By George Alleyne
The church must find ways
to “facilitate a respectful and
protected space for all members
of the society in so far as
they do not breach the rights
of others in terms of liberty
and justice,” and this includes
women’s rights to abortion.
“It seems most appropriate
for the woman to be the final
decision-maker in the matter
since she is the greater burden
bearer; since she really bears
the challenge alone; since her
physical, psychological, and
emotional investments would
far outweigh that of the father,
doctor, pastor, and so on.”
These are not the views and
words of a pro-abortion placard
waving left wing radical,
but of The Rev’d Fr. Sean Major-
Campbell, dean of Kingston and
rector of Christ Church, Vineyard
Town, Jamaica, expressed
while addressing Barbados’
annual Anglican Dean’s Lecture,
Tuesday, Feb. 11.
He told the audience of
devotees, “the concerns facing
women and their reproductive
health rights transcend
religious and cultural boundaries.”
As much as his presentation
rocked his audience, Major-
Campbell appeared to convince
them on the need for change.
At the end of his presentation,
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Caribbean Life, F 26 ebruary 21-27, 2020
one church goer rose
to thank him and comment
on the matter of abortion, “I
cannot believe what I heard
tonight. I still am in shock that
an Anglican priest spoke the
way you did. It’s quite amazing
with what you came out with…
I agree that women should have
choice about sexual freedom.”
As Major-Campbell whipped
the Barbados church into the
21st Century on abortions, he
asked, “is the foetus’ integrity
compromised by a genetic illness?
Is the foetus deformed? Is
the mother’s life at risk? Is an
underage mom ill-equipped to
care for a baby? Is a pregnancy
the result of rape? Is a pregnancy
the result of incest?”
“Who would best determine
the choice of a woman whose
health, life, safety, human dignity,
and autonomy are honored
when it comes to making
a decision regarding the
mother, concerning abortion?
Should the life of the foetus
ever take precedence over that
of the mother?”
For the conservatives bent
on turning back the clock, he
not only blasted their hypocrisy,
but warned they could lose
the younger educated membership.
“We are seeing a generation
of young people who are reading
and researching and they
know that the church with
all its pompous preaching,
has walked through the history
of the transatlantic slave
trade and the attendant crimes
against humanity during the
holocaust of slavery, while
holding the bible piously and
feasting on holy communion,
and still oppressing and hating
and abusing and disregarding
fellow humanity.”
He said, “to deny a woman
access to safe and legal abortion
is clearly an affront to ethical
health practices; respect for
self-determination; and most of
all, the woman’s right to life.”
Throwing another punch at
church conservatism, he said,
“there are people who have
weaponized religion and the
bible. They feel that if they can
wave around a big bible and hit
you over the head, then they
have secured their ticket into
heaven … There is enough evidence
to prove that having religion
Rev’d Fr. Sean Major-Campbell. Photo by George Alleyne
is not a guarantee against
the practice of injustice.”
He made clear that the
church has no place in deciding
on the reproductive practices
of women.
“There is no Caribbean territory
that is a theocracy, and
as such, laws ought to be determined
by the state and not by
any religious group. … The
place and voice of the woman’s
conscience ought to be
respected.”
Religion no justice guarantee
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