Unitarian Universalists Commemorate 34th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Decision

Photo courtesy Religion News Service, used with permission.

Meet Meredith Schonfeld-Hicks, Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation Clara Barton Intern for Women's Issues, UUA Washington Office for Advocacy In the spring of 2004 I joined over a million people in Washington, D.C., for the March for Women's Lives, showing my support and dedication for abortion rights and reproductive justice. I marched with my mother, my home church, my college friends, and thousands of Unitarian Universalists from across the country. The morning of the march I attended a moving worship service at All Souls Church Unitarian where Rev. Rebecca Parker shared a powerful sermon titled "For All That is Our Life ." It reminded me of the reasons why working for women's rights is religious work. She said, “The power to choose is the power of life in the midst of brokenness. Without choice, tragedy, impasse, and despair are the last word. With choice, creativity, responsibility, and possibility enter the conversation. With choice, human beings enter into fuller personhood, becoming creative agents in the world who can transform life in the direction of greater justice, safety, and joy.” One year later I moved to Washington DC to become the second Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation Clara Barton Intern for Women's Issues in the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy. This position was endowed by the Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation  and many generous supporters. As a Legislative Assistant I represent UU perspectives to Congress and the U.S. Administration on issues of concern to women: reproductive rights, comprehensive sexuality education, domestic violence, and more. As I endure the slow process of legislative change and witness the impact policies have on all women—especially poor women and young women—I am constantly reminded that this is spiritual work that I am called to do. We can't take Roe for granted and we can't let other voices dominate the conversation and our policies. Every year restrictive laws and insufficient funding limit our ability to provide all women with the health services they need and deserve. We need to be active, as people of faith, to ensure that our voice is heard and accounted for. Serving as the UUWF Clara Barton Intern has opened my eyes to the many ways we, as people of faith, can influence public discussion and policy. I encourage everyone to join that effort, stay engaged, and let our religious voice be heard in our communities and in Congress. An easy way to do this is to sign up for email alerts  from the UUA Washington office which provide important information and ways to take action to support reproductive justice. The steps I took during the March for Women's Lives connected me with a larger community of UUs seeking justice and dignity for all women. I am proud to continue our tradition by lobbying here in DC and supporting the work of UU congregations. On this 34th anniversary of Roe let us celebrate our accomplishments and do all we can to ensure that all women continue to have access to abortion and reproductive health services.

January 22, 2007, marks the 34th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States. Granting women the right to privacy in their reproductive health decisions dramatically changed the health and well being of women as well as the political landscape of the nation, and Unitarian Universalists were active in early efforts to afford women these basic rights.

Before abortion was legal, UUs helped women secure safe abortion options. In the mid 1960's many UU clergy members joined the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion . Participating clergy referred women to safe but illegal abortion providers who took risks for themselves and their families to provide women with this service. Their actions demonstrated their individual commitment and the values of our faith. Some of the UU clergy involved in this ministry were the Reverends Farley Wheelright, Richard Gilbert, John Nichols, (the late) Peter Raible, (the late) Nick Cardell, Ralph Mero, and David Johnson.

In the Pacific Northwest area, Ralph Mero recalls working with a registered nurse in Tacoma, Washington and a nurse who would provide abortions upon referral in Vancouver, British Columbia. Ministers in the Pacific Northwest would help women acquire the funds to pay for the abortion (some of which came out of the minister's discretionary account) and transport the women across the border.

The Women's Alliance at First Unitarian Church in Dallas was a major supporter of Roe v. Wade when it began its journey through the Texas court system.  The congregation's leaders encouraged the lead attorney, Sarah Weddington, to pursue the case even though she was beginning her career and was not sure she wanted to be involved in such a controversial case. Weddington and members of the Alliance received the Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation Ministry to Women Award  in 2005 for their work.

Since the legalization of abortion in 1973 UUs have continued to witness for this issue and work to make sure that all women have access to abortion services. Many UU clergy and lay leaders provide a pro-choice religious presence at abortion clinics and demonstrations across the country. Congregations have started abortion funds to offset the high cost of the procedure for women who do not have health insurance or whose Medicaid will not cover the procedure due to the Hyde amendment , which forbids federal funding for abortion with few exceptions.

Another approach some congregations are taking to support abortion rights is to explore the issue on a personal level. The Association of Universalist Women at the First Universalist Church of Minneapolis  facilitated the "Faith and Choices Curriculum" last fall in partnership with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Part of their Sacred Choices Initiative, this four-session course allowed participants to engage with the issues of abortion and reproductive health through role playing, small group discussion, brainstorming, learning the history of the abortion rights movement and current laws. Set in a safe and spiritual space, participants subsequently wrote personal faith statements regarding reproductive choice. The women reached a deep level of community and sisterhood and continued their conversations after the course ended.

UU congregations were part of efforts in three states to defeat ballot initiatives in the November 2006 elections that would have limited women's reproductive choice. In California, Proposition 85 was a proposed amendment that would have required parental notification for teenagers seeking abortion, and 54 percent voted to protect the health and safety of their teens. In Oregon, voters rejected a parental notification measure, Measure 43, with 55 percent of voters weighing in against the initiative. South Dakota also stood up for choice when it rejected a statewide abortion ban by a margin of 56 percent.

UUs engaged with choice issues on the ballot in a variety of ways: preaching sermons, hosting educational events, distributing literature, working in coalitions, and community organizing. In addition to standing for freedom of choice, they challenged the pro-choice/pro-life frame and looked at the issue in terms of preventing pregnancy, advocating for youth, getting educated, and examining our own consciences. Several are planning Roe v. Wade commemorative events on Jan. 21st.

Despite the ongoing work of committed Unitarian Universalists and recent state electoral successes, as we celebrate the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we need to be aware of the current political climate and the possibility that the Roe decision could be overturned. Conversations among clergy and UU leaders are underway to discuss the types of action that can be undertaken if we face an abortion ban in the future.

In separate reports and links, read more about the ways in which UU congregations and their leaders engage with issues of choice; be inspired by excerpts from sermons on the topic of choice; and find out how to get more information on the current threats to women's reproductive freedom. Readers can also meet Meredith Schonfeld-Hicks, the Clara Barton Intern for Women's Issues in the UUA's Washington Office for Advocacy.

Compiled with the help of Rev. Deborah Mero and Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation Executive Administrator Ellen Spencer

Unitarian Universalist Congregations Stand for Choice and Reproductive Health

Recommended Resources:

• Information about Reproductive Justice  from the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy
• The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice 

Sermons on Reproductive Choice:

• "The Spiritual Imperative of Choice " by Rev. Krista Taves
• "Watch One Hour With Me " by Rev. Cynthia Frado
• "For All That is Our Life" by Rev. Rebecca Parker
• "On the Dais" by Rev. Victoria Weinstein
• "The Morality of Abstinence-Only Sex Education" by Rabbi Barry H. Block, Temple Beth-El, San Antonio, Texas
• "Nothing is Black and White" by Rev. Katie Lee Crane

Books by Beacon Press on Abortion rights :

• Doctors of Conscience: The Struggle to Provide Abortion Before and After Roe V. Wade by Carole Joffe
• Getting On Message: Challenging the Christian Right from the Heart of the Gospel, Edited by Peter Laarmen
• Incidental Findings: Lessons from My Patients in the Art of Medicine by Danielle Ofri
• Flexible Bodies: The Role of Immunity in American Culture—From the Days of Polio to the Age of AIDS by Emily Martin
• Women in the Grove by Paula Peterson

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