Contraception and Abortion: American Catholic Responses

Abstract

The struggle within Roman Catholicism over contraception, and the struggle which is likely to arise over abortion, reflect a mixture of theological and social change. The challenge to papal authority inherent in the dissent from Pope Paul's encyclical on birth control is bound to have pro found ramifications in the church. At the same time, however, the fact of Catholic assimilation into the mainstream of Ameri can life, a life manifesting the impact of urbanization and tech nology, made a conflict over contraception almost inevitable.