Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 7
When asked about hard cases, she describes an abortion request: “I can’t do that…So I can refer her to somebody…that shows you all your options”; what do you think faithfulness looks like in that exact scenario, and where is the line between maintaining conviction and indirectly participating in what you believe is wrong?
Another way to ask: In the abortion-request situation, what would faithfulness look like for her in that moment? Where is the line between staying true to your beliefs and helping someone do what you think is wrong?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Based on the transcript, faithfulness in that scenario means refusing direct involvement (“I can’t do that”) while still offering some form of help through referral to an option-focused place. The transcript doesn’t fully define the moral line of indirect participation, but it shows her trying to maintain conviction without abandoning the person.
- She gives a concrete case: a teenager says, “I want an abortion and I need you to help me get an abortion.”
- She answers plainly, “I can’t…do that,” indicating a boundary.
- She then says, “So I can refer her to somebody,” showing she still provides a path forward.
- She specifies the referral as “a place that shows you all your options,” not explicitly an abortion provider.
- The host notes this is “a real tangible situation” and “could get a mess,” and she adds, “We’re quizzed on that stuff.”