Abortion & Religion
I don’t believe abortion should be thought of principally as a religious issue, as it is portrayed when pro-life advocates are accused of trying to force their religion on others. It doesn’t take religious faith to see that it is wrong to take an innocent human life (as is evidenced by the existence of groups such as “Secular Pro-Life“).
That is what abortion means — taking an innocent human life — no matter how one might try to hide that fact behind euphemisms such as “terminating a pregnancy.” Only someone blinded by unbridled political ideology could deny the basic biology behind that truth.
Yes, women sometimes find themselves in crisis situations where bearing a child to term would be difficult. Those women need our compassion and support, and solutions ought to be sought to their problems. But killing an innocent human being is never a licit solution. One wouldn’t dream of suggesting to the mother of a three-year-old and a five-year-old who can’t support her family that she should consider killing one of her kids. But that’s precisely what we’re talking about with abortion. Again, it doesn’t take religious faith to see that.
Every human person has a basic dignity that needs to be respected, regardless of age, ability, ethnicity or income level. That foundation gives us a place to start the conversation. At the very least, that means every human person has a right to life. If that basic right is not respected, no right will be respected.
So abortion is not really a religious issue. But that doesn’t mean our Christian faith doesn’t have some very important things to tell us about abortion. Here are three.
In the beginning…
Our faith teaches us that each human person is made in the image of God. That’s a big deal. While Genesis says God finds everything he makes “good,” only man and woman are said to be made in his image. That makes us better than good. It makes us like God. That means we have an even greater dignity than most of us realize; and that makes violating that dignity an even worse offense.
In the fullness of time…
Our faith teaches us that “in the fullness of time” (Gal 4:4) God became incarnate as a human being. He did that so that he might offer his life for us on the cross to redeem us from our sins. He did that because he loves us. He thinks we’re worth dying for, each one of us. That’s how important every human being is to God.
At the end of time…
Finally, our faith teaches us that each one of us will be judged by that same Christ at the end of our lives, and that we will be judged according to how we loved “the least of these” (Mt 25:40), the most vulnerable and helpless among us. Christ calls for us to love one another with the same love that he gives to us (see above). It’s really hard to see how killing an innocent person because they are small and inconvenient is compatible with that command.
So abortion is not purely a religious issue, but violating the innate human dignity of the human person does have religious consequences. In fact, it can have eternal consequences.
But the other thing (the very good thing) that our faith teaches us about abortion is that it can be forgiven. God loves each one of us, as I said. He loves the unborn. He loves the abortionist. And he loves those who may have made the horrible decision to end the life of their child in the womb and who now regret it. He offers his mercy and forgiveness to all who seek it. There is always a way forward in faith.
Today, on this National Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of the Unborn, let us pray not only for the unborn, but for all those responsible for making legal and policy decisions about abortion in our country, for all of those involved in the abortion industry, for all those who work tirelessly at crisis pregnancy centers and in pro-life advocacy, for all mothers who find themselves in a difficult pregnancy, and especially for those who chose abortion in the past and who need the healing of the Divine Physician.
Lord God, Author of Life, hear our prayers. Amen.