Statement by Texas Religious Leaders Supporting Access to Birth Control

The Statement by Texas Religious Leaders Supporting Access to Birth Control is a project of the Texas Faith Network. This group is a project of the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund which was founded in 1995 by Cecile Richards.

Text of the Statement

The Statement reads:

"As leaders from many religious traditions across Texas, we affirm the fundamental importance of access to safe and affordable healthcare for women. The freedom to decide when to have children is essential to women’s health, individual rights and family stability in our state. Policies that restrict or deny access to contraception undermine our common spiritual commitment to these basic liberties.

We believe decisions about birth control are appropriately made by individuals — not employers or the government. In order to protect religious freedom and individual conscience, we believe institutions that employ and serve the general public should not be allowed to deny individuals access to — or coverage of — contraception by asserting religious reasons.

United in these common convictions, we call on our state leaders to:

• Support policies that ensure adequate funding and broad availability of birth control, especially for low- and moderate-income women.
• Uphold policies that protect an individual’s ability to access birth control according to her or his own conscience or religious beliefs.

Statement Advisory Board

The following were members of the advisory board for the effort:

• Rev. Kelly Allen, University Presbyterian Church (San Antonio)
• Rev. Larry Bethune, University Baptist Church (Austin)
• Rabbi Neil Blumofe, Congregation Agudas Achim (Austin)
• Rev. Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, Brite Divinity School (Fort Worth)
• Rev. Valda Jean Combs, St. James United Methodist Church (Waco)
• Rev. Dorisanne Cooper, Lake Shore Baptist Church (Waco)
• Rev. Ellen Cooper-Davis, Northwoods Community UU (The Woodlands)
• Rev. Dr. Jo Hudson, Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ (Dallas)
• Rev. Dr. Joretta Marshall, Brite Divinity School (Fort Worth)
• Rev. Dr. Cynthia Rigby, Austin Presbyterian Seminary (Austin)
• Rabbi Amy Weiss, The Initiative for Jewish Women (Houston)

Signatories

The Faith Network invited religious leaders from around Texas to speak out in support of government funding of birth control. Religious leaders who signed the statement include:

• Rev. Sue Abold (United Methodist Church - Austin)
• Rev. Kelly Allen (University Presbyterian Church - San Antonio)
• Rev. Mona Bailey (Grace Presbytery - Fort Worth)
• Rev. Richard Bates (University United Methodist Church)
• Cantor Julie Berlin (Temple Beth-El - San Antonio)
• Rabbi Alan Berlin (Temple Beth-El - San Antonio)
• Rev. Larry Bethune (University Baptist Church - Austin)
• Rabbi Barry Block (Temple Beth-El - San Antonio)
• Rabbi Neil Blumofe (Congregation Agudas Achim - Austin)
• Rev. Robert Bohmfalk (United Methodist Church - Seguin)
• Rev. Frank Boutwell (United Methodist Church - New Boston)
• Rev. Gordon Bowie (Presbyterian Church USA - El Paso)
• Rev. Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock (Brite Divinity School - Ft. Worth)
• Rev. Kyle Childress (Austin Heights Baptist Church - Austin)
• Rev. Thomas Christianson (United States Air Force - Austin)
• Rev. Valda Jean Combs (St. James United Methodist Church - Waco)
• Rev. Dorisanne Cooper (Lake Shore Baptist Church - Waco)
• Rev. Ellen Cooper-Davis (Northwoods Community Unitarian Universalist Church - The Woodlands)
• Rev. Michael Diaz (Resurrection MCC - Houston)
• Rev. Becky Downs (John Knox Presbyterian Church - Houston)
• Rev. Bruce Felker (United Methodist Texas Conference - The Woodlands)
• Rev. Ray Flachmeier (Abiding Love Lutheran Church - Austin)
• Rev. Duane Florschuetz (Emeritus, Lutheran Church MO Synod - Georgetown)
• Rev. Robert Flowers (United Methodist Church - Fort Worth)
• Rev. Katherine Fox (Christ Church UCC - Rowlett)
• Rev. Dr. Jo Hudson (Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ - Dallas)
• Mary Ann Kaiser (University United Methodist Church)
• Rabbi Nancy Kasten (Reform Movement of Judaism - Dallas)
• Rabbi Neal Katz (Temple Beth-El - Dallas)
• Rev. Beverly Bethune Lawson (Christian Church Disciples of Christ - Austin)
• Rev. Dr. Joretta Marshall (Brite Divinity School - Ft. Worth)
• Rev. Scott Martin (United Church of Christ - New Braunfels)
• Rev. John Bill Matthews (United Methodist Church - Dallas)
• Rev. Chuch McCullough (United Methodist Church - Helotes)
• Rabbi Ralph Mecklenburger (Beth-El Congregation - Ft. Worth)
• Rev. Joseph Moore (Central Presbyterian Church - Austin)
• Rev. Dr. Cynthia Rigby (Austin Presbyterian Seminary - Austin)
• Rev. Thomas Schmidt (Unitarian Universalist Church - Midland)
• Rev. Katrina Shawgo (St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church - Round Rock)
• Rev. Andy Shelton (Community of Christ - Bedford)
• Dr. Don Sinclair (United Methodist Church - Coldspring)
• Father Robert Soper (Episcopal Church - Edinburg)
• Rev. Susan Sprague (University United Methodist Church - Austin)
• Rabbi Samuel Stahl (Emeritus, Temple Beth-El - San Antonio)
• Rev. D Orval Strong (United Methodist Church - Austin)
• Rev. Charles Teykl (Presbyterian Church USA - Hurst)
• Rev. Murray Travis (Presbyterian Church USA - Amarillo)
• Rev. Ron Trimmer (Hope United - Georgetown)
• Ryan Valentine (University Baptist Church - Austin)
• Rev. Mark Walz (Oak Cliff Unitarian Universality - Dallas)
• Rabbi Amy Weiss (The Initiative for Jewish Women - Houston)
• Laura Westerlage (Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary - Austin)
• Rev. Robert Woody (Episcopal Church of Reconciliation - San Antonio)
• Rev. Keith Wright (University Presbyterian Church - Austin)
• Rev. John F. Yeaman (United Methodist Church - Austin)