Presiding Bishop Asks Increased Support for Birth Control Projects
Diocesan Press Service. December 8, 1966 [49-2]
On Nov. 22, Presiding Bishop Hines made it clear that the Episcopal Church fully supports the efforts of the U. S. Government to render assistance in population control at home and abroad. In so doing, he continued an official policy of the Episcopal Church.
The Presiding Bishop did not rest content with a recitation of past support, however, for he also issued a call for increased financing for programs in this area.
"Pilot birth control clinics are currently being sponsored in places both overseas and inside the United States by our Church, I am requesting that the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief double the funds made available for this program in their immediate years ahead," he stated...
Earlier this fall, the House of Bishops, meeting in Wheeling, W. Va., reiterated the urgency of the "population crisis." In a statement issued at that time the Bishops called attention to the dangers of an unlimited population growth.
"Catastrophic famine is likely in the early 1970's in India, Pakistan and China, followed in a few short years by Indonesia, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, and by 1980 in most of the other countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America." They continued to point out that such a mammoth crisis "poses inescapable threats to the stability and growth of the nations and the peace of the whole world."
They, too, called for increasing support on the part of Episcopalians of cooperative birth control projects.
The General Conventions of 1961 issued the call. It affirmed that "responsible parenthood, built on obedience to all the duties of marriage, requires a wise stewardship of the resources and abilities of the family as well as a thoughtful consideration of the varying population needs and problems of society and the claims of future generations." It also called upon the United States Government to render assistance to population control programs of other nations.
The 1964 General Convention reinforced the decision of the previous Convention by calling for a study, with the aid of outside experts, of what more the Episcopal Church could do to bring about effective birth control.
"All the answers to the problems of over population, hunger, and poverty are not known. But there are things which the church can do, " the Bishops said at Wheeling. In their statement on Population, Poverty and Peace, and in previous statements by two General Conventions, the Episcopal Church has put itself on record. Its continued efforts in this area rest, as both Bishop Hines and the House of Bishops pointed out, on increased contributions to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief and Interchurch Aid.
STATEMENT OF THE PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, THE RT. REV. JOHN E. HINES, ON THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH'S STAND IN SUPPORT OF PROGRAMS OF POPULATION CONTROL
The Episcopal Church and the bishops of the whole Anglican Communion have clearly expressed vigorous support of world-wide programs of population control. I call attention to an action of our Church's General Convention of 1961, which outlines our position on these matters:
"Whereas warnings against the explosive results of world population increase.... have raised with new urgency questions of the morality of restricting population growth through birth control measures and planned parenthood; and
"Whereas the Archbishops and Bishops of the Anglican Communion have defined their position on this question.... and
"Whereas the General Convention wishes to affirm this position.... therefore be it
"Resolved that.... this General Convention holds that family planning in such ways as are mutually acceptable to husband and wife in Christian conscience....is a right and important factor in Christian family life. Such responsible parenthood, built on obedience to all the duties of marriage, requires a wise stewardship of the resources and abilities of the family as well as a thoughtful consideration of the varying population needs and problems of society and the claims of future generations. "
The General Convention further urged the United States Government to render assistance to population control programs of other nations which request aid: "This General Convention holds that it is the duty of the better developed countries such as our own to help countries to become self-supporting in food supplies and health measures through technical and other aids. In particular, while condemning abortion and infanticide, we believe that methods of control which are medically endorsed and morally acceptable may help the people of these lands so to plan family life that children may be born without a likelihood of starvation, and we approve the rendering by our Government of assistance to this end wherever it is officially sought."
This action was reinforced by the 1964 General Convention, which instructed the Church's national Executive Council to study, with the aid of outside experts, what more the Protestant Episcopal Church can do to bring about effective birth control throughout the world. As part of this effort, pilot birth control clinics are currently being sponsored in places both overseas and inside the United States by our Church. I am requesting that the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief double the funds made available for this program in the immediate years ahead.
Less than a month ago, the House of Bishops of our Church, meeting in Wheeling, West Virginia, reiterated the urgency of this concern, in a Statement on Population, Poverty and Peace. I now commend this Statement in its entirety to your attention.