In parish life, couples often ask about the teaching of the Orthodox Church concerning contraception.  The information below has been shared to assist our parishioners and other Orthodox Christians of good faith seeking helpful and authoritative advice on this important matter.

The most authoritative recent statement of the Russian Orthodox Church concerning contraception is the be found in the document known in English as ‘The Basis [or Bases, or Foundations] of the Social Concept [or Conception] of the Russian Orthodox Church’ ('Основы Социальной Концепции Русской Православной Церкви'), accepted by the Jubilee Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in August 2000.  A translation of the relevant section is set out below in full.  The structure of paragraphs in the original has been changed to help with readability.

XII. 3. Among the problems which need a religious and moral assessment is that of contraception.  Some contraceptives have an abortive effect, artificially interrupting the life of the embryo in the very first stages of life.  Therefore, the same judgements apply to the use of them as to abortion.  But other means, which do not involve interrupting an already conceived life, cannot be equated with abortion in the least.

In defining their attitude to non-abortive contraceptives, Christian spouses should remember that human reproduction is one of the principal purposes of the divinely established marital union (see, X. 4).  The deliberate refusal of the begetting of children on egoistic grounds devalues marriage and is a definite sin.

At the same time, parents are answerable before God for the comprehensive upbringing of their children.  One of the ways to take responsibility for the begetting of children is [for couples] to restrain themselves from sexual relations for a time.  However, Christian spouses should remember the words of Saint Paul addressed to them: 'Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control' (1 Corinthians 7:5, NKJV).

Clearly, spouses should make such decisions together, resorting [if need be] to the counsel of their spiritual father.  [When giving advice], the latter should take into account, with pastoral prudence, the specific conditions of life of the couple, their age, health, degree of spiritual maturity and many other circumstances.  In doing so, he should distinguish those who can hold the high demands of continence from those to whom it is not given (Matthew 19:11), taking care above all for the preservation and strengthening of the [particular] family.

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in its Decision of December 28, 1998, instructed the clergy serving as spiritual guides that 'it is inadmissible to coerce or induce the flock to… refuse conjugal relations in marriage'.  It also reminded pastors of the need 'to show special chastity and special pastoral prudence in discussing with the flock questions involved in particular aspects of their family life'.

This advice can be summarised as follows:

• As having children is an important part of God’s plan for men and women, it is ideal to be open to conception and child-bearing in married life;
• The living conditions, age, mental health, physical health, spiritual strength, and various other circumstances of a particular couple may nevertheless make it wise or necessary for them to limit the number of children they have;
• Abstinence from sexual relations is one approach to managing conception. A decision to take this approach must be one made jointly by the married couple, and then only after careful consideration of the risks involved e.g. of frustration or resentment;
• Another approach is some sort of calendar and symptom-based ('natural family planning') method. Although such methods also take a degree of self-discipline, they can be very helpful in building patience and mutual understanding in married life.  Here is a link that may be useful: https://acnfp.com.au/what-is-nfp/;
• If some form of barrier method or pharmaceutical contraception is to be considered, those forms that are least harmful to health, usually that of the woman, or intrusive in married intimacy, are to be preferred; and
• Any form of contraception that has an abortive effect should not be used in any circumstances.

Although a couple may seek counsel from their spiritual father or confessor when making a decision about the use of non-abortive contraceptives, the ultimate decision is not one for a priest to make or impose upon a couple.

In contemporary Orthodox life in Australia it is rare to see a family with more than four children.  Even allowing for the fact that couples now tend to marry later in life than was once the case, it is evident that many feel themselves to lack the spiritual, emotional, or material strength or resources to be fully open in their married lives to the possibility of conception.  A couple may reasonably come to such a conclusion about their capacity without being considered in any way 'egoistic'.

For the sake of completeness, it is noted that the same teaching is set out in a 2020 document approved by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, 'For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Chuch'.  That document states as follows:

The Church anticipates, of course, that most marriages will be open to conception; but it also understands that there are situations in which spiritual, physical, psychological, or financial impediments arise that make it wise—at least, for a time—to delay or forego the bearing of children. The Orthodox Church has no dogmatic objection to the use of safe and non-abortifacient contraceptives within the context of married life, not as an ideal or as a permanent arrangement, but as a provisional concession to necessity. The sexual union of a couple is an intrinsic good that serves to deepen the love of each for the other and their devotion to a shared life.

The full document may be accessed here: https://www.goarch.org/social-ethos#.

That is not to suggest, of course, that there is nothing to be said for an openess to conception in married life.  As difficult as it can undoubtedly be, the raising of a large family can certainly be a source of great happiness and help in life, both to the parents and to the children themselves.