Ridiculous as it may sound, but America's largest abortion provider has just announced that it has welcomed a group of 'faith leaders' to be among its advisory board.
Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America was celebratory when he told Religion News Service (RNS) that "access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care - including abortion - is supported by people of all faiths."
Johnson added that the federation's new "Clergy Advocacy Board" is a crucial part of Planned Parenthood's mission to "promote, protect and expand access to health care for all."
"Planned Parenthood is proud to have religious leaders of all faiths standing with us in this fight," remarked the head of PP.
RNS listed the names provided them which included Rev. Emily Harden of West Virginia, the Rev. Tim Kutzmark of California, Rabbi Sarah Smiley of Kansas, and the Rev. Katey Zeh of North Carolina who reportedly said that she discovered her "call to ministry within Planned Parenthood" and that "it was a no-brainer" for her. Zeh claims that she also volunteered as an "abortion doula" at a PP clinic while still in seminary.
"There are so few of us who are people of faith who are willing to be bold and audacious about supporting reproductive freedom because of our faith," she said.
It was reported earlier that Zeh called pro-life actions "reproductive oppression." She also reportedly thanked Joe Biden for rescinding the Mexico City Policy which former President Trump reinstated.
Other religious leaders on PP's Clergy Advisory Board are the Rev. Rebecca Todd Peters of North Carolina, the Rev. Elle Dowd of Illinois, the Rev. Elise Saulsberry of Tennessee, the Rev. Latishia James-Portis of Georgia and the Rev. Stephen Griffith of Nebraska.
Saulsberry, whose group advocates for abortion rights among women and teens of color, said that one "can't put a price" on the role of faith-based abortion rights activism because "much of the pushback" to abortion "comes from the church," states the report.
"As leaders of faith and as clergy, we are to stand and speak out loud - as loud as other clergy - in support of reproductive health, rights and justice," she added.
Also reporting about the news is Faithwire which said that this is not the first time that PP's connection with the clergy has made headlines.
Back in 2018, PP drops a similar bombastic announcement about the clergy praying for God's blessing over the one of its clinics in Columbus, Ohio. The now inaccessible statement from the organization's site claims that participation of "the Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, faith leaders, and honored guests" in the occasion revealed that the "anti-abortion advocates do not have the monopoly on faith or God."
Faithwire further cites other parts of PP's statements which also said that "many faith leaders and people of faith hold that accessing and providing abortions are good and godly decisions."
The announcement concluded that the clinic blessing "will create space for progressive voices of faith to speak boldly in support of comprehensive reproductive health care, especially abortion."
In defense of the faith leaders' involvement, Zeh argued in her op-ed published by the RNS that the 'blessing' they bestowed was essential in providing "solace and encouragement to the clinic's clients and the health care professionals who serve them."
