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==Synopsis==Until about 1970, Orthodox churches generally opposed :1) There are those who hold the view that one of sex's natural purposes is the use procreation of contraceptionchildren (i.e. Since that time a sex is naturally oriented towards or "new consensusfor" has emergedprocreation), not just in America. This new view basically holds and that contraception is acceptable within a Christian marriage if: :1) to actively separate the means procreative aspect of contraception is not abortifacient, :2) if it is used with the blessing sex from its purpose of one's spiritual father, uniting husband and :3wife (by natural family planning or artificial contraceptive methods) if children are not completely excluded from the marriageis to distort it.
The statement on marriage and :2)There are those who argue that natural family planning is acceptable, because it simply involves abstinence from sex during times when fertility is likely. Such is the 10th All-American Council of opinion expressed by the Orthodox Church of Greece in America follows along these lines: her encyclical of October 14, 1937<ref>[www.ecclesia.gr/greek/holysynod/commitees/family/3.pdf]</ref>.
* :3)There are those who teach that non-abortifacient contraception is acceptable if it is used with the blessing of one's spiritual father, and if it is not used simply to avoid having children for purely selfish reasons. [http://www.oca.org/DOCmarriage.asp?ID=19The statement on marriage and family from the 10th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America] follows along these lines.
This "new consensus" has While some local churches have issued official statements on this issue, it is not gone unchallenged. Some teach an issue that intercourse within marriage should be for procreation only. Others hold a view somewhat similar to has been clearly defined by the [[Roman Catholic entire Church|Roman Catholic]] position, which would allow family planning in principle, i.e., Natural Family Planning, while at the same time opposing contraception—many Orthodox hierarchs and theologians from around the world lauded ''Humanae Vitae'' when it was issued. A few think the "new consensus" position is too conservative and more freely allow contraception.
Many people, on all sides, believe that this change in thinking on this issue Vocal opponents to the prevailing view of contraception has not received adequate examination. Too often it has become tied up in identity politicsOrthodoxy today include [incomplete]: Metropolitan [[Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk|Hilarion of Vololamsk]] [ROC], with various groups accusing the other Bp. Artemije of western influenceKosovo [SOC], Fr. It is true that this discussion is closely related to a number of complex issues that have not fully been addressed in Orthodox theologyJosiah Trenham, Fr. Roman Catholics are sometimes bewildered by how the Orthodox Church could allow such a change in teaching[[Patrick Henry Reardon|Patrick Reardon]], Fr. One might respond by saying that the dynamics of the Orthodox tradition function much differently than Rome'sJohn Schroedel, Fr. John A. Peck and that this issue must be worked through in a manner quite different from a magisterial decreeFr. Patrick Danielson.
→Bibliography
'''''Contraception''''' is the term used to describe an the intentional prevention of the conception of a childor impregnation. This term may also be used Thus contraception here does not refer to describe the intentional prevention of pregnancy[[abortion]], which may or to those contraceptive techniques understood to be defined differently from conceptionabortifacient in nature.{{stub}}
==Synopsis==
As [[Paul Evdokimov]] wrote, "In the age of the Church Fathers, the problem of birth control was never raised. There are no canons that deal with it."<ref>Evdokimov, p. 174.</ref> The Orthodox bioethicist [[H. Tristram Engelhardt]], Jr., agrees, writing, "Despite detailed considerations of sexual offenses by ecumenical councils, and by generally accepted local councils, and despite a recognition that marriage is oriented toward reproduction, there is no condemnation of limiting births, apart from the condemnation of abortion."<ref>Engelhardt, p. 265. </ref>
Opinions about contraception have varied in the Orthodox Church. There is complete unanimity that no form of contraception that is abortifacient is acceptable and there are definitive ecumenical canons that proscribe abortifacients. The Fathers of the Church, such as Ss. Athanasius the Great, John Chrysostom, Epiphanios, Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine of Hippo, Caesarious, Gregory the Great, Augustine of Canterbury and Maximos the Confessor, all explicitly condemned abortion as well as the use of abortifacients. Ss. Jerome and Clement of Alexandria have also explicitly condemned coitus interruptus (withdrawal) in their discussions of the sin of Onan. The Fathers of the Church have not expressed opinions on the "moment" at which life begins, so that our clear distinctions between non-abortifacient and abortifacient contraception may be anachronistic, and may not have existed in the minds of the Fathers. Consequently these Fathers' condemnation may extend to all contraceptive methods. However there are a range of opinions in the present day on the issue of non-abortifacient contraception.
==Methods==
===Withdrawal===
Besides being ineffective, methods of withdrawl withdrawal have traditionally been opposed by the Church as over-indulgence of the flesh.
===Barrier Contraceptives===
<!-- Types. Statistics. Opinions. -->
===Intrauterine devices (IUD)===
The presence of a device in the uterus prompts the release of substances hostile to both sperm and eggs; the presence of copper increases this spermicidal effect. However, the same effect is believed to harm developing embryos. While the primary mechanism of the IUD is spermicidal/ovicidal, post-fertilization mechanisms are believed to contribute significantly to their effectiveness. Because Christians define fertilization as the beginning of life, this secondary effect is considered by them as early [[abortion]].
===Hormonal Contraceptives===
* [http://www.epm.org/articles/pilldebate2.html The Growing Debate about the Abortifacient Effect of the Birth Control Pill and the Principle of the Double Effect] - by Dr. Walt L. Larimore
* [http://archfami.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/9/2/126?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=postfertilization&searchid=1052273133039_87&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&journalcode=archfami Postfertilization Effects of Oral Contraceptives and Their Relationship to Informed Consent] - Article by Dr. Walter L. Larimore
* PBS aired a documentary a little while ago on “The "The Pill." Their [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/pill extensive website] contains video interviews, social history and documentary, a contraception timeline, a flash presentation of how the Pill works, internet links, and many other resources. A transcript of the television show is also available online.* [http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=15052 Government Lists All Estrogens Used in Oral Contraceptives, Hormone Replacement Therapy as 'Known Human Carcinogens']* [http://www.pilltruth.com/ Pilltruth.com] - More information about hormonal contraceptives ===Sterilization=== ==Bibliography==*[[H. Tristram Engelhardt|Engelhardt, H. Tristram]], Jr. ''Foundations of Christian Bioethics''. Swets & Zeitlinger, 2000. See especially Chapter Five. *[[Paul Evdokimov|Evdokimov, Paul.]] ''The Sacrament of Love: The Nuptial Mystery in the Light of the Orthodox Tradition''. Crestwood: St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1985. See especially pp. 174-180.*[[John Meyendorff|Meyendorff, John]]. ''Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective'', second expanded edition. Crestwood: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1975. See especially Chapter Thirteen.*[[Philip Sherrard|Sherrard, Philip.]] "Humanae Vitae: Notes on the Encyclical Letter of Pope Paul VI," in ''Sobornost'' 5:8 (1969).*Zaphiris, Metropolitan Chrysostomos Gerasimos. "The Morality of Contraception: An Eastern Orthodox Opinion," in ''The Journal of Ecumenical Studies'' 11:4 (1974). ''Note:'' http://jonathanscorner.com/writing/contraception/ provides a commentary on Zaphiris 1974 and an "opposing views" piece to the "new concensus".*Zion, William Basil. ''Eros and Transformation: Sexuality and Marriage: An Eastern Orthodox Perspective''. Lanham: University Press of America, 1992. Chapter Seven is entitled "Orthodoxy and Contraception." ==See also==*[[Abortion]]*[[Marriage]] ==References==<references/> ==External links== ===Organizations===*[http://www.orthodoxnfp.org The Orthodox Natural Family Planning Association]<!-- *[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/orthodoxnfp/ Orthodox NFP Discussion List] - A discussion group for those working to implement NFP in an Orthodox context ---> ===Discussion Group Threads relevant to the topic of Orthodoxy and Contraception===* [https://listserv.indiana.edu/archives/orthodox.html The "Indiana" List archives] (search under contraception, birth control, or natural family planning) <!-- http://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=orthodox --->* [http://www.monachos.net/mb/messages/4226/1140.html?1030056988 Monachos.net Discussion Community] - Discussion on birth control<!--* [http://www.orthodoxfamily.com/cgi-bin/UltraBoard/UltraBoard.cgi?action=Read&BID=22&TID=1&SID=2773 OrthodoxFamily.com] discussion on NFP --->* [http://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=001383 ByzCath.org discussion on birth control] - Includes Byzantine Catholic and Orthodox Perspectives<!-- * [http://www.cin.org/archives/apolo/199811/0543.html Catholic Information Network discussion on contraception] - Includes Byzantine Catholic and Orthodox Perspectives ---><!-- * [http://www.stmichael.org/cgi-dir/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Questions&action=display&num=87 St. Michael the Archangel Discussion Group] - Discussion with reference to contraception and the Orthodox Church ---><!-- * [http://pub141.ezboard.com/fgregsdiscussionboardgodtalk.showMessage?topicID=1980.topic Greg K.'s ezBoard Discussion List] ---> [[Category:Bioethics]][[Category:Ethics]]