Marrickville, NSW, Australia, October 8, 2025
Protectress of the Unborn icons are also available in several languages. Photo: orthodoxtalks.com Another book presenting the Orthodox Church’s traditional stance on contraceptives is now available.
Last week, OrthoChristian reported on the publication of Dr. Tikhon Pino’s Contraception and the Orthodox Church. And on Monday, His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery and rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, published a statement endorsing the book, Who Should We Listen to Regarding Contraceptives and the Avoidance of Having Children?, by Priestmonk Kosmas, known for the extensive Orthodox Talks series.
Bp. Luke notes that the book has the blessing of Fr. Kosmas’ hierarch, His Eminence Archbishop George of Sydney, Australia, and New Zealand.
The book examines the Orthodox Church’s teaching on contraceptives, the avoidance of having children, and abortion. Priestmonk Kosmas addresses confusion among Orthodox Christians on these issues, which he attributes to the influence of modern ideas including feminism, as well as silence or incorrect guidance from medical professionals and clergy.
The book presents information from medical research and medical professionals regarding contraceptives, their side effects, and health risks. It discusses how certain contraceptives, including hormonal contraceptives, copper IUDs, and some barrier contraceptives, can cause abortions and miscarriages.
The work focuses primarily on the teachings of enlightened and holy Orthodox God-bearers regarding abortion, embryo-killing contraceptives, the state of aborted children’s souls in the afterlife, the avoidance of having children, and the silence of clergy on these matters. It also addresses repentance and Confession, God’s love, mercy and forgiveness, and producing fruits worthy of repentance.
The complete book is available to read online, and physical copies can be ordered.
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In his announcement about the book, Bp. Luke also quotes a statement from Archpriest Gregory Naumenko:
I had been teaching Pastoral Theology at our Seminary starting with the 1983-84 school year. Being the spiritual child of Archimandrite Cyprian (Pyzhov) my views on family planning were very conservative (which was basically that the only form of birth control allowable was abstention). So that was what I taught to my students. At times, one student or another would inform me that they knew of a priest that allowed birth control. I knew that Archbishop Laurus and Metropolitan Vitaly strongly disapproved of such practices. However, I was curious about what the other ROCOR bishops thought. I got my chance to find out in October of 1990. That was when the glorification of the Optina Elders took place in the Cathedral Church of Saint Nicholas in Montreal, Canada. Following the Divine Liturgy there was a festive banquet and all the bishops were placed at the head table on a dais. As we waited for the food to be served, people started coming up to the dais and asking the bishops to sign their commemorative brochures. I took the opportunity to go down the line and ask all the bishops about «допустимости противозачаточных средств» (Is it permitted to use contraceptives?) The answer was one and the same from all the hierarchs: «НЕТ» (No).
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