The religious studies professor presented at a conference in Durham, England
Rebecca Todd Peters, professor of religious studies, co-presented the opening plenary at the Ecclesiology and Ethnography conference in Durham, England, on Sept. 9. The paper, “Balancing Ethics and Advocacy in The Abortion & Religion Study: Exploring Our Identities as Interviewers,” was co-authored with Kate Ott of Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary and Karen Ross, an independent scholar.
The presentation emphasized the role of reflexivity—the practice of recognizing and reflecting on researchers’ own experiences and identities—in shaping the Abortion & Religion study. The study, which has gathered more than 200 personal narratives from Jewish, Christian and Muslim individuals who have had abortions in the United States, seeks to document and elevate the voices and experiences of religious people having abortions, given the erasure of their stories and experiences from the public debate. Ultimately, the study seeks to counter widespread cultural assumptions that religion is inherently opposed to abortion and to educate the public about the complex realities and ethical decision-making of people having abortions.
Earlier in the month, Peters also participated in the Society for the Study of Christian Ethics meeting in York, England, Sept. 4–6, in her role as President of the Society of Christian Ethics. Representing the largest guild of Christian ethicists based in the United States, she joined international colleagues to address pressing ethical questions and foster dialogue across global contexts.