Forgetting the Begetting: Why the Abortion Question is Fundamental

Abstract

The birth of from Father is origin of every begetting of another. THOMAS AQUINAS in his commentary on Boethius's De Trinitatae, prologue ABORTION IS MORE THAN A MORAL QUESTION. It challenges core purpose of society. In fact, very structure of world's reality is related answer we give as a culture question of legitimacy of abortion. Is this an extreme statement? Not if we are aware of true ground of existence, nature, and human person. It is helpful recall basic Catholic teaching about ground of existence. The words of first chapter of Genesis affirm, according Catechism of Catholic Church, that the totality of what exists (expressed by formula 'the heavens and earth') depends on One who gives it being (290). The Catechism also states that is common work of Holy Trinity (292). This is brought out in New Testament which reveals that God created everything by eternal word, his beloved Son (291). St. John's gospel says of Word, things were through him and without him was not anything made (Jn1:3). St. Paul says of Christ: is image of invisible God, first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together (Col 1:15-17). Further, the Church's faith likewise confesses creative action of Holy Spirit, 'giver of life,' 'the Creator Spirit,' 'source of every good' (291). In another passage, Catechism makes clear: God freely wills communicate glory of his blessed life. Such is of his loving kindness conceived by Father before foundation of world, in his beloved Son: destined us in love be his sons and to be conformed image of his Son through the spirit of sonship. This plan is a grace [which] was given us in Christ Jesus before ages began (2 Tim 119-10) stemming immediately from Trinitarian love. (257) The world then is created within and through love of Father and Son. As Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar suggests, creation of world unfolds in some sense within act of Father's begetting of Son. St. Paul speaks of the Father from whom every paternity whether spiritual or natural takes its name (Eph 3:15). Human beings are in God's image, and it would follow that human act of conceiving a child originates from and is an image of Father's begetting, as our leading quote from Aquinas notes. Each act of sexual love between a man and a woman is called be a further expression of God's total self-giving, with potential bear fruit in other Christ-bearing persons. If parents' begetting of a child be nurtured and protected in mother's womb is a reality denied or rendered insignificant in arguments justifying legalization of abortion, then a society directly denies God's purpose in creating world. A society that condones abortion rebels against order of world based on Father's love, Son's mission, and gift of Holy Spirit. This is surely a grievous offense against God. To explore these ideas further, I examine Balthasar's theological contributions relevant this argument: namely, existence as good, relation of difference unity, analogy of being, hypostatic union, self-giving love as ontology, Christ's mission, and fruitfulness in Holy Spirit. The Goodness of Existence Balthasar helps us understand our existence by beginning in a very concrete way with the mother's smile that welcomes infant into existence in world. The mother conveys child that existence is good, a reality in which he will be loved. …