century declared abortion to be murder at

any stage of pregnancy. The declaration, made by Pope Sixtus V, was not

universally accepted and many Catholic scholars disagreed, arguing that until

the mother experienced quickening (the flutters that an expectant mother feels

when the fetus begins to move), an abortion was acceptable. The scholars

debated until well into the 19

century when the Catholic Church

emphatically denounced abortion. Today, all major world religions continue to

engage in the debate about the morality of abortion and the questions about

when life truly begins. Most Christian denominations oppose abortion at any

stage of pregnancy, believing that life begins at conception. Islamic

traditions typically believe that the fetus gains a soul 120 days after

conception, although the exact stage of fetal development where an abortion is

permitted differs among Islamic scholars. Judaism states that a fetus is not

deserving of the rights of a human being until birth. However, a fetus does

deserve protection and Jewish scholars differ on the circumstances in which

abortion is permissible. Despite disagreements about when life begins, most

religious traditions will allow abortions to occur under certain circumstances,

such as when the mother’s life in in peril. The morality of abortion is often

discussed on a case-by-case basis and is often influenced by the laws and

ideals of the country in which a woman resides.