The faithful have expressed concern that some recent statements seem to indicate that the Orthodox Christian position on abortion has changed. The Orthodox Church has consistently and unequivocally recognized the full humanity of every person beginning at the moment of conception and, therefore, has always been pro-life, regarding abortion as the murder of another human being. While the society around us may change its views from century to century, the Church can still reiterate the words of the Lord’s Teaching through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations (the “Didache”), which dates to the earliest generations of the Church: “Do not murder a child by abortion or kill a newborn infant” The Church proclaims the love of God to all mankind, with no exception, and, while condemning the practice of abortion, the Church still holds out the offer of mercy and forgiveness to those who have been victims to the deceitful pressures of the world and have made the tragic choice to kill their own children or who have facilitated abortions for those seeking them. 

+ Bishop Luke