Southern Baptists affirm that every life is worthy of protection, beginning with the preborn. We believe life begins at conception and abortion denies precious human lives both personhood and protection (Jer. 1:5; Psa. 139:13).
Southern Baptists have continually reaffirmed the important role the federal government plays in protecting the consciences of taxpayers and government employees through the use of federal funding. The federal regulatory process is used to dictate how agencies may enforce the law, including how some federal funding can be used. In recent years, the Biden administration has continued to misuse these regulations by distorting federal law and funding to promote agendas that are anti-life and violate the biblical view of gender and sexuality, violating the consciences of millions of taxpayers and government employees in the process.
The Biden Administration’s agenda has pushed forward an anti-life agenda that harms both women and preborn mothers. These rules are primarily accomplishing this agenda through revoking previously established life protections being enforced by federal agencies or through creating new restrictions for individuals who are pro-life due to religious and moral beliefs. For example, at the beginning of January 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services rescinded conscience protections established in 2019 through a proposed rule, removing requirements for HHS to investigate complaints of conscience protection violations.
The ERLC is dedicated to pushing back against anti-life agendas and the misuse of federal funds to perpetuate the abortion industry. The ERLC has repeatedly submitted public comments in response to federal rulemaking, voicing concerns expressed by Southern Baptists through our annual resolutions and the Baptist Faith and Message. We remain committed to defending the lives of preborn children in federal policymaking.
