The third annual Respect Life Sunday, an interfaith service at the University Chapel, marked the kickoff of Respect Life Week, which will feature events promoting stances against abortion, stem cell research and legalized euthanasia.
Pastor Matt Ristuccia '75, conservative writer Richard Nadler and Sister Mary Gabriel addressed about 70 people in the Chapel yesterday. Ristuccia has spoken for the past three years, while Nadler and Gabriel both spoke last year as well. Music interspersed the speakers' reflections on passages from the Bible.
Ristuccia opened his talk by telling a story about his mother, who left a women's organization she used to be involved with when it started advocating abortion rights. His mother's reluctance to stay affiliated with the group helped define his opinions own opinions about abortion. "Life is life," he said. "It needs to be protected."
His larger argument was that "small and simple good is God's way against structural evil." Structural evil, he said, consists of "the political, cultural [and] institutional stronghold that is in place today against life's sanctity."
Nadler, a journalist known for his conservative opinions discussed whether Jewish religious texts advocated abortion. During the talk, Nadler said that he considers abortion "explicitly a crime" under Jewish law.
He cited religious texts, the works of ancient historians and records of the actions of ancient Jewish courts to support his argument.
Gabriel said she believes destroying human embryos is a tragedy. She told the audience that "each of us is called to build a culture of life," and that "we're called to build this culture from the inside out."
Gabriel spoke of what she called God's limitless love of humanity, saying that abortion, the destruction of embryos and euthanasia opposed the teachings of God. "Woe to you if you do not defend life," she said.
Daniela Kende '09, president of Princeton Pro-Life, said that she considered the service a success with a "really great turnout."
Respect Life Sunday was sponsored by Princeton Pro-life, the Projects Board, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students and the Pace Center.
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