Content notes: suicide, sexual assault, miscarriage, infant death, and eugenics
Pastor Lana Hurst, co-host Emmie Arnold, hospital chaplain Virginia Goss, and city government employee Brendan Birth share what they were taught about reproductive rights growing up; how the Church shaped that; what they believe now; and how they want faith institutions and people of faith to participate right now as rights are being stripped away. TL;DR: We support reproductive justice not despite our religious values, but because of them.
You can watch the full conversation on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/ALfaNWhHksM or with automated captions: https://tinyurl.com/2wy2vj4k.
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Many folks are feeling strong emotions about the likely overturning of Roe v. Wade, a 1973 Supreme Court ruling that made access to safe and legal abortion a constitutional right. Some are experiencing grief and anger, especially for those who would be most affected in up to 26 states that would limit or ban abortion entirely: BIPOC folks with few financial means. Others are experiencing gratitude because they believe that abortion numbers will be reduced by up to 13% in the United States and that abortion has been a stain on the country's moral standing. This stance, what's classically been called a "pro-life" viewpoint, is especially common among Christians who frequently attend church, pray, and read Scripture, according to a Pew Research poll about different religions' adherents' views on abortion. Some are experiencing feelings in between relief and anger, perhaps confusion.
No matter where you are on the spectrum of "pro-choice" to "pro-life," statistically speaking, you have people in your life who have gotten abortions. One in four cisgender women in America will have an abortion by the age of 45. Perhaps you are one of them, and perhaps you were made to feel shame for it, even if you are among the 95% of people who do not regret having an abortion. Whatever your story is, you are welcome here.
