The Catholic Church and Birth Control | American Experience | Official Site | PBS
The vatican. Richard McNight .Until the thirties, the catholic church constitute not alone in information technology confrontation to contraceptive. in the christian custom, parentage control have long be consociate with promiscuity and adultery, and decisively condemn. however, subsequently the anglican church authorize vitamin a resolving power in favor of parturition master at information technology 1930 Lambeth league, other protestant denomination begin to relax their prohibition a well. however, the catholic church service harbor firm to information technology opposition .
The vatican ‘s resist against contraception embody century old. For much of that time, however, parentage control have remain angstrom dormant issue. Since most birth control consist of tribe redress and homemade cervical cap, there embody little causal agent for the church service to respond. information technology be the aggregate production and handiness of arctic condom and diaphragm indiana the twenties and thirties, seduce potential by the 1839 invention of cured rubber, which finally forced the church to lead adenine public position on specific contraceptive .
A Mortal Sin
on newfangled year ‘s eve 1930, the roman catholic church service formally banish any “ artificial ” mean of birth restraint. condom, diaphragm and cervical capital be specify a artificial, since they forget the natural journey of sperm during intercourse. douche, suppository and spermicide wholly kill operating room obstruct sperm, and be banned angstrom well. according to church service doctrine, tamper with the “ male seed ” be equivalent to murder. a common admonition on the subject at the clock time constitute “ so many conception prevent, so many homicide. ” To interfere with deity ‘s will be adenine person sin and footing for excommunication.The Purpose of Intercourse
For the vatican, the primary aim of intercourse be for the sacred act of reproduction. If couple be concern indiana hold sexual intercourse, then they have to be will to accept the likely for the creation of another animation. For devout catholic, that bequeath lone abstinence oregon the church-approved rhythm method of birth control method acting ( the commit of abstain from sex during the womanhood ‘s period of ovulation ). however, the rhythm method embody unreliable, and many believe information technology locate adenine heavy form on marital relation back.A Reformist Climate
With the arrival of the parentage control pill inch 1960, many believe the church be about to change the place information technology have harbor for hundred. The church be indium the midst of reform, and indiana this climate of modernization information technology look possible that the vatican might flex on birth control. Since 1957, church police receive let woman with “ irregular ” hertz to take the pill to regulate their cycle and enable them to good practice the rhythm method of birth control method acting. blessing of the contraceptive pill, many believe, be soon to follow .
“Natural” Contraception
Pro-Pill catholic consume adenine mighty ally on their side. john rock, the eminent catholic doctor world health organization have carry out pill trial with doctor gregory pincus, publicly argue that the pill exist merely associate in nursing extension of the torso ‘s normal operation. Since the pill use the lapp hormone already award indiana the female generative system and practice not tamper with sperm, rock believe the church should see the pill vitamin a a “ natural ” shape of contraception .
The vatican convene adenine commission to study the motion of the pill, merely the church would remove ashcan school old age to decide information technology policy towards the pill. in the interim, the pill promptly become the most popular method of parturition control among american womanhood —regardless of religion .
