Hearing the Stories
by Debbie Eisenbise
Perhaps it’s
because the Bible was written down by men that the
stories about women unfold as they do. Perhaps it’s
because even centuries ago, the prevailing attitude
concerning women was that “biology is destiny.”
Perhaps it’s because women had few other real
options at that time. But what we find in the
Bible, time and again, are stories of women and the
issues they face with regard to childbearing and
child rearing. There are stories of jealousy, of
surrogacy, of rape, of incest, and of unexpected
untimely pregnancies.
How did the women feel about these situations? How
did Hagar feel when she and her son were abandoned?
How did Gomer feel about the names Hosea gave their
children? How did Lot’s daughters feel about
bearing their father’s children? Did Mary want to
go visit Elizabeth, or did she really just want to
get out of town and away from the gossip? Who did
these women talk to? With whom did they share their
concerns?
Today, women have the same concerns and many others
related to these same issues, yet rarely in church
do we hear about these. We don’t hear about women
having been raped or abused, or women who are
facing a pregnancy outside of marriage, or women
who are considering or have had an abortion. These
represent crises in women’s lives and yet the
church has little to say to them. If anything, the
church reinforces the shame women feel from society
at large. How many women today lift up prayers just
hoping beyond hope that they do not have a sexually
transmitted infection, that they won’t continue to
be abused, or that they aren’t pregnant, now?
Thousands upon thousands and yet their prayers are
not heard by the church.
So the church must go to them, not to condemn, but
to minister to them, walk with them, and give them
hope for another, better day. That is why I
volunteer as a chaplain at the Planned Parenthood
Clinic. I go to them. I go to be with them on what
is most likely one of the worst days in their life.
Even if they are there to terminate a pregnancy
that they couldn’t possibly carry to term, or so
that a child will not be born into a situation of
abuse, or because they have been raped, or because
they are at risk of losing their job by being
pregnant, or because they cannot afford to raise
another child, this is never simply a relief.
During the three years I have been volunteering, I
have yet to meet anyone who has not agonized over
this decision. I also have yet to meet anyone who
does not deserve to be heard and held with great
compassion.
There are women of all ages, all races, all
nationalities, all classes, all religions, all
situations. Some are married, some are single, some
are in abusive relationships, some have other
children, some do not. Some were never pro-choice
until this happened to them. And it’s clear that
most of the women I meet would end up terminating
their pregnancies even if abortion were illegal,
and if that were the case, many of them would lose
their lives in the process, as many have in the
past. These women are our sisters. These women are
our daughters. These women are children of God who
long to have their stories told, their concerns
acknowledged, their prayers heard, and their lives
preserved.
Share your reflections on and/or experiences with reproductive issues here.
Official Church Documents
1984 Statement on Abortion for the Church of the Brethren