Abortion, reproductive technology, and euthanasia:: Post-concolliar responses from within the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales 1965-2000

Abstract

This thesis is the product of original research into the responses offered by the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales to the subjects of abortion, reproductive technology, and euthanasia, during the years 1965 to 2000. While focused on the period following the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), it also offers an introductory historical overview of the Catholic moral tradition, and, more precisely, it assesses relevant pre-Conciliar responses from within the English and Welsh Catholic Church. The main substance of the thesis concentrates on post-Conciliar treatment of abortion, reproductive technology, and euthanasia, providing detailed and comprehensive exposition of the themes under review, and reflective analysis of their significance. Through an extensive location and examination of primary and secondary sources, this investigation makes an original contribution to the understanding of the bioethical attitude and approach of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. In this, it is necessarily contextualised within a wider appreciation of social, moral, and ecclesiological questions. The thesis, together with its inclusive bibliography, provides a useful point of reference for any further and future research in this area.