If someone handed you a seed and you planted it. Then, after some time goes by, the seed grows into a beautiful plant. Would you say, “I created that plant?” No, you stewarded something that was given to you. But God created it. He created the seed and the plant. God is the source of life and we, his creation, are the resource. We aren't “co-creators” with God.
This is vital language we can't miss when speaking about life and abortion. It's what Roland Warren, Care Net's President and CEO, and Vincent DiCaro, Care Net's Chief Outreach Officer, discuss in the newest episode of Carecast, Care Net's podcast on family, faith, and life. Let's listen in on what Roland and Vince have for us this week on Carecast.
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An article was featured in The New York Times about how religious leaders are using religious freedom arguments in favor of abortion. The article said that in order for us to have the religious freedom we deserve in the United States of America, we must have access to abortion because abortion allows us to carry out important principles of our religion.
Interesting tidbit, Satanists were involved in this argument as well. But the tragic thing here is that there were some Christian religious leaders who were standing alongside Satanists and making the same arguments. Vincent and Roland point out, if we’re talking about something that includes a spiritual or moral issue, and you are a Christian pastor, and yet you and the Satanist are aligned in the same article—you might want to pause and rethink your stance.
The problem can easily be heard in the language you’re using to justify your position on the issue. Terms like bodily autonomy, choice, freedom, and other buzzwords are being used for this argument. Again, it’s one thing for Satanists to use these words, it’s another thing to see a Christian leader using the same language and having the same perspective.
The use of culturally popular terms makes abortion seem harmless, maybe even a positive thing, for women. One disturbing take is from a senior pastor at Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ who said in The New York Times article titled Religious Freedom Arguments Underpin Wave of Challenges to Abortion Bans,
“We believe God is the source of all life and has caused us to share in the work of creation…the privileges and responsibilities of being part of co-creating means women have the ability and the wherewithal to make the decision that's right for them.”
This statement starts out with truth—God is the source of all life. Okay, so far so good. But it quickly strays from the truth by saying that women co-create life alongside God. As Roland and Vince point out on the podcast, that would be like someone handing me a seed, and after I planted it in the garden and it grew, I then say that I created the plant. No, I stewarded something that was given to me. God is the source of life and we, his creation, are the resource.
As horrific as this is, some Christian leaders are standing alongside their secular and satanic counterparts affirming them in their use of biblical imagery and terminology—all to justify ending the lives of innocent unborn children. The article reinforces something that we’ve known for years now: one of the most pressing battles in the fight to end abortion is within the church. Data tells us that 54% of those who have abortions professed to be either Catholic or Protestant. Our pro-choice culture has long pointed to Christians who profess to be pro-choice as a justification as to why abortion should never be made illegal. We will never end abortion in our culture if we, in the church, can’t agree that abortion is wrong and should be ended.
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We created a new booklet answering the question, “Is the Pro-Choice Position Consistent with the Life and Teachings of Jesus?” If you want to learn a number of solid biblical arguments that support the Pro Abundant Life position, we encourage you to download a free copy.
