The Catholic Church did not prohibit abortion before
Posted on: June 13, 2024 at 02:42:42 CT
TigerMatt STL
Posts:
99483
Member For:
26.62 yrs
Level:
User
M.O.B. Votes:
0
the quickening until 1869. The reasoning Pope Pius IX used is that while they couldn’t know when ensoulment happened, it is possible it could happen at conception, so better be safe than sorry.
Again, no scriptural defense for this change of position. The entire belief that it happened at the quickening originated from Aristotelian beliefs on ensoulment.
Pythagoreans believed ensoulment was at conception, Aristotelians at the quickening, and Stoics at birth.
The Old Testament establishes fully human at birth. There are no exceptions made to executing an adulterous woman if she were pregnant.
The Catholic prohibition against abortion is not based upon scripture. That’s fine as long as it isn’t claimed to be backed by scripture.