Pastor and priest want States to delay abortion law debate

Pastor John P Ogier from Spurgeon Baptist Church and Father Bruce Barnes of the Guernsey Catholic Church have raised concerns about plans to debate the modernisation of Guernsey’s abortion law on 17 June.

Proposed changes include removing the need for two separate medical practitioners to certify an abortion and increasing gestational limits from 12 weeks to 24 weeks, in line with England.

The pair said they felt plans to debate the changes next week were inappropriate.

‘We believe this is an entirely inappropriate time to be considering such a sensitive and morally important issue, in the midst of the current Covid-19 pandemic and with such a truncated timescale for public debate and consideration,’ they posted on the Guernsey Catholic website.

‘Many of us within the church community believe there are few if any circumstances (outside of a risk to the mother’s own life or fatal fetal abnormality) under which an unborn child’s should be ended. The unborn child is “fearfully and wonderfully made” and to be valued from conception. We also believe that both the lives of the unborn child and of the mother matter. This requires a carefully balanced and considered policy letter in this subject area.’

They said that what was being presented to the States gave no recognition of the value and life of the unborn child, or of the supportive care services required to sustain a difficult pregnancy.

‘Whilst the letter claims to be a modernisation in line with the existing UK law, the proposals introduce a more permissive regime than that in place in England, with powers to significantly restrict conscientious objection,’ they wrote.

They suggested that people pray on the matter and have included a downloadable prayer card.

They also call for people to make submissions to the Health & Social Care committee’s consultation by Friday, make friends and family aware of the proposals and contact their deputies.