For the last forty-nine Januarys, Christians in America have lamented, prayed, and marched in hopes that that Roe v. Wade would be overturned. By God’s grace an answer to that prayer came in the Dobbs decision last June. Spurred on by that legal victory, Christ Over All took the month of January to consider the ongoing fight against abortion. Throughout the month, we provided biblical, theological, and ethical resources to better understand the issues that pertain to abortion today, so that we can all stand against the wicked scourge of feticide.
The enlargement of this collection of essays, podcasts, and recommended resources is an evergreen treasure trove that you can bookmark for future reference. If you haven’t seen the whole collection from this month, here they are below (the longform essays are bolded):
Roe v Wade at Fifty After Dobbs
If the Lord Wills: Where Christ Over All is Going in 2023 By David Schrock – In 2023 we will cover topics from Roe v. Wade to roles in the church to Civil Rights to Progressive Covenantalism to Christian Nationalism and more—all Lord willing!
Roe at 50: Reflections and the Road Ahead By David Closson – What is the History of the Roe v. Wade supreme court decision, what did the Dobbs decision accomplish, and where do Christians go from here?
Should We Be “Whole Life Pro-Life”? By Brad Green – Is merely fighting abortion insufficient to be truly pro-life? Or is more required?
The Pro-Life Legacy of Francis Schaeffer By Christopher Talbot – How and why did Francis Schaeffer father the “pro-life” movement?
The Economics of Abortion in One Lesson By Kevin DeYoung – What domino-like effects are overlooked when abortion is the norm? And what would happen if this was put to an end?
Abortion and the Elimination of the Black Community By Marla Helseth – What effect has abortion had on the Black community in particular? And how ought Christians respond?
Don’t Women Need Access to Abortion for Rape? By Andy Naselli – If a conception occurred through a heinous act of rape, should the child be aborted? Should Christians end all abortion except for cases of rape?
How One Nineties Youth Pastor Fought Abortion With A Song By Trent Hunter – In the fight against abortion, we need more than just arguments. We need music—and much more.
Regarding ‘Friendly Fire’ Among Evangelicals over Abortion By Mark Coppenger – Incrementalists strongly advocate for a step-by-step approach to ending abortion, while abolitionist advocate for all-or-nothing. What’s a Christian to do?
What Shall We Make of Ectopic Pregnancy? By Mark Coppenger – What is an ectopic pregnancy, how does it factor in the fight to end abortion, and what ought be done about it?
For The Kids Nobody Wants: Imagine There’s No Children By David Schrock – The problem behind abortion is not merely a matter of laws and policies. It is a matter of what people feel to be good and right and beautiful: the social imaginary.
For the Kids Nobody Wants: Longing for and Loving the Little Ones By David Schrock – In order to end abortion, we need to consider what Scripture tells us about the blessedness of children and why we must protect the unborn and offer a new set of images, stories, and celebrations that reform our social imaginaries. Here are four truths that move us in that direction.
From Margaret to Martin to Mothers Today: Exposing the Negro Project and Its Deadly Effects By Virgil Walker – What links Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, and Martin Luther King Jr, the leader of the Civil Rights movement, and what influence does this link carry today?
Dobbs v. Jackson: A Victory for Life and Liberty by By John Avery – On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court decided Dobbs v. Jackson, which overturned Roe v. Wade. What legal history led to this momentous and life-saving decision?
Living in a Post-Roe World: A Future Pro-Life Strategy By John Avery – Now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned, what is a wise pro-life strategy? Read about four next steps that span from the local to the state to the federal level.
Abortion, the Christian Conscience, and the Stewardship of Voting By Aaron O’Kelley – As long as we remain pro-life in our hearts, does the choice of which politicians we entrust with power remain morally indifferent?
One-Issue Voting: A Red Herring, Not a Real Objection By Stephen Wellum – Is it irresponsible to be a “single-issue” voter, when the issue reveals the most basic beliefs on human life and dignity?
Abortion or Feticide: Words Matter When Life Hangs in the Balance By Trent Hunter – Euphemisms are deadly. Especially when they speak about tiny human beings in the wombs of their mothers.
Abortion and the Local Church in the Post-Roe Era by Celeste Eagle – What place do Pregnancy Care Centers have in relation to the local church? And how might churches seek a renewed focus on the Great Commission in a Post-Roe era?
By now, you have probably caught the vision for how Christ Over All is organizing our content. If you haven’t, you should check out the Themes Page. There, you can see in one place all the months we have published and with one click, you can see the Table of Contents for each theme. In short, we really intend our website to be a place you can find credible resources for important subjects in the near and distant future.
(How to) Love Thy Neighbor
Tomorrow begins a new month, and as we turn the corner to February, we will engage the subject of love. Only, instead of following Hallmark and its consumeristic appeal for Valentine’s Day, we will return to the Word of God to consider this question: How do we love our neighbors?
A number of years ago, I pulled up behind a car at a stoplight which had the equal sign of the Human Rights Campaign on it. In that moment, which took place right around the Obergefell decision, I remember thinking how effective such symbolism had become. When you see Twitter’s bird, Nike’s swoosh, or Apple’s apple, you don’t just see a logo, you see (and feel?) an entire way of approaching life.
So too with symbols like the rainbow and its corollary, “love is love.” While still God’s chosen symbol for communicating patience with sinners (see Gen. 9:13, 14, 16), the rainbow has taken on a quite different meaning in our day. Now, with tragic irony, the rainbow is a symbol inviting God’s judgment, not offering his mercy. It cloaks sexual perversion under the banner of universal love, it mocks God, and it confuses all those made in his image.
Indeed, when a movement can be encapsulated by a simple symbol or a colorful banner, there is a great cultural appeal, not to mention ethical confusion. In our day, it is unloving to question someone’s self-expression, and it is downright “sinful” to call sin “sin.” As many have noted, Isaiah 5:20 is one of the key verses for understanding our day. Our nation has called evil good and good evil. And those living amidst the shadows cast by our neighbors illicit loves are left wondering, “How do we love others, when Christian love is ruled hateful?”
That is the question we take up in February.
There is no question that the message of Christ is a message of love (see John 3:16; 13:34–35; 1 John 3:16). But because “love” is so ill-defined by so many inside and outside the church, we need to go back to the basics. We need to define what love is, according to the Scripture. And then, with a full commitment to a biblical view of love, we need to wisely, boldly, and sacrificially love our neighbors as God has instructed.
This February, that is our aim. And over the course of next 28 days, we have recruited many faithful scholars, pastors, and public theologians to help us engage the subject. Some of these voices you may know; others you may not. But we believe that the collection of articles that will be coming this month will help you and your church love others with the very love of Christ. Indeed, Paul said that love “rejoices in the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6), and it is our aim to publish many truths this month that will help you hold fast to truth, even as you reach out in love.
By God’s grace we will release multiple essays each week, as well as publishing our weekly podcast each Monday morning.
