5 misconceptions about Catholics and abortion

The church's position on sexual health is more nuanced than critics suggest

Catholic pray
(Image credit: (Joe Raedle/Getty Images))

The rifts between various segments of the Catholic Church have been making news.

The publication of Univision's survey of global Catholics and the growing Catholic response to the Vatican's own survey have reportedly exposed internal divides among the faithful, especially on two hot button issues: abortion and contraception. The media has been quick to zero in, especially because the story is related to ongoing and often vocal Christian criticism of provisions of the Affordable Care Act. But what does the Catholic Church really have to say about abortion and birth control? And when the church speaks, do its congregants listen?

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Elizabeth Stoker writes about Christianity, ethics, and policy for Salon, The Atlantic, and The Week. She is a graduate of Brandeis University, a Marshall Scholar, and a current Cambridge University divinity student. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys working in the garden and catching up on news of the temporal world.