FAMILY PLANNING SERMON AND MESSAGING GUIDE FOR

FAMILY PLANNING

SERMON AND

MESSAGING GUIDE

FOR FAITH

COMMUNITIES

The Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities was produced by Christian

Connections for International Health (CCIH) in collaboration with consultant Reverend Canon Gideon

B. Byamugisha and his team of fellow teachers, program specialists and congregational leaders in

Islam, Hindu, Baha’i and Sikhism in Uganda. The development team included: Paddy W. Nahabwe,

PhD, Brain Trust Consult Ltd - Uganda; Mariam Namata, Uganda Muslim Supreme Council Population

and Family Health Programme; and Ruth Ninsiima Mbalinda, Friends of Canon Gideon Foundation

Uganda.

We appreciate the faith community leaders who provided input to the team during the development of

the guide, including Andrew Bakaki, Uganda Buddhist Centre (and a member of the Africa Buddhist

Union); Pareshbhaii Mehta, Chairman of the Shri Sanatan Dharma Mandal Temple Uganda; Isaac

Omondi of the Bahá’í faith in Uganda; and Narinder Pal Singh of the Sikh Community in Uganda.

The guide was reviewed by Professor Dr. Ahmed Ragaa Abdel Hamid Ragab, MD, PhD, Al-Azhar

University in Cairo. CCIH reviewers include Douglas Huber, MD, MSc, Senior Technical Advisor for

Reproductive Health; Mona Bormet, MPH, Program Director; Carolyn O’Brien, MSPH, Program Advi-

sor; Deirdre Church, MPH, Program Coordinator; and Kathy Erb, MBA, Communications Director.

Artwork and design by Hannah Fields, MLitt, Communications Coordinator, CCIH

Family Planning: We use the term family planning (FP) in this document. However, depending on the

faith and cultural context, other terms may be used, such as healthy timing and spacing of pregnan-

cies, birth spacing, child spacing or planning. We understand that teachers will use terms consistent

with the values and beliefs of their faith and context.

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Email: [email protected] | www.ccih.org

Any part of this publication may be reproduced, and excerpts from it may be quoted without permis-

sion, provided the material is distributed free of charge and Christian Connections for International

Health is credited as the source for all copies, reproductions, distributions and adaptations of the

materials.

Suggested citation: Christian Connections for International Health. Family Planning Sermon and Mes-

saging Guide for Faith Communities (2023).

iFamily Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Contents

Executive Summary ii

Section 1: Introduction 1

Why People of Faith, their Communities, Congregations and Leaders? 1

Denition of a Sermon 1

Anticipated Benets from Using the Guide 2

Section 2: Faiths as Pillars in Family Planning 3

Christianity 3

Islam 5

Hinduism 8

Bahá’í 9

Sikhism 9

Buddhism 10

Section 3: Key Sermon Messages 11

Introduction 11

Unmet Need in Family Planning and Child Spacing Among Women 11

Thankful Messages 12

Six Main Messages that Can Be Applied to Your Specic Religious

and Geographic Context 12

iiFamily Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Executive Summary

There are many issues that challenge our individual and collective physical, emotional, socio-eco-

nomic and spiritual health. These challenges can occur at personal, family, local, country, regional and

global levels, and often have a greater impact on people in the global south. These issues include the

huge “unmet need for family planning”

that results in mothers and children, fathers and communities

suffering the preventable and controllable burden of unplanned pregnancies that occur too early and

too often, harming the health of a woman or girl and negatively affecting her family and community.

Faith communities, congregations and religious leaders have signicant inuence on social and health

issues. Integrating family planning information into sermons and other messaging opportunities lever-

ages this inuence and is consistent with a holistic approach to health, addressing physical health

along with spiritual health. Such integration in turn helps both the faith community members and their

leaders to be more conscious about the inter-relatedness of socio-economic inequalities, religion-cul-

tural factors, educational deprivations and practical health service injustice that facilitate, sustain or

worsen the unmet family planning (FP) need.

This guide is designed to support faith communities, congregations and leaders desiring to boost FP

literacy, competence and vigilance through sermons. The sermon guide addresses how religious texts

and sacred traditions can be a source of transformative energy for increased and sustained FP, lead-

ership enhancement in FP equity and justice, and breaking the silence and correcting misinformation

around FP. We recommend religious leaders partner with health care professionals and refer people

interested in more detailed information to their local health care worker.

Messages can be delivered in a variety of settings, including within worship services; during faith com-

munity ceremonies; and at different local community, national or global level events.

Section 1 introduces the guide. This section explains why the guide was developed, and how faith

and lay leaders and congregations will benet from it.

Section 2 on “Faiths as Pillars in Family Planning” outlines the nature and importance of support of a

given faith, a congregation and their sacred texts and traditions render to the acceptance, ownership

and promotion of FP in a community.

Section 3 on “Key Issues and Key Sermon Messages” discusses the critical issues and sermon mes-

sage points without attaching them to a particular faith so that they can be read and utilized in a variety

of faith settings and contexts.

Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH) acknowledges all the input, investment and

encouragement we have received beyond the writing team, and appreciates critiques from faith com-

munity leaders and other professionals, communities and congregations. We thank champions in the

faith community who have made family planning a central part in your holistic faith mission and minis-

try. Your commitment to this lifesaving health intervention and requests inspired us to create this guide.

For further faith and FP resources, please visit www.ccih.org > Resources.

DHS Program, Demographic and Health Surveys. In this document, the concept of “unmet need for family planning” is

dened as the percentage of married women who do not want to become pregnant but are not using contraception. https://

dhsprogram.com/topics/unmet-need.cfm

1Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Section 1: Introduction

Why People of Faith, their Communities, Congregations and

Leaders?

People of faith, their communities, congregations and leaders share common values and virtues of

love, grace, compassion, equity, peace, justice and human dignity. They value and want to protect life

and health. Faith communities recognize that when pregnancies are wanted and planned, this sup-

ports the health of mothers and babies, as well as families’ ability to have sufcient resources to care

for their children.

Faith communities and faith leaders play crucial gatekeeping and inuencing roles in the success of

advancing health in many countries. The inuence of faith communities and faith leaders has been

an essential component of efforts to address early marriage, combat harmful traditional practices,

establish equitable treatment for women and girls, and overcome the stigma around male involvement

in sexual, reproductive and family health. It is even more urgent and most important to engage faith

leaders and faith communities in:

• Sharing accurate information about FP;

• Changing attitudes and beliefs at family and community levels;

• Building individual-level competencies and societal capabilities for FP; and

• Engaging in theological and ethical discussions, spiritual and pastoral dialogues, prayer, service

provision and referral activities.

Denition of a Sermon

The word “sermon” can be used and interpreted differently. In this guide, we use the word in its spir-

itual and religious context to mean a speech given by a pastor, priest, imam, rabbi or other leader as

part of a religious service, function or activity. Most sermons will focus on scriptural passages of a

given faith with ofcial religious books or scriptures to deliver theological and moral lessons and spiri-

tual and pastoral teachings, as well as a prophetic voice on a given societal issue or challenge.

Common family health challenges make the role of religious leaders to provide theological and spir-

itual reection even more pertinent. These leaders are already part of the communities and families

struggling with:

• Early, frequent and/or multiple pregnancies and childbirths;

• Child illness and death;

• Pregnancy-related illness or death;

• Lack of access to appropriate and adequate FP services; and

• Poverty and other health insecurities.

As preachers of love and faith, peace and hope, equity and justice in broad contexts and in FP situ-

ations specically, these leaders need resources to support them in their leadership, mentorship and

preaching work. This guide has been produced for that very purpose.

2Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Anticipated Benets from Using the Guide

It is anticipated that sermons on family planning will bring the following benets:

Pausing, Reecting and Praying: Whereas the world wants believers and preachers to go from one

activity to another, most good sermons teach the value of pausing, reecting and praying for knowl-

edge, greater understanding and deeper wisdom. Is the subject of FP important to believers and

preachers, their families and local communities, and globally? If so, it is imperative that faith leaders

take time to step back, pause, reect and seek God’s direction on how they can meaningfully engage

their communities to support health through family planning.

Inner Conviction: Sometimes, we (individually or collectively as families and communities) lack belief,

power and resolve to act on something important for our health, our deeper peace and our greater

fulllment. Impactful sermons on FP can help both the preacher and the audience to form the inner

conviction to act and also to encourage their families and communities to support and advocate for FP

conducted in a healthy and safe way.

3Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Section 2: Faiths as Pillars

in Family Planning

Christianity

In Christianity, God is at the center of creating sexual partnership (Genesis 1:27c)

for company and

pleasure (Genesis 2:18, 25) and for procreation (Genesis 1:28). The Christian God is mindful of every

human life from the womb. Every life is unique and planned for by God. He cherishes good planning

in every human endeavor, including the way we “replenish the earth.” Therefore, families should be

formed in a responsible manner.

Modern contraception methods did not exist in Bible times, and therefore, scripture is silent on them.

The Bible presents children as a gift from God (Genesis 4:1; Genesis 33:5), a heritage from the Lord

(Psalm 127; 3-5), a blessing from God (Luke 1:42), and a crown to the aged (Proverb 17:6). Hence,

planning for the birth, longevity and quality of life for children is a great spiritual responsibility and

moral duty for parents.

Family planning by contraception and fertility awareness methods

is planning one’s sexual and marital

life in a way that ensures conception happens when it is in the best interests of the mother, child, and

family. It is not the act of using FP that is called into question in the Onan story in the Bible (Genesis

3:8), it is the motivation behind the action that raises the question of morality.

Some couples may feel their service to God and community necessitates careful and prayerful deci-

sion making as to when they should conceive a child. Some may be convinced that God has a plan

for them that does not involve having children, or having them immediately after marriage. Ultimately,

a couple’s motives for choosing not to have children, delaying childbearing, using contraception or

having numerous children is between their love for God, their love for neighbors (including the unborn

ones) and their love for themselves.

According to the Bible, children are gifts from God and “happy is the man whose quiver is full of them.”

(Psalm 127:5) But in all reality, not everyone has the same size quiver (capacity to care for a large

family). If couples decide to use FP, they should carefully consider which method will be best for their

family’s needs.

In Christianity, FP in general and birth spacing in particular is not wrong as long as we are seeking

God’s will in what we do. The principle of James 4:15-17 is certainly applicable here: “You ought to say

All verses referring to books of the Bible can be found at https://www.biblegateway.com/.

Knowledge SUCCESS. (2022). Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers. Chapter 18. https://fphandbook.org/

chapter-18-fertility-awareness-methods

Family planning by contraception and fertility awareness methods is planning one’s

sexual and marital life in a way that ensures conception happens when it is in the

best interests of the mother, child, and family.

In Christianity, FP in general and birth spacing in particular is not wrong as long as

we are seeking God’s will in what we do.

4Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

instead, ‘If the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that.’ But as it is, you boast in your arro-

gance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of

sin.”

In Genesis 1:28, God said to the man and woman, “Be fruitful and multiply.” Some people interpret this

to mean that intentionally preventing pregnancy would be wrong. But in its original context, this verse

was part of a passage telling how God has given humankind stewardship over the world, and it was

not a statement about contraception. “And God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and

multiply, and ll the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the sh of the sea and over the birds of the sky,

and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” (Genesis 1:28)

The Christian Bible and traditions give guidance on many topics of spirituality and morality but not

specically on contraception and birth spacing. What they give instead is a broad framework for under-

standing FP by describing the origin and sanctity of human life.

As said above, God created humankind (male and female) uniquely in His own image. He further

dignied human life through the incarnation of Jesus Christ as a man and promised the resurrection

of the physical body at the end of time. Thus, all human life should be treated as a gift from God and

worthy of respect.

The preciousness of an unborn human life is celebrated in Psalm 139, where David writes, “For you

formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb... I am fearfully and wonderfully

made... your eyes beheld my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the

days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139: 13-14, 16) Even in

utero at the earliest stages of development, God recognizes the humanity of the embryo (see Genesis

20:18, 29:31, 30:2, 30:22; Judges 13:2-3; Ruth 4:13; 1 Samuel 1:6; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1: 13-15 and

1:24-25, 1:44). In other words, good plans and decisions on conceiving and parenting children should

be central in the lives, homes and faith communities of all believers.

Key FP Message from Christianity

Family planning helps individuals, families and whole communities to:

• Carry out and fulll the God-given stewardship and procreation role well;

• Avoid unplanned pregnancy, give birth to a child who is planned; and

• Determine a given number of children that are desired and to have them at the right time.

USAID Access Program (RCLS/MOH/UNFPA). (2009). Christians and Muslims Promoting Maternal and Infant Health: A

Sermon Guide Based on The Holy Bible and the Holy Qur’an (Kigali: RCLS) page 14.

5Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Islam

In Islam, the Holy Qur’an and Hadith are authoritative sources of teaching and guidance on FP. All the

sources approve of reversible or temporary methods of contraception, however permanent methods

are allowed only when the life of a woman is threatened.

Guidance from the Holy Qur’an

The Qur’an does not prohibit contraception, nor does it forbid a husband or wife to space pregnancies

or limit their number. Thus, the great majority of Islamic jurists believe that FP is permissible in Islam.

The Qur’an specically recommends that mothers breastfeed for two complete years: “and mothers

should suckle their children for two whole years...” (Qur’an 2:233)

In the Qur’an, (exclusive) breastfeeding is mentioned 14 times as a method for birth spacing, demon-

strating that the Qur’an supports breastfeeding as a birth spacing method. Also, there is a consensus

among scholars based on a verse in the Qur’an that clearly states that spacing between children

should be observed. Mothers are advised to breastfeed their children for two years, during which time

the woman should not become pregnant. The Qur’an says: “The mothers shall give such to their off-

spring for two whole years, for those who desire to complete the term.” (Qur’an 2:233)

“And we have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weak-

ness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years.” (Qur’an 31:14)

Scholars describe these two years of breastfeeding mentioned in the Qur’an as a means of child

spacing to give the mother adequate time to recover from pregnancy and childbirth and to care for the

child. Also, the two years of breastfeeding mentioned in the Qur’an concur with the World Health Orga-

nization (WHO)

recommendation on birth spacing.

Another Qur’anic guidance is on the “Divine Plan to Create Sexual Partners /Spouses and Divine Will”

that the sexual partners hold dialogues on family and spousal peace. Surat Al-Rum 30:21, “And one

of Allah’s signs is, that He has created for you mates from yourselves, that you dwell in tranquility with

them, and has ordained between you love and mercy.”

PRB. (2004) Islam and Family Planning. https://www.prb.org/wp-content/uploads/2004/09/IslamFamilyPlanning.pdf

All versus mentioned in the guide referring to Islamic holy texts can be found at https://quran.com/.

World Health Organization. (2007). Report of a WHO technical consultation on birth spacing. Geneva: World Health

Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/69855

The Qur’an does not prohibit contraception, nor does it forbid a husband or wife to

space pregnancies or limit their number.

Scholars describe these two years of breastfeeding mentioned in the Qur’an as a

means of child spacing to give the mother adequate time to recover from pregnancy

and childbirth and to care for the child.

6Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

This means it is desirable in Islam that spouses should discuss the use of FP methods before either

of the spouses uses them. This is for purposes of peace and health in the home and for tranquility

between spouses.

More Qur’anic Guidance

Al Baqarah 2:185: “Allah desires for you ease (Yusr); he desires not hardship (usr) for you…”

Al Nisa 4:26: “Allah desires to enlighten your burden for man was created weak…”

Hence Islam would be sympathetic of FP if spacing pregnancies and adjusting their numbers will make

the mother more physically t and the father more nancially at ease, particularly since this is not

antagonistic to any categorical text of prohibition in the Qur’an or Sunnah (Prophet sayings or deeds).

Al-Isra 17:29: “And let not your hand (in giving) be chained to your neck, nor yet open it to the

extreme, lest you end up in rebuke, in beggary.”

Guidance from Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet Peace be Upon Him)

The Sunnah, a documentation of the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH) tradition, indicates that

coitus interruptus or withdrawal (ejaculation outside vagina or al azl) method was practiced during the

time of the Prophet (PBUH).

Guidance 1 from Hadith

“We [the Companions of the Prophet] used to practice azl during the time of the Prophet. The Prophet

knew about it and did not forbid it.”

The Sunnah does not directly address child spacing as such, but it talks about the Prophet (PBUH)

noticing that his companions were practicing coitus interruptus (al azl). And when he heard about it, he

did not forbid this practice. Therefore, his followers concluded that if it was anything that is not allowed

in Islam, he could have stopped it immediately. The intention of al azl was to prevent pregnancy, just

like the modern temporary methods.

Since child spacing through breastfeeding and al azl are permitted, Muslims are permitted to seek

information and counseling on FP services. Holistic information should be given to couples and individ-

uals to enable them to make informed decisions in line with their faith, beliefs and health status, and

this should be part of pre-marital counseling.

Guidance 2 from Hadith

In a hadith authenticated by al-Bukhari, “the right due to a child from parents is to teach him writing,

swimming, archery and to provide him with nothing but what is wholesome.”

This means it is desirable in Islam that spouses should discuss the use of FP

methods before either of the spouses uses them.

7Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Young men and women should be provided accessible, complete and accurate information about FP

and FP methods, including their benets so they can make decisions at the appropriate time in mar-

riage, enabling them to provide for and care for their children.

Guidance 3 from Hadith

In a hadith authenticated by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, “Instruct your children in prayer at age seven, punish

them if they fail at age ten, and let them sleep separately from one another.”

This hadith brings out the necessity to have planned procreation. The separate sleeping arrangements

mean a separate room for boys and girls. Spacing of children and having the family size consistent

with the family’s means are a part of the solution, as well as improving the housing situations of the

family.

Guidance 4 from Hadith

In one hadith narrated by Adbullah bin Umar l Mustadicrak, the Prophet (PBUH) said, “…it is a great

misery to have too many children without means of supporting them…” In another hadith he said, “Too

many children are the other face of poverty, and fewer children are the other face of comfort.”

The

explanation is that the strength of a Muslim community lies in having good, healthy and pious children

that are educated and able to look after themselves in the future and be useful to the community,

which calls for proper planning.

Conclusion

According to the vast majority of Islamic scholars, misinterpretation of Islamic teaching on contracep-

tion may discourage uptake of FP. Lack of reproductive health knowledge, cultural beliefs and lack of

women’s decision-making power continue to be reasons for the unmet need for FP. Countering the

negative notions of FP use requires active engagement of religious leaders and Muslim scholars who

are in position of power and inuence at the community level.

Key FP Message from Islam:

Properly spacing births in a family is a very important way to protect the health of mothers and babies.

Omran, Abdel Rahim. (1992). Family Planning in the Legacy of Islam. UNFPA. https://digitallibrary.un.org/re-

cord/191682?ln=en

Ismail, Dr. Ndifuna. (2005). Family Planning: Policy and Practice, A Simplied Guide. Supported by Policy II project.

References include: Adeniji, L. A. (2007). Religion And Birth Control: The Position of Islam, Religion and Modernity.

NASRED. Alamsek Press Ltd.; Omran, A. R. (1992). Family Planning in the Legacy of Islam. London: UNPF; Pakistan

Today. (2013). Birth Spacing Is Lawful Under Islam. Haz Ashra; Omran, Abdel Rahim. (1992). Family Planning in the

Legacy of Islam. UNFPA. https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/191682?ln=en; Family Planning in Islam and the Opinion of

Current Senior Religious Leaders. (2022). edited by G.I. Serour, IICPSR Publications. Available in Arabic: https://www.

alazhar-iicpsr.org/books.php?id=83; Ndifuna Ismail. (2005). Family Planning: Policy and Practice: A Simplied Guide for

Family Planning Champions, Communicators, and Users in The Muslim Community in Uganda. (Kampala: Uganda Muslim

Supreme Council); Uganda Muslim Supreme Council Population Committee. (1998).Towards a Happy and Prosperous

Muslim Family: A Reproductive Health Guide for the Muslim Community in Uganda.

8Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Hinduism

The Hindu scriptures do not prohibit contraception or include anything that should discourage couples

to space pregnancies.

Hindu scriptures promote healthy families and respect between spouses.

An interfaith document on FP titled “Keeping the Faith in Sexual and Reproductive Health: Faithful

Afrmations”

supports the following themes.

From the earliest age

Hindu children are taught to revere the divine feminine, as embodied in Her multiplicity of forms from

Sita, the perfect wife, to Saraswati, the Goddess of learning, to Radha, the Lover of God, to the heroic

Durpa, the slayer of demons, and beyond.

Promotion of strong women

Hindu scriptures discuss the importance of promoting women’s strength. “Parents should gift their

daughter intellectuality and power of knowledge.” (Rig Veda 10.85.7)

“O woman may you be pow-

erful like a rock. May you gain brilliance of the sun and have a long prosperous life that benets all.”

(Arthava Veda 14.1.47) Women have the same rights and responsibilities as men when it comes to FP

with regard to the size of the family, the method of contraception, the wellbeing of sexual life and the

wealth of the family.

Marriage is seen as a sacred bond that lasts lifetimes

Through marriage, a couple learns to love one another so they can more completely love God. For

that reason, ancient scriptures like the Arthava Veda urge: “May the husband and wife be complemen-

tary to each other. May the husband be a song, the wife be a verse.” (14:2)

Females and males are equally valued

All that is and all that ever existed is forever pure and undifferentiated from divinity itself. According

to the most ancient Hindu scripture, Manusmriti, a daughter is equivalent to a son as there is no sex

distinction in the “Atman” – the eternal soul, inseparable from God.

Hence no one should (a) over

produce children in an attempt to have male children, (b) kill children in or outside of the womb to

guarantee a particular sex, and (c) mistreat a woman by denying access to family planning or subject-

ing her to violence of any kind.

Hindu Scriptures

Hindu scripture emphasizes that intimate relations should be respected as sacred and kept within the

connes of marriage. “It is through their union (i.e., the marriage partners) that offspring results. Each

has to emotionally fulll the vow of being faithful to the higher values of life.” (Arthava Veda 14.2.7)

Srinivas MN. (1993). A Part of Life. The Hindu View. Asiaweek. Oct 27:59. PMID: 12345274. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.

nih.gov/12345274/#:~:text=The%20Hindu%20scriptures%20do%20not,the%20universal%20stages%20of%20life

UNFPA. (2017). Keeping the Faith in Sexual and Reproductive Health. https://addis.unfpa.org/sites/default/les/re-

source-pdf/Religious%20Afrmations%20of%20SRHR_0.pdf

Hindu American Foundation. (2015). Vedic Teachings About Womanhood. https://www.hinduamerican.org/blog/ve-

dic-teachings-about-womanhood-2/

Hindu American Foundation. Vedic Teachings About Womanhood.

Fieser, James. (Revised 2020). From The History of Philosophy: A Short Survey. https://www.utm.edu/staff/jeser/

class/110/4-eastern.htm

The Hindu scriptures do not prohibit contraception or include anything that should

discourage couples to space pregnancies.

9Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Bahá’í

Family planning is left to the personal conscience of a follower of the Baha’i faith, although there is

some guidance regarding specic situations, such as:

• Irreversible sterilization in either sex is discouraged unless there is a medical condition relevant

to the decision, in which case the individual would seek qualied medical advice.

• Abortion is permitted only where there are strong medical grounds such as risk to the mother’s

life and health. Abortion is not regarded lightly and is not permitted as a contraceptive measure.

• Articial insemination and in-vitro fertilization are permitted provided that the wife’s egg is fertil-

ized by the husband’s sperm and that the child is born from the womb of the natural mother.

• Though the birth of a child is a time of joy and Baha’is may wish to express their gratitude to God

with prayer, they have no rituals associated with birth.

Sikhism

Sikhs have no objection to contraception.

Whether or not Sikhs use contraception, and the form of

contraception used, is a matter for individual couples to decide.

NP Singh, other Sikh scholars and

leaders speak of the vision of the founder of the Sikh tradition, Guru Nanak, as one in which we are all

spiritual beings “who have realized God.” So how do we realize God in family health and family plan-

ning?

We are realizing God when we recognize that:

• We are spiritual beings and that the earth, the universe and the children born and not yet are all

sacred.

• All life is unity.

• Our mission is the spiritualization of all.

• The reality that humans create around themselves is a reection of their inner state.

• The current situation includes pregnancies that are dangerous for women and girls, including

those that are too early, too frequent, too many or too late in a woman’s life. These pregnancies

have negative health effects on the women and children, which can affect families, their commu-

nities and countries.

Weston Area Health NHS Trust. (2020). “Baha’i Faith.” https://www.waht.nhs.uk/en-GB/Our-Services1/Non-Clinical-Ser-

vices1/Chapel/Faith-and-Culture/Bahai-faith/

Bahá’í Library Online. Excerpt from Parrinder, Geoffrey. (1996), Sexual Morality in the World’s Religions, Bahá’í Ideals,

Chapter 11. https://bahai-library.com/parrinder_sexual_morality_religions

“Sikh Beliefs Affecting Health Care.” Excerpt from Health Care Providers’ Handbook on Sikh Patients. https://www.

health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_le/0031/157639/hbook-sikh-s2.pdf

SikhiWiki. “Sikhi on Family Planning.” https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Sikhi_on_Family_Planning

Whether or not Sikhs use contraception, and the form of contraception used, is a

matter for individual couples to decide.

10Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Buddhism

Buddhist attitudes on contraception are based on the idea that it is wrong to kill for any reason. The

most common Buddhist view on FP is that contraception is acceptable if it prevents conception, but

that contraceptives that work by stopping the development of a fertilized egg are wrong and should not

be used.

Unlike some other religions, Buddhism does not regard having children as a religious duty, except in

the sense that having children in the family whose religious devotion leads them to being monks is

highly revered and treasured. To seek enlightenment, Buddhists should not pursue sexual pleasure. If,

however, they engage in sexual activity that is non-reproductive by virtue of using contraception that

prevents conception, that is acceptable.

Finally, FP as a personal and family issue, a community health and societal need and a global and

development challenge is, in Buddhism, not discussed in the language of rights, but rather in terms

of benet and harm to a family and from within an intention of relieving human suffering. If spacing,

postponing, limiting and or abstaining from having children will contribute to limiting or overcoming

suffering, family planning is encouraged. There are no dogmas in Buddhism that inuence the size of

a family, but the family head is asked to fulll certain caring duties toward his immediate family and, by

extension, toward society at large.

UNFPA. (2017). Keeping the Faith in Sexual and Reproductive Health. https://addis.unfpa.org/sites/default/les/re-

source-pdf/Religious%20Afrmations%20of%20SRHR_0.pdf

Gnanawimala, B. (1993). Free to Choose. The Buddhist View. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12345273/

van Loon, L. (1992). Family Planning & Birth Control in Buddhist Perspective. Buddhist Publication Society. https://www.

bps.lk/olib/bl/bl127_van-Loon_Family-Planning-and-Birth-Control.html

If spacing, postponing, limiting and or abstaining from having children will contribute

to limiting or overcoming suffering, family planning is encouraged.

11Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

Section 3: Key Sermon Messages

Introduction

The messages about family planning that can be used by faith and lay leaders during sermons and

other opportunities fall under six themes. These six areas encourage community engagement and

advocacy:

1. Societal Governance Duties and Community Leadership Obligations on FP

2. Boosting Male Involvement in FP

3. Inequalities and Injustices Hindering FP

4. Partnerships and Collaboration for Enhanced FP

5. Fostering Intergenerational Dialogue

6. Enhancing Servant Leadership, Passion and Solidarity for Greater FP

Unmet Need in Family Planning and Child Spacing

Among Women

The concept of unmet need for FP is useful for identifying women and families who may want to use,

but are not currently using, a method of contraception.

A concept infrequently preached and discussed among faith leaders and communities is that if all

women who wanted to avoid a pregnancy were to use a modern contraceptive method, abortions as

well as unplanned births would drop dramatically.

Reducing unmet need is also an important strat-

egy to lower fertility rates in communities and countries with too rapid a population growth that is not

aligned with growth in the economy, including jobs and housing, and increased food and industrial

production.

Below are the advantages of using FP methods:

• Avoid health risks to a breastfeeding child from premature cessation of breastmilk due to another

pregnancy before two years;

• Avoid health risks to the mother that would result from repeated pregnancies, short birth intervals

or young age;

• Avoid the economic hardships of caring for a larger family, which might compel parents to resort

to illegal activities or exhausting themselves to earn a living;

• Allow for comprehensive education, which is more feasible with fewer children; and

• Some methods protect against sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.

Hussain R et al. (2016). Unmet Need for Contraception in Developing Countries: Examining Women’s Reasons for Not

Using a Method. New York: Guttmacher Institute. https://www.guttmacher.org/report/unmet-need-for-contraception-in-de-

veloping-countries#levels-of-contraceptive-use-and-unmet-need

USAID. “Helping People and the Planet Flourish Through Family Planning.” https://www.usaid.gov/global-health/

health-areas/family-planning/resources/helping-people-planet-ourish-family-planning

12Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

A March 2022 report said nearly half of all pregnancies globally are unintended.

Please nd specic

statistics on your country on The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program website (https://

dhsprogram.com/).

Most faith leaders and their followers share a deeply held conviction that all families, regardless of

their religious beliefs, are entitled to lead healthy lives free from suffering and deprivation. But, trag-

ically, an absence of basic FP services (or if available, lack of awareness that services exist and a

capability to access services) deprives millions of women, families and communities of this fundamen-

tal right every year.

Sermons focused on addressing this issue can help millions of women and families in your country

and worldwide who lack access to modern contraceptives to plan children for their wellbeing with

greater spiritual condence and moral conviction.

Thankful Messages

What progress do we have to thank the divine for? Thankful messages to be incorporated into any

sermon messages:

• Faith-run and faith-owned institutions and facilities help to provide FP information, services and

supplies. This gives people the knowledge and capability to choose when and how many children

they would like to have.

• Many faith leaders, communities and congregations across faiths encourage conversations

and generate educational materials that provide a religious context and cultural awareness that

makes FP options more acceptable, accessible and affordable.

Six Main Messages that Can Be Applied to Your Specic

Religious and Geographic Context

1. Societal Governance and Community Leadership Obligations on FP

Description of Challenge: Empowering individuals to determine the number and timing of preg-

nancies, including the voluntary use of methods for preventing pregnancy – not including abortion

– harmonious with their values and religious beliefs is a theological, ethical and pastoral duty of faith

and lay leaders and individual believers. Fullling this duty contributes to achieving their overall faith

obligations to love neighbor as self and to attain righteousness and spiritual fulllment through preach-

ing, modeling and enhancing holistic life and health, human dignity, peace, equity, and justice. Unfor-

tunately, cultures and traditions don’t change overnight. Long-term investment is required to promote

greater understanding and encourage collective action.

Key Message: Divine courage and commitment is needed to provide adequate leadership for

enhanced FP.

• Good societal governance and effective community leadership is about having the conviction,

the courage and the commitment to do what is best for the health and wellbeing of local commu-

nities, families and individual citizens. As community leaders and societal governors, we must

seek to make FP information, services and products available and affordable to the people. As

leaders, we must not expect everyone to agree with everything we believe, do or say. But we are

still called upon to love them and not be afraid to be decisive in empowering mothers and fathers,

UNFPA, State of World Population 2022, https://www.unfpa.org/swp2022

13Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

families and communities. If we are going to be good leaders in bringing about greater family

health and security and higher family development and transformation, we must stand for family

planning and be decisive and unapologetic about it. Making important decisions that support the

health of children and their mothers, fathers and whole families goes with the job of leadership.

In certain situations, major decisions require rmness, authority and nality that in the end will

deliver great joy to God, and to children, mothers and families.

• Identify scriptural references on the subject of leadership, courage and commitment, love for and

solidarity with others, and apply them to FP.

2. Boosting Male Involvement in FP

Description of Challenge: There is a focus of FP messaging on girls and women. As a result, many

boys and men are still unreached and not empowered or encouraged to reect on various issues

related to effective FP such as reecting on gender norms, faith and culture and on the impact of fam-

ily size on family resources, food, health care, housing and education needs.

Key Message: No one should be left behind. Everyone should have love and support, and men must

be responsible and should be involved in FP.

• Inclusive family health and holistic wellbeing for families demands that no one should be left out

of accessing adequate information, help and support for FP. Family love and solidarity means

boys and men are lovingly and equally involved in prayer and decision making, information gath-

ering as well as in planning with the girls and women in need of FP.

3. Inequalities and Injustices that Hinder FP

Description of Challenge: Due to lack of education or economic means or status, many people are

not able to access FP information and services. This hinders them from lling their reproductive health,

parenting, and family health needs and reaching their potential.

Key Message: We are called to serve the least and the last in capabilities, access and utilization of

FP information, skills and services.

• All great religions and faith traditions are founded and built around serving those in need. We

are called to preach and model love, equity and justice for the vulnerable and disadvantaged

genders, age groups, families and communities when it comes to FP availability, affordability and

usage.

4. Partnerships and Collaborations for Enhanced FP

Description of Challenge: It is in faith community congregational spaces that we nd people of

a variety of ages, professions and communities, including local and community leaders. There are

missed opportunities for collaboration in faith communities and houses of worship to enhance family

planning education, service provision, pastoral care, counseling, referrals and advocacy.

Key Message: To promote healthy alliances, collaborations and partnerships is to promote life, health

and fulllment for all the human body.

• This works best when all the body parts and systems are working in a synchronized manner.

We humans, our families and communities as well as our leadership and governance teams

were created for community, communion and cooperation. We all need allies with whom we can

plan and work in many areas of life and more so in regards to bridging and meeting a communi-

ty’s family planning needs. Almost all religions have stories around great men and women who

succeeded in their community leadership and societal governance roles because they created

14Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

strong partnerships, teams and alliances at different levels, in different sectors and with different

community groups.

• Additional recommendation: Invite health care staff to speak with your community on FP and

related issues.

5. Fostering Intergenerational Dialogue on FP

Description of Challenge: There are limited partnerships and collaboration among different genera-

tions or socioeconomic groups.

Key Message: Train children and empower youth to live healthy lives and ourish.

• Intergenerational dialogues are interactive, personal and empathic in nature. They bring together

older and younger generations and are intended to create shared knowledge and meaning and a

collective experience around the importance for planning families, the births of children and their

parenting in the most empowering manner. A better understanding of each other, answering each

other’s questions and sharing hopes, fears and anxieties related to FP helps prepare youth to

handle their sexual, reproductive and family health responsibilities with more condence. This will

lead to better decision making and higher chances of success. Family, community and one-on-

one dialogues have various benets to the people involved.

• Good dialogues help improve the youth’s condence and understanding of the importance of

accurate information about sexual and reproductive health and encourage them to make respon-

sible choices.

• Greater understanding about the importance of family planning and equipping youth with accu-

rate information will help overcome cultural and religious challenges and other barriers to youth’s

access to sexual, reproductive and family health information and services.

• Educate youth and rst-time parents on FP.

• Create mutual understanding, trust and solidarity on FP between different generations, family

members and community groups.

6. Enhancing Servant Leadership, Passion and Solidarity for Greater FP

This message and sermon is most appropriate when talking to other faith and lay leaders.

Description of Challenge: Many communities have limited knowledge, unhealthy attitudes, and

unfounded fears and myths about FP. In addition, they live in areas with limited FP services and skilled

providers. These communities will need more servant leaders who are passionate about improving

family and community health in general and who are very intentional in preventing unplanned preg-

nancies and the suffering and deaths of children and mothers that result.

Many people of faith lack the FP education opportunities, empowerment, capabilities and user-friendly

spaces to make informed, healthy and holistically fullling decisions for their sexual, reproductive

and family health. Also, the faith sector, civil society and governments’ investments in FP education,

empowerment and service provision are still low compared to the need.

Key Message: Servant leaders sacrice themselves to serve and satisfy others’ health and peace,

dignity and wellbeing.

• More often than not, our leadership abilities, skills and authority are used in the service of our

personal satisfaction, including what we want to be said and done rather than what the most

15Family Planning Sermon and Messaging Guide for Faith Communities

disadvantaged and vulnerable need to boost their health and wellbeing and ultimately, the health

and wellbeing of everyone.

• Considering the number of lives lost each year, the types of sicknesses and complications

endured by women and the multiple traumas suffered by families because women were not sup-

ported in their wish to delay pregnancy, the urgency and the extent to which a leader uses his or

her ofce, authority and connections to come to the family planning rescue of these women and

families is what counts as servant leadership, which all faiths and spiritualities believe.

NOTES

FAMILY PLANNING SERMON AND MESSAGING

GUIDE FOR FAITH COMMUNITIES

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