(And on a Venn Diagram, the overlap here would be considerable.) The two-party system’s positioning on abortion and support for families perfectly encapsulates the point. His message was to Christians, but it could easily apply to the pro-life movement more broadly. According to recent Pew polling, Americans who think abortion should be illegal in all cases tend to be Republicans (67%), and those who think it should be legal in all cases are overwhelmingly Democrats (81%). They increasingly gathered within it, especially as Democrats became more extreme in their abortion views. Pro-lifers found a vehicle in the Republican Party to advance their legal agenda in recent decades. Quite simply: Our two-party system doesn’t have a place for the full expression of the pro-life cause. Why does the current pro-life lineup largely stop at birth and feel one-note politically? Wade, was kindled by liberal New Deal activists who saw themselves in a battle for human rights, advocating on behalf of those defenseless in society, with a diverse group of colleagues across political, racial, and religious divides. The beginning of the pro-life movement in America, according to Daniel William’s book, Defenders of the Unborn: The Pro-Life Movement before Roe v. They also demonstrated a distinctive commitment to the poor and racial justice and radical gender inclusivity by any secular measure of the day. Christians also spoke out against gladiator battles, in which captured foreigners and slaves fought to the death against each other and animals. Who’s marching for them? Who’s advocating for their families’ protection and support post-birth, the needs of which surpass what is currently given philanthropically and extend to public policy issues like job protection and our social safety net more broadly?įor those familiar with the pro-life movement both in the early church and the movement’s American founding in the early 20th century, it was rooted in a broad whole-life ethic.īut according to Hurtado, early Christians’ distinctive concern for life extended beyond infant care. And then there are all the women who never would have considered abortion and went ahead to deliver a baby but who lack the support they need to flourish, who also are living on the edge economically, relationally. But by focusing only there, especially in a post-Roe environment when the rate of abortion has dramatically been curbed, there’s a bigger story that’s not being told: that for each of the babies saved this year, there’s a mother who previously thought she didn’t have what it took - financially, relationally, socially - to raise a child. It would result in a world defined by shalom, a comprehensive peace, a world in which human beings flourish.To be sure, there’s debate to be had about where to draw the line. Generous Justice is the best book I’ve ever read about putting Christian faith into action… Were all Christians to respond to Keller’s understanding of Biblically based justice, it wouldn’t simply result in more social programs, food and shelter and health care for the needy. Justice skeptics and justice proponents alike will learn from Generous Justice. This is the most biblically informed and intellectually careful (read the footnotes!) “social justice” book I know of. Here is a book for believers who find the Bible a trustworthy guide as well as those who suspect that Christianity is a regressive influence in the world. In Generous Justice, Keller explores a life of justice empowered by an experience of grace: a generous, gracious justice. Isn’t it full of regressive views? Didn’t it condone slavery? Why look to the Bible for guidance on how to have a more just society?īut Timothy Keller sees it another way. It is commonly thought in secular society that the Bible is one of the greatest hindrances to doing justice.
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