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Christians and the Contraception Culture

How Dobbs provides an opportunity for reflection

C. Ben Mitchell

Progressives and proponents of Roe v. Wade have done a lot of handwringing and social media-posting in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Citizens of a democracy like ours will understand that these court decisions have both a legal and an educational role. 

Roe and Doe v. Bolton, for instance, not only legalized promiscuous abortion, they also falsely taught generations of Americans that preborn human beings were merely “clumps of tissue.” Since then, education about what is going on in the womb has been crucial to the pro-life cause. The Dobbs decision provides additional opportunities for education on the profound truth that preborn human beings deserve the protection of the law. But the implications of this reality are far-reaching, providing impetus for reflecting on other, related issues.

Considering early views of contraception

Take the issue of contraception, for instance. From the beginning, and throughout its pages, Holy Scripture advances a presumption in favor of procreation. From the Creation mandate to “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Gen. 1:28), to the celebration of the psalmist that “children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” (Ps. 127:3-5), to Paul’s indication that an example of a widow’s good deeds is “bringing up children” (1 Tim. 5:10), the Bible is decidedly pro-natal (for procreation). Children are to be welcomed, not refused. 

Scripture’s presumption in favor of procreation was not because contraception was unknown in the ancient world. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) proposed using various natural oils as spermicides. Pliny (23-79 A.D.) encouraged sexual abstinence to avoid pregnancy. Barrier methods, including condoms made of natural materials, date back roughly to 1000 B.C. Despite those methods, Christians mostly avoided contraception until recently, welcoming children as a gift from the Lord and realizing that widespread use of contraceptives would inevitably lead to promiscuity.

Allan Carlson, president emeritus of the Howard Center for Family, Religion, and Society, corrects our collective memory loss about the role of American evangelicals in opposing birth control. He reminds us that American Evangelical Protestants were vocal in their opposition to birth control as recently as 100 years ago, passing laws and strong restrictions on the practice. 

All the same, by 1973—the year the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the abortion laws of all 50 states—American Evangelical leaders had not only given a blessing to birth control; many would come to welcome the Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade as a blow for religious liberty.1Godly Seed: American Evangelicals Confront Birth Control, 1873-1973 (Routledge, 2011), pp. 1-2.

In the early 20th century, at the 1934 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, messengers passed the following resolution:

The Southern Baptist Convention hereby expresses its disapproval of the Hastings Bill, now pending in the Congress of the United States, the purpose of which is to make possible and provide for the dissemination of information concerning contraceptives and birth control; whatever the intent and motive of such proposal we cannot but believe that such legislation would be vicious in character and would prove seriously detrimental to the morals of our nation. (Resolution on Birth Control, May 1, 1934, Fort Worth, TX).

Current considerations of contraception

Today, however, even pro-life Christians generally favor certain forms of contraception. Natural family planning (NFP) and barrier methods (condoms and cervical caps) are largely uncontroversial among most evangelical Christians. This seems to be the case because our understanding of the relationship between married sexual intimacy and procreation has been severed and family planning has been routinely embraced.2Blackburn, W. Ross. “Sex and Fullness: A Rejoinder to Dennis Hollinger on Contraception.” Journal of Evangelical Theological Society 58, no. 1 (March 2015): 117-130. Postponing children—whether for finances, finishing school, or after a career is settled—is more the norm than the exception, even among Christians.

The use of non-abortifacient means of contraception is also less controversial because they prevent pregnancy by preventing fertilization. The reasoning is that as long as embryos are not harmed, there is no harm in these forms of contraception. Abortifacient means of contraception (some forms of the contraceptive pill, the IUD, and elective abortion) are increasingly rejected by Christians, and for good reason, namely that they allow fertilization to take place, but force a woman’s body to reject the preborn human embryo or violently remove him or her.

Although it’s right and good to focus on the harm to the preborn, there may be other harms of birth control worth consideration, including the cultivation of a widespread culture of contraception such as the one we currently inhabit. There are good reasons God made our bodies ready to parent earlier rather than later in life. Postponing procreation increases the likelihood of infertility and complications during pregnancy.3L. Schmidt, T. Sobotka, J.G. Bentzen, A. Nyboe Andersen, on behalf of the ESHRE Reproduction and Society Task Force, Demographic and medical consequences of the postponement of parenthood, Human Reproduction Update, Volume 18, Issue 1, January/February 2012, Pages 29–43, https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmr040 Additionally, Mary Eberstadt’s volume, Adam and Eve After the Pill: Paradoxes of the Sexual Revolution, makes a convincing argument that widespread availability of contraception fueled the sexual revolution and its toxic aftermath of social pathologies such as abortion, divorce, cohabitation, and pornography.

Interestingly, a search of the annual resolutions of the Southern Baptist Convention does not find any resolutions on the ethics of birth control per se. Abortifacient methods of contraception and the distribution of contraceptives without parental consent are rightly decried, but whether or not married couples should use contraception is not mentioned at all, presumably because Southern Baptist have left that matter to Christian conscience. 

Important questions to consider 

Perhaps while we are working out the moral and legal implications of Dobbs for abortifacient contraceptives, it’s time for evangelicals and other Christians to rethink their understanding of the relationship of marriage and procreation and what that means for being complicit in an anti-natal (against procreation) culture of contraception. 

In a benchmark essay published in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Christian ethicist Dennis P. Hollinger offers a helpful set of arguments both against and for contraception.4https://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/56/56-4/JETS_56-4_683-96_Hollinger.pdf Several important questions to consider emerge from the discussion:

  1. Does the “procreation mandate” (Gen. 1:28) prohibit all forms of contraception?
  2. Does Scripture require that every act of sexual intimacy be open to procreation, or may married couples enjoy other goods of sexual intimacy (e.g., pleasure, union) while using non-abortifacient means of contraception?
  3. Can Christians be welcoming toward children and childbearing and at the same time practice birth control?
  4. The creation mandate to have dominion includes the command to intervene in the world and steward its resources. Are non-abortifacient methods of birth control examples of appropriate stewardship, allowing married couples to determine the number of children they should have based on the providence of God, their stage of life, and the financial and other resources they have?
  5. Might there be special circumstances in God’s providence where it may be dangerous to children who are born in that context (e.g., in a culture hostile to Christianity or where there is not adequate food and water)?

Praying through and answering these kinds of questions will help faithful Christians resist the pressures of the contraceptive culture while following the leadership of the Lord in their own families. As we celebrate, embrace, and care for children, may the Lord use us to contribute to a culture of life in our churches, communities, and throughout the country.

Ben Mitchell, Ph.D., is a research fellow of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and a member of the Ethics Committee of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. In 2020, he served as a member of the NIH Human Fetal Tissue Research Ethics Advisory Board. Mitchell served as a trustee board member of what was then the Christian Life Commission in the late 1980s, as the ERLC’s Director of Biomedical and Life Issues from 1992-1994, and afterward as Consultant on Biomedical and Life Issues from 1994-2013.

Article 12: The Future of AI

We affirm that AI will continue to be developed in ways that we cannot currently imagine or understand, including AI that will far surpass many human abilities. God alone has the power to create life, and no future advancements in AI will usurp Him as the Creator of life. The church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society.

We deny that AI will make us more or less human, or that AI will ever obtain a coequal level of worth, dignity, or value to image-bearers. Future advancements in AI will not ultimately fulfill our longings for a perfect world. While we are not able to comprehend or know the future, we do not fear what is to come because we know that God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:20-21; 5:2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-10

Article 11: Public Policy

We affirm that the fundamental purposes of government are to protect human beings from harm, punish those who do evil, uphold civil liberties, and to commend those who do good. The public has a role in shaping and crafting policies concerning the use of AI in society, and these decisions should not be left to those who develop these technologies or to governments to set norms.

We deny that AI should be used by governments, corporations, or any entity to infringe upon God-given human rights. AI, even in a highly advanced state, should never be delegated the governing authority that has been granted by an all-sovereign God to human beings alone. 

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 10: War

We affirm that the use of AI in warfare should be governed by love of neighbor and the principles of just war. The use of AI may mitigate the loss of human life, provide greater protection of non-combatants, and inform better policymaking. Any lethal action conducted or substantially enabled by AI must employ 5 human oversight or review. All defense-related AI applications, such as underlying data and decision-making processes, must be subject to continual review by legitimate authorities. When these systems are deployed, human agents bear full moral responsibility for any actions taken by the system.

We deny that human agency or moral culpability in war can be delegated to AI. No nation or group has the right to use AI to carry out genocide, terrorism, torture, or other war crimes.

Genesis 4:10; Isaiah 1:16-17; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 5:44; 22:37-39; Romans 13:4

Article 9: Security

We affirm that AI has legitimate applications in policing, intelligence, surveillance, investigation, and other uses supporting the government’s responsibility to respect human rights, to protect and preserve human life, and to pursue justice in a flourishing society.

We deny that AI should be employed for safety and security applications in ways that seek to dehumanize, depersonalize, or harm our fellow human beings. We condemn the use of AI to suppress free expression or other basic human rights granted by God to all human beings.

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 8: Data & Privacy

We affirm that privacy and personal property are intertwined individual rights and choices that should not be violated by governments, corporations, nation-states, and other groups, even in the pursuit of the common good. While God knows all things, it is neither wise nor obligatory to have every detail of one’s life open to society.

We deny the manipulative and coercive uses of data and AI in ways that are inconsistent with the love of God and love of neighbor. Data collection practices should conform to ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of all people. We further deny that consent, even informed consent, although requisite, is the only necessary ethical standard for the collection, manipulation, or exploitation of personal data—individually or in the aggregate. AI should not be employed in ways that distort truth through the use of generative applications. Data should not be mishandled, misused, or abused for sinful purposes to reinforce bias, strengthen the powerful, or demean the weak.

Exodus 20:15, Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Matthew 10:16 Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:7 

Article 7: Work

We affirm that work is part of God’s plan for human beings participating in the cultivation and stewardship of creation. The divine pattern is one of labor and rest in healthy proportion to each other. Our view of work should not be confined to commercial activity; it must also include the many ways that human beings serve each other through their efforts. AI can be used in ways that aid our work or allow us to make fuller use of our gifts. The church has a Spirit-empowered responsibility to help care for those who lose jobs and to encourage individuals, communities, employers, and governments to find ways to invest in the development of human beings and continue making vocational contributions to our lives together.

We deny that human worth and dignity is reducible to an individual’s economic contributions to society alone. Humanity should not use AI and other technological innovations as a reason to move toward lives of pure leisure even if greater social wealth creates such possibilities.

Genesis 1:27; 2:5; 2:15; Isaiah 65:21-24; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16

Article 6: Sexuality

We affirm the goodness of God’s design for human sexuality which prescribes the sexual union to be an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.

We deny that the pursuit of sexual pleasure is a justification for the development or use of AI, and we condemn the objectification of humans that results from employing AI for sexual purposes. AI should not intrude upon or substitute for the biblical expression of sexuality between a husband and wife according to God’s design for human marriage.

Genesis 1:26-29; 2:18-25; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Thess 4:3-4

Article 5: Bias

We affirm that, as a tool created by humans, AI will be inherently subject to bias and that these biases must be accounted for, minimized, or removed through continual human oversight and discretion. AI should be designed and used in such ways that treat all human beings as having equal worth and dignity. AI should be utilized as a tool to identify and eliminate bias inherent in human decision-making.

We deny that AI should be designed or used in ways that violate the fundamental principle of human dignity for all people. Neither should AI be used in ways that reinforce or further any ideology or agenda, seeking to subjugate human autonomy under the power of the state.

Micah 6:8; John 13:34; Galatians 3:28-29; 5:13-14; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:10

Article 4: Medicine

We affirm that AI-related advances in medical technologies are expressions of God’s common grace through and for people created in His image and that these advances will increase our capacity to provide enhanced medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions as we seek to care for all people. These advances should be guided by basic principles of medical ethics, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which are all consistent with the biblical principle of loving our neighbor.

We deny that death and disease—effects of the Fall—can ultimately be eradicated apart from Jesus Christ. Utilitarian applications regarding healthcare distribution should not override the dignity of human life. Fur- 3 thermore, we reject the materialist and consequentialist worldview that understands medical applications of AI as a means of improving, changing, or completing human beings.

Matthew 5:45; John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4

Article 3: Relationship of AI & Humanity

We affirm the use of AI to inform and aid human reasoning and moral decision-making because it is a tool that excels at processing data and making determinations, which often mimics or exceeds human ability. While AI excels in data-based computation, technology is incapable of possessing the capacity for moral agency or responsibility.

We deny that humans can or should cede our moral accountability or responsibilities to any form of AI that will ever be created. Only humanity will be judged by God on the basis of our actions and that of the tools we create. While technology can be created with a moral use in view, it is not a moral agent. Humans alone bear the responsibility for moral decision making.

Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:1

Article 2: AI as Technology

We affirm that the development of AI is a demonstration of the unique creative abilities of human beings. When AI is employed in accordance with God’s moral will, it is an example of man’s obedience to the divine command to steward creation and to honor Him. We believe in innovation for the glory of God, the sake of human flourishing, and the love of neighbor. While we acknowledge the reality of the Fall and its consequences on human nature and human innovation, technology can be used in society to uphold human dignity. As a part of our God-given creative nature, human beings should develop and harness technology in ways that lead to greater flourishing and the alleviation of human suffering.

We deny that the use of AI is morally neutral. It is not worthy of man’s hope, worship, or love. Since the Lord Jesus alone can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to its Creator, technology such as AI cannot fulfill humanity’s ultimate needs. We further deny the goodness and benefit of any application of AI that devalues or degrades the dignity and worth of another human being. 

Genesis 2:25; Exodus 20:3; 31:1-11; Proverbs 16:4; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23

Article 1: Image of God

We affirm that God created each human being in His image with intrinsic and equal worth, dignity, and moral agency, distinct from all creation, and that humanity’s creativity is intended to reflect God’s creative pattern.

We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.

Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 13:34; Colossians 1:16; 3:10; Ephesians 4:24