Birth control Quote by Anonymous
““Lay Catholics and priests alike expected that Vatican II and the deliberations of a fifty-eight-member commission appointed to study the birth control issue would result in an end to the ban on artificial contraception. Instead, Pope Paul VI, negating the majority report of his own commission, issued the 1968 Humanae Vitae, which reaffirmed the Church's birth control prohibitions. Garry Wills asserts that Humanae Vitae was based on a minority report from the commission that emphasized the need for continuity in Church teachings. The teachings could not change because it had been the teaching for so long, and, if it changed, the Church would have to acknowledge that it had been in error about the teaching, and how would they explain what had happened to all the souls supposedly in hell for using artificial birth control?””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Catholic Church and Modernity, 2020
The Church’s refusal to adapt birth‑control teachings shows tension between tradition and evolving moral understanding.
In simple terms: Church resists change on contraception.
Key Takeaway
Balance tradition with compassionate guidance.
Themes
religion
ethics
tradition
change
authority
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- pastoral counseling
- public policy debate
- faith education
Key Concepts
doctrinal continuity
moral theology
institutional inertia
Questions to Reflect On
- Should religious teachings evolve with science?
- What role should individual conscience play?
A Different Perspective
Rigid doctrines can alienate believers and hinder relevance.
![“[W]e declare it is a grievous sin before God to adopt restrictive measures in disobedience to God's divine command from the beginning of time to 'multiply and replenish the earth.' Surely those who project such measures to prevent life or to destroy life before or after birth will reap the…” quote by Harold B. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0e0/harold-b-lee-7452_birth_w-e-declare-it-is-a-grievous-sin-before_93464.jpg)
