Pope's abortion absolution 'disconnected' from Gospel
Pope Francis has extended to priests worldwide the authority to offer absolution for the sin of abortion during the Catholic Church's "Holy Year of Mercy," which begins Dec. 8 and runs through Nov. 20 of next year.
Most priests in the United States already have such authority, but in other nations they must seek permission from bishops, a formal process that has led to frustration among those seeking absolution. Under Roman Catholic canon law, abortion brings automatic excommunication unless the person who has had an abortion or performed an abortion confesses and receives absolution.
Southern Baptist women's ministry leaders Kathy Ferguson Litton, Dorothy Patterson and Rhonda Kelley, in comments to Baptist Press, however, lamented the misguided nature of the pope's decree that forgiveness must be sought from anyone but Christ....