, abortion" "Many have argued that the world's religions constitute the greatest obstacle to contraception and abortion, since most religions hold human life to be sacred. In Sacred Choices: The Right to Contraception and Abortion in Ten World Religions, ethics professor Daniel Maguire counters that "although many people believe that contraception is forbidden by their religion... the world's religions are open to family planning, including contraception and also abortion as a backup when necessary." He argues that many religions have selectively presented only the anti-contraception, anti-abortion threads of their tradition. However, he commits the same error by offering a highly selective reading of the same traditions in order to prove the opposite point." "Family planning, contraception and abortion are all intimately related issues which are often subject to rancorous debates in modern society and international politics. According to conventional wisdom, traditional religious beliefs and institutions are opposed to all three. According to conventional wisdom, religion is inevitably anti-choice in such matters. What if conventional wisdom is wrong?"