Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes
Every January, pro-life legislators in Washington introduce token legislation they know won’t pass.
Some churches across the country remind their congregations of the sanctity of human life from the pulpit; while others tentatively print something about abortion in their church bulletins, hoping the calendar quickly turns to February. Most churches, of course, avoid the topic of abortion entirely, instead focusing on the new year; updated capital campaigns; and sermon topics on grace, compassion, mercy, and justice – all while the willful slaughter of 3,000 preborn children continues to occur day after day after day.
Meanwhile, those who are pro-abortion continue to vehemently work to further disregard life both inside and outside of the womb. A prime example of this is the governor of New York ordering the lights on the One World Trade Center and other landmarks be changed to pink to celebrate his newly signed legislation that allows abortion up until birth.
The outcry from Christian leaders, denominations, and megachurch pastors in response to New York’s death legislation has been virtually nonexistent. A few Catholic bishops in New York responded with dismay, though I have yet to see any meaningful backup support from Christian leaders in New York or anywhere else. Most well-known Christian leaders remain eerily silent on abortion. The complacency of the Church is evident.
The events of recent history serve as a grim reminder of the overall silence of Christian leaders regarding the greatest genocide in American history. While I realize some churches passionately and regularly address abortion from a biblical perspective, the vast majority of Christian communities pretend it doesn’t exist.
And so, we must continue to ask:
If the Christian worldview is foundational to the pro-life ethic, then why do many church leaders stubbornly refuse to blink an eye in the face of 1 million image bearers of God being destroyed every year and within eyeshot of our church buildings?
After years spent working to inform and educate churches about the abortion genocide in America, I’ve found that fear and ignorance partially drive our silence. Some churches are afraid to talk about abortion for fear of being perceived as political or abrasive. Others are ill-informed – they have little understanding about what abortion is or its massive death toll over the past 46 years. And a large number of churches are doctrinally pro-abortion, ignoring Scripture, ethics, and fundamental morality altogether.
Yet in recent years, I’ve observed an even deeper, more insidious reason for the Church’s silence: Christians are not convicted by the truth that the preborn child has the same intrinsic value as those of us already born. If we did, our actions would align with this belief.
Every single aborted child is a human being with inherent value, “created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.” A zygote has the same value as an adult and is therefore worthy of the same protections, rights, and securities.
This belief is founded and grounded in the Christian faith. It is impossible to overstate the importance of this fact. The centrality of the pro-life worldview is that we are each of inestimable, equal value because we are handcrafted by a loving Creator, and we are made in His image. We are valuable because God instills that value in each one of us.
One can be pro-life and not be Christian, of course. However, the Christian worldview recognizes the value of the human race to the extent that the Creator came and rescued His own creation through His death and resurrection.
The fact that God came to rescue His own human creation is enough to firmly and forever form a concrete pro-life ethic. Yet HOW God came to rescue us cements the pro-life ethic even further. He came as one of us. He came to earth as a zygote. God, the Author of life, came to earth through the very process He authored to create human life. Every person who claims belief in Christ should marvel and be awestruck at this scriptural truth. Humans are valuable, and God affirmed it most miraculously when He came to earth as one of us.
Because the pro-life ethic is grounded in Christianity, those who follow Christ are uniquely motivated in our reason for believing in and our passionate defense of the value of all humanity. In addition, the undeniable fact that the preborn and born have the same value should require all of us to act according to our belief.
Read the other blog posts in the Abortion and the Church series:
- Part 1: It’s Our Job to End Abortion
- Part 2: Our Calling to End Abortion is Urgent
- Part 3: Is Ending Abortion One of God’s Pressing Moral Priorities?
- Part 4: Want to End Abortion? ACT.
I respect, and am so glad ,God has set up people to fight for the brutal murder of the unborn. It is good to see God put on the hearts of the young. Our church is greatly disturbed, and inspire us to action. . I wanted email, I am disabled,… Read more »
Brian, thank you so much for your sobering blog posts. I am pro life, but I am so convicted by the truths you are laying out and I am mad at myself for aligning myself with churches and leaders that are afraid of this. Ughh. I need to go before… Read more »
You are welcome and thanks for your transparency!
If we truly believe in the sanctity of life then we should vote that way and not be afraid of any, I repeat any, repercussions. The only voice the child has is ours!
Every Catholic should sign a petition to their Bishop of their archdiocese and demand that more emphasis be put out against abortion. Some Bishops are against it but this will also let them know that they have our support. Each archdiocese should have a person to represent these petitions. I… Read more »
I have always been pro-life but recent events have motivated me to speak out mre forcfully and to donate more generously than ever. I also intend to call my local crisis pregnancy center to see how I can volunteer to help. I have long lamented the lack of action from… Read more »
Churches are afraid to say the truth about a lot of things, not just abortion. It’s a sad day for our country.
2 things need to be done: 1. Pastors need to preach and teach on the Lord’s meaning of “Do not judge, or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1), as that is used extensively by Pro-Choice Christians as their basis for “Well, abortion is not right for me, but I… Read more »
The GOD who ordained OUR NATION according to statements by OUR Nation’s Founders & recorded
by them will NOT continue to bless us as a Nation while thousands of Children are murdered in the name of
abortion. This murder is no different than Hitler and Stalin’s murders or the Romans!
today abortion tomorrow euthanasia for those who are a burden to society
the bible said these days would come. as it was in the days of noe..so shall it be in the day of the coming of the son of man
I honestly believe that’s why our churches are falling apart. Col. 1:17 says that everything was made by and for Jesus. When Jesus is removed, all things fall apart. That is what we are seeing now, everything is falling apart.
I see that writing on the wall as well. That was the true reason Terri Shiavo was murdered. The news portrayed her as non-functioning but she was able to move and make distinct voices to indicate preferences which meant she had decision capabilities. The church dropped the ball on her… Read more »
A human life is a human life from the moment of conception. When I saw the pink lights in One World Trade Center in NY actually celebrating this sick new decision, I became ill. Why would anyone want to celebrate the destruction of innocent life, infanticide, over and over and… Read more »
God said “vengeance is mine”. Those who kill innocent babies will be judged by God one day and if they don’t repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, then hell is their choice. So very sad. Who knows how many answers from brilliant leader, scientists, doctors have been thrown… Read more »
i am so disturbed at the silence from the church in response to this latest outrage it makes me sick. And to celebrate infantecide is surely demonic. If our churches won’t act we must as individual believers do so. We can all pray, donate and work to end abortion and… Read more »
It is typed below.
I feel strongly that we all need to flood the country/entire world with the
TEN COMMANDMENTS.
How about having an old fashion spelling bee, but using the
TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Please pass this idea along to everyone.
Thanks
Churches are filled with pro-choice congregants.
Until you can get these people to change their choice at the ballot box
abortion is only going to continue unabated.
And so many so called pastors try and appease their liberal members over doing what God not just wants them to do but DEMANDS that they do! Condemn abortion from the pulpit. If their liberal members don’t like it then leave!
Abortion is a crime calling on Heaven for vengance.
Those who participate in this crime will be subject to eternal punishment.
We pray they will see their errors and cease this crime.
I am with you brother. I lead the Watchmen on the Wall group in my church a Nazarene Church and attempt to get people involved in issues that concern Christians. But, its hard to get them excited about anything including sharing our Lord with the unsaved. Apathy exists everywhere in… Read more »
Murdering American citizens has always been illegal, until now, and if that can’t be adjudicated, on its face, to be coincident with the Constitution, the survival of the rest of the citizenry is threatened, because now there’s legal precedence for murdering innocent humans, because they’re inconvenient. What’s scary is the… Read more »
Our daughter wrote a letter that she mailed to pastors of 400 churches to impress on them the need to address the horrifying crisis of abortion, asking them to hold prayer vigils at their churches. Included with the letter was a petition to be signed by anyone who wanted to… Read more »
Though it’s tempting to be discouraged at the silence of many church leaders, remember that we must continue to be faithful and work to reform the church’s attitude on this. “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give… Read more »
What deep thought is required???……SIMPLE: 5th. Law:…..“Thou shalt not kill.” The better translation from the Hebrew would be “Thou shalt not murder” — a subtle distinction but an important one to the Church. Killing an innocent person is considered murder. Killing an unjust aggressor to preserve your own life is… Read more »
we are as guilty as the ones promoting it. our silence is consent. it’s time to be heard.
Reluctance to confront on the part of Church authorities is due to embarrassment over homosexuality and pedophilia in the ranks of priests and ministers. But these churches must remember that Jesus Christ chose men who were quite imperfect to teach and lead the church. Bishops in the United States as… Read more »
The protestant churches are approved, by the Vatican, if the leadership belongs to the Jesuit Freemasons among the higher degrees. They are a gang of assassins, hence the Jesuit oath, intolerant of all non-Catholics. They, in the rite of the 33rd degree, swear allegiance to satan, in the name of… Read more »
I urge you Christian brothers and sisters, DO NOT give $$ to any Church who is complicite with the child murder industry. If a Pastor or Priest rarely mentions this murder – and calls it what it is – then have nothing to do with that Church. They are owned… Read more »
“The Church” has joined the demonic problem and ‘The Church” must no longer be supported by our $$. Cut them off immediately. Pastors and Priests now openly collude with and support the child-murder industry.
Listen the truth of the matter is real I know of NO churches around me that will even talk of the sins including abortion, homosexual, or quite simply any of the things God is against and I asked one why and they took the cowards way out by saying the… Read more »
This issue is extremely important to me and has lead me to leave the ELCA and move to the LCMS in the recent month because of the ELCA’s Social Statement on Abortion. My belief is that life begins at conception as God stated “I knew you when I placed you… Read more »
I believe the devil and his demons are certainly having their way in the world today. I also believe the end days are very near and God will separate the wheat from the chaff. All we can do is continue to pray for those who seem to be on a… Read more »
I lost a child to an illegal abortion by state of Montana on my ex-wife. I was not allowed to weigh on on the decision. Since Montana at the time prohibited abortions after 16 weeks, Welfare would buy women tickets to Washington or South Dakota where abortions were allowed much… Read more »
It’s murder. What more is there to say
Conservative churches tend to be more anti-abortion than liberal churches. Even some liberal churches *say* they oppose abortion but then give several reasons for allowing them, even paying for them if the woman can’t afford it It is my firm opinion that every woman that has an abortion and every… Read more »
No doubt
Yes, the Church needs to speak out, from the Pope at the top through all the levels of the clerical hierarchy, right down to and including the faithful themselves. However, it would be easier for the faithful to speak out boldly if their pastors and bishops spoke out boldly. In… Read more »
You are right. Most churches have been turning a blind eye to the carnage that goes on daily. They turn a blind eye to the masses of mostly women, marching in the streets screaming for their ‘right’ to kill one of God’s creation. There are countless ways to avoid pregnancy… Read more »
I would love to hear something fanatic said against Abortion from the Vatican on a continual basis. After all Abortion is committed/ performed by the many hundreds on a daily basis.
I believe you are right! We need the perseverance of Donald Trump here. We must fight until the bitter end all in the name of saving these innocent babies. We may not be well funded, but if we all come together through our churches and politicians, and through prayer, we… Read more »
Just as in the past, young infant lives were sacrificed to false idols. It causes me great heartache to think our nation is doing the same due to selfishness. The blood of these innocent lives is on us ALL. Why are we murdering our babies? Have we forgotten the value… Read more »
Brian, thank you for these thoughts. It is so unfortunate but true that the silence on the issue of abortion is due to fear and ignorance. We at Biking for Babies are working to educate people and create change at the cultural level. Our missionaries promote the life-saving work done… Read more »
Awesome, keep up the great work!
John 15 :12++..how is it possible that they demand a fee to murder a fellow human ‘life who is supposed to be guaranteed by divine right the chance for freedom and to become his/her very best by divine rights and is what our early American father writers of our great… Read more »
I believe the whole world is under demonic attack. I believe all those who have made laws legalizing abortions should be convicted of murder in the first degree.People in the United States only fight for bad things,they don’t fight for things like doing away with abortion because that would be… Read more »
For you/us Christian Patriots; If the murdering of children is not a good enough reason to use your/our second amendment right then there never will be and god have mercy if we are so twisted to be thinking , ” I hope things never acyually get bad enough that we… Read more »
The cruel tearing about of a viable human being via late-term abortion is just plain MURDER! The destruction of a growing fetus is equally a murder. We and the church have start standing up for God’s creation! If the child is not wanted, give it up for adoption. There are… Read more »
Well said. We don’t reflect on the fact that God sent Jesus as a baby when He could have sent him in many other ways. It’s profound to imagine the sacrifice God made by sending His unblemished son to save sinful humanity.
Well written article. Churches are deadly silent about abortion just as many churches in Europe were silent about the holocaust in WWll. 60 million people died due to WWll 6 million of them were Jews. The “American Holocaust” we call abortion has already exceeded that total number with over 63… Read more »
THE pope has not said anything about the govern of NEW York,who is should be throng out of the church.
I can tell you what little I know from my experience. As a young, healthy, married, self loving women I was able, willing and with profound joy act according to my beliefs…. I had a dear sweet little boy and a girl like myself who I vowed to love with… Read more »
The shepherds are not discussing in the pulpits. We must engage the youth and share the scripture regarding fornication and the guilt of murder falls not only on the women but also on the men.. I cannot underscore how individuals have avoided giving themselves to Sunday school classes to reach… Read more »
It is appalling … the celebration and our ignorance, non-involvement, the church’s non-participation. How we carry on lightly when its a matter of life and death. How did we evolve to be a generation so insensitive and barbaric? But this is not a time for questions but to seek for… Read more »
The church is a FALSE church (Catholic and protestant etc) that has turned God into a clocking on exercise for an hour a week on a Sunday where all our sins are absolved and we can carry on with our wicked ways. Luther exposed the rotten church and little has… Read more »
It’s me again. Just want to clarify my comment. I do believe in praying for this country. That’s what the prophets did. I think I may have come across as hating the United States which I don’t in any way. And I don’t believe it is hopeless. I believe we… Read more »
No need to clarify and I think your intent is clear. I was just noting that many many people think prayer, by itself, is the answer. I disagree with that, as I think you do too. God, in some ways, has already answered our prayers by providing US as the… Read more »
In Australia, more than 45 MILLION babies have been murdered (yes that is what Abortion DOES!) since Abortion was legalised. While it is terrible that non-Christians and Atheists voted for the Abortion Law to be passed, it is a CURSE (as the 2nd Commandment calls sins) has fallen on all… Read more »
Brian, I had a woman of about 65 years of age and a solid Christian woman, tell me that no man had a right to tell a woman what to do with her body. I replied that I knew of nine men who told a woman what to do with… Read more »
Truth. Well said.
The leadership, or lack of it is why we are facing the assault on all christian’s of all faith’s and more so the Catholic faith. Shame on them. The people are so afraid of the PC police. Cut of the donations and let see what happens.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes called the Mormon Church, has a definite stand against abortion. During the recent Church General Conference (from Salt Lake City–April 6-7) one of the speakers stated unequivocally that the Church does NOT support abortion. In the handbook of Church policies there… Read more »