If I were a faithful Episcopalian (Anglican)–this would be my big moment to jump ship.

“Rev.” Katherine Ragsdale, newly appointed as dean of The Episcopal Divinity School  sees virtually no circumstance when abortion is not a “blessing”:

And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion – there is not a tragedy in sight — only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call is simply blessing.

My favourite part of her lecture is when she engages the audience in brainwashing:

These are the two things I want you, please, to remember – abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Let me hear you say it: abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.

(Repeat.)

Now I don’t justify my pro-life stance exclusively on religious grounds. That a supposed cleric would justify her pro-abortion stance using religious language is… well, Rod Dreher used the word evil and I’m inclined to agree.

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Rebecca adds: Almost all of my pro-choice friends – the ones with whom I’ve discussed the issue, anyway – consider abortion to be a “necessary evil.” They often suggest that I, and others opposed to elective abortion, create straw men when we talk about a culture that does not just tolerate abortion but actually promotes it, and celebrates it. Being sensible, thoughtful people, they assume that everyone on the pro-choice side shares their perspective: disliking abortion, being uneasy about it, but believing that it must be an option open to women in general, even if they themselves would never choose it. And I maintain that there are in fact people who have no inner conflict about abortion, who not only don’t consider it the lesser of two undesired outcomes but actually believe that it’s a positive and empowering act in and of itself. A female cleric preaching that “abortion is a blessing” so that women can sleep around without having to alter their plans for education or “life’s work” is about as stark an example as I’ve ever heard.