Thursday, February 06, 2025

Free Presbyterian Church concerns about surge in Northern Ireland abortion figures

The Free Presbyterian Church in Ireland has expressed "deep sorrow" at newly released abortion statistics.

The figures released by the Department of Health showed a surge of 28% in abortions over the past year.

The church noted that abortion was decriminalised in Northern Ireland on 22 October 2019 with legislation being passed on 31 March 2020.

In a statement, the church said that the Government and Morals Committee of the Church “stand unashamedly on the teaching of Holy Scripture regarding the sanctity and preciousness of life both inside and outside the womb".

They cited Exodus 20:13 and Psalm 139:13-16 in support of their argument.

The statement added: “It is therefore with great sorrow we have come to read the latest abortion statistics.”

They have expressed the fact that they are “worried by the growth in the numbers of abortions in Northern Ireland from year to year.”

The reported number of abortion rose from 1757 in 2020/21 to 2792 in 2023/24 which the committee said represented a rise of 624 abortions in the past year.

“The change in the law has clearly led to a worrying upsurge in abortion numbers.

"It is hard to fathom that in a society that purports to value life, with a National Health Service that aims to protect life, that 2792 lives have been barbarically ended in the last year through abortion services in the province.”

The statement ended with “a call for the immediate reversal of the law imposed on our province and call on our nation to repent of its sin and seek mercy from the Almighty".