Pregnancy Counselling?

reviewed by Rev ET Kirkland in English Churchman - July 2005

Williams first examines the message presented to the public by the pro-abortion organisations, which follow the same format throughout: abort, adopt, and keep.  They all offer what is euphemistically called 'non-directive' counselling.  Using their collateral 'experience' they offer their wares to enquirers.  Feelings play a prominent role in assisting women to reach the 'right' answer.

Amazingly, when Williams puts CARE under the microscope, he finds that they follow the same format.  So much for their vaunted claim to  approach issues from a specifically Christian perspective.  Offering the same three choices as the pro-abortionists is hardly a Biblical position.

What we see then is a shared commitment between the pro-abortion organisations and CARE.  Firstly, abortion is distinctly offered as an option.  Secondly, advice is 'non-directive'.  Thirdly, morality is based largely upon feelings.

Williams next examines what CARE does 'on the ground'.  Here we are taken on a tour of CARE's various counselling centres, namely: Hull, Northern Ireland, Ealing and Glastonbury.  Williams presents a clear body of evidence to demonstrate that effectively CARE operates as a pro-abortion organisation.

In chapter 4, Williams examines CARE's Manual and what we are presented with are unpleasant facts that will send a shiver down the spine of all who ever supported CARE.  Here we discover secular counselling and humanistic psychology.  The most grotesque aspect is the view present of Christ by CARE as an insipid non-judgemental Jesus who is reduced to a mere compassionate blob.  Williams dissects CARE's philosophy of 'compassion' with precision and perception leaving us in no doubt that what CARE presents bears  no resemblance to Scriptural teaching

In chapter 5, we are treated to an examination of CARE's moral guidance - if you believe it is right that's an acceptable choice; on sex education - contraception, the morning-after pill, along with informing parents of all the street language of sex.  In short CARE, FPA and Brook are all on the same wave-length.  Williams concludes this chapter by charging CAre with promoting false teaching to its constituents and the public.

Williams bring the book to a close with an exposition on the Bible and abortion making plain that abortion is murder.

Here then is a well-aimed  and timely book.  For too long Christians are taken as suckers by every Tom, Dick and Harry who flies a 'Christian' flag.  Gullibility and credulity are dangerous things. Cornelius van Til once spoke of the necessity of an exclusively Protestant protest.  Would that we had more of such instead of these quasi-ecumenical groups, some of which have their literature produced by Rome edited for different constituencies.  Nowhere is an exclusive approach needed more that in areas of ethics and morality.

What is going on in Christian Crisis Pregnancy Counselling?

Review by Isabel Courtney, housewife and mother - Published in Evangelicals Now, April 2006

                     By Dr.E.S.Williams:                The Wakeman Trust, London + Belmont House Publishing

                     91 pages. £3;50:                     ISBN 1 870855 45 0

 According to official figures, in the U.K. almost one in four of all pregnancies end in termination and a record number, 194,200, were carried out in 2004, an increase of 3,500 on the previous year. If this rate of increase of 2% continues, the 200,000 mark will be reached in 2006.

 In this book, Dr Williams, who was Director of Public Health in Croydon for many years, shows that the advice offered by a leading Christian organisation (C.A.R.E.) is badly compromised and is in practice no different to that given by secular organisations. The result of Dr Williams examination of the message of pro-choice abortion counselling including information from British and American pro-choice organisations is clearly set out and he writes with true Christian compassion arising from his absolute commitment to the Word of God. This book is a call to us to think again about the value of human life and to be salt in our generation. I highly recommend the book to all Christians who are concerned about the way in which our country has set the Lord’s standards to one side, with the most tragic consequences for so many of our young people.

Review by Dr John Ling, submitted to Evangelical Times, but not published

What Is Going On In Christian Pregnancy Crisis Counselling?

E. S. Williams,  Wakeman + Belmont House Publishing

91 pages

ISBN 1-870855-45-0

 This book is a broadside against CARE, the well-known mainstream Christian charity, and in particular, against the way it runs its pregnancy counselling network, which now consists of about 160 centres throughout the UK.

The author analyses the approach used by several big-time abortion agencies like the British Pregnancy Advisory Service and Marie Stopes International.  Basically, they offer pregnant women three choices – parenthood, adoption, or abortion.  According to Ted Williams, CARE does exactly the same.  The abortion agencies also major on non-directional counselling, the woman’s feelings, personal values, informed choice, and so on.  According to Ted Williams, CARE does exactly the same. 

 What then, you may ask, is distinctively Christian about CARE’s approach?  This is the heart of Dr Williams’ case.  How can a Christian organisation counsel a woman to consider the option of abortion?  ‘It is a terrible wrong that such advice should be given by secular clinics, but is it not worse for it to be given by church-based centres?  It is as if the Bible does not exist’ (p. 48).

 The author’s uncomfortable conclusions are that ‘CARE’s … ideology makes void the absolutes of God’s moral law’ (p. 79) and that ‘CARE is an apostate organisation’ (p. 81).

 Ted Williams has a point.  Many readers are already dismayed, for example, by CARE’s liberal approach to sex education, by its woolly thinking regarding the status of the human embryo, and by the conscious decision of its offshoot organisation, CARE for the Family, to omit all reference to the Bible in its literature.  It is a sad, sad day when any Christian organisation loses its way.  According to this book, CARE has yet another case to answer  

Dr John R. Ling,

Aberystwyth.