A lawsuit brought by an alliance of 13 religious leaders, along with The National Women’s Law Center and Americans United for Separation of Church, attempts to overturn Missouri’s nearly total abortion ban, which went into effect in June after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Two religious leaders from Kansas City have joined the suit, which was filed Thursday in St. Louis Circuit Court.
“Our legislatures are establishing a specific religious point of view, and foisting that religious point of view on the rest of us,” said Rabbi Doug Alpert, who leads Congregation Kol Ami.
Alpert says Missouri’s abortion laws conflict with the Jewish faith, which he says give precedence to the life of the mother over a fetus until it is born.
Reverend Holly McKissick, founder of Peace Church UCC, says that her faith shares a similar viewpoint, and believes a majority of Americans do as well.
“For most of us it would be more about viability,” McKissick said. “If we went over to St. Luke's right now, and there was a fire and we could grab a newborn or three embryos. We’d grab the newborn because an embryo is not a person, a person is a person.”
McKissick and Alpert joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss why they joined the lawsuit and how their religions view abortion rights.
- Reverend Holly McKissick, Peace Church UCC
- Rabbi Doug Alpert, Congregation Kol Ami
