Canon Chris Sugden of Anglican Mainstream was quick to see how this reversed a basic value of the Reformation inheritance, saying that the move appeared "to be a reversion to medieval times, when the Bible could be read only by priests in Latin and was not to be defiled by ordinary people reading it".

Planned Parenthood applauded President Obama's recent revocation of the "Mexico City Policy," the result of which will send our tax dollars to fund abortions overseas. This has been our new president's most unpopular decision. It's also puzzling, because Obama himself has said he wants fewer abortions.

Political correctness in academic publishing is nothing new, but it would be unusual, to say the least, for ideological pressure to lead a publisher to reverse itself so late in the process, especially given the significant financial losses involved in pulping a print run of a gigantic four-volume encyclopedia. As Kurian puts it, "This is probably the first instance of mass book-burning in the 21st century."

The policy first was implemented by President Reagan, but overturned by President Clinton and then reinstated in 2001 by President Bush. Gallup asked adults if they approved Obama "allowing U.S. funding for overseas family planning organizations that provide abortions." The Mexico City reversal, according to the poll, was the least popular decision among seven Obama presidential decisions referenced in the poll.