9 August 2025
9 am – 1:30 pm
(Light Lunch Provided)
Father’s House
Level 2, 173A Geylang Road
Singapore 389245*
This symposium critically examines the intersections of ethics, law, and morality concerning abortion, focusing particularly on the intrinsic value and dignity of human life. By convening experts from diverse professional fields – medicine, ethics, and law – as well as engaging spiritual and community leaders, the symposium aims to facilitate rigorous and culturally sensitive dialogue. Participants will collaboratively explore principled pathways for ethical decision-making within our pluralistic society, promoting deeper mutual understanding and thoughtful reflection.
Slots are limited, on a first-come-first-serve basis.
A Love Offering to cover the cost would be collected during the event.
Programme Outline
Opening Brief Message
Talks by six speakers, 30 mins each (20 mins talk + 10 min Q&A)
Contraception, Chastity, and Abortion – What’s the Consensus?
DR. DHARSHINI GOPALAKRISHNAKONE*
Foetal Pain and the Humanity of the Unborn
DR. NATALIE EPTON*
Axiological Foundations in Clinical Ethics – Rescuing Principlism
DR. CHIA WEI MENG VINCENT
A Journey of Conscience and Redemption
DR. CHEW CHEE TONG PETER
Abortion Laws in Singapore – What it Is, Why Then, and How Now?
MR. DOMINIC CHAN
Morality for Society, Who Decides and How?
MR. ANDREW KONG
1 hour open Q&A (all speakers present except those marked with *)
Closing Remarks
Lunch
(You are encouraged to stay after lunch for fellowship and networking)
About the Speakers and Talks
DR. DHARSHINI GOPALAKRISHNAKONE
MBBS (NUS), MMed (O&G)
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Contraception, Chastity, and Abortion – What’s the Consensus?
An experienced gynaecologist talks about why women choose abortion despite counselling against it. The complications of abortion – physical, mental, and social – will also be discussed, in addition to ways preventing such cases. An honest talk about chastity and contraception for those against abortion.
DR. NATALIE EPTON
MB ChB (U of Birmingham),
MRCPCH (UK)
Specialist Paediatrician
and Neonatologist
Foetal Pain and the Humanity of the Unborn
Empirical evidence for an immediate foetal pain experience as early as 12 weeks gestation and the ethical implications for abortion will be touched upon. Dr. Epton will also touch on the humanity of the unborn foetus and how it should impact clinical practice.
DR. CHIA WEI MENG VINCENT
MB BCh BAO (Ireland),
GDFM (NUS). MBE (Harvard)
Bioethicist and Family Physician
Axiological Foundations in Clinical Ethics – Rescuing Principlism
This talk presents an enhanced principlist framework that builds on Beauchamp and Childress’s model by incorporating an axiology – a value theory. By grounding the four principles in universal values, it counters moral relativism and offers objective ethical guidance. Applied to abortion, the model affirms the pre-born child’s intrinsic value and argues that elective abortion violates key basic goods.
DR. CHEW CHEE TONG PETER
MBBS (Singapore), MMed (O&G), MRCOG (UK), FAMS (O&G)
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
A Journey of Conscience and Redemption
Dr. Chew shares his personal journey of conversion, from being an abortionist to a gynaecologist that honours the dignity of preborn human beings. Journey with him as he tells of how his conscience was awakened and the transformation that follows.
MR. DOMINIC CHAN
LLB (Hons), MA
Litigation Lawyer
Abortion Laws in Singapore – What it Is, Why Then, and How Now?
A quick recap of the current abortion laws and the related framework in Singapore will reveal that it is one of the most liberal in the world. The key reasons proffered in Parliament in 1969 and 1974 for the liberalisation of abortion will then be revisited for citizens today to consider or reconsider their continued validity.
MR. ANDREW KONG
JCL, LLB, BSc
Canon Lawyer
Morality for Society, Who Decides and How?
Mr. Kong ends the session by sharing a brief overview for the basis of a public morality based on natural law theory. How would a pluralistic society achieve a consensus on public morality? As the nature of law is inherently normative, how should law reflect a universal common morality?