3 lessons from the March for Life 2023
By / Jan 25

Last Friday, thousands of enthusiastic individuals from every corner of the pro-life movement gathered on the National Mall for the March for Life. This year was my first March, but many around me had traveled hundreds of miles each January for 50 years. This time, they gathered with a sense of victory in light of the overturning of Roe—but also with a solemn awareness that there will always be reason to keep going. 

Now that the movement’s igniting cause has been settled, many wondered if the March would continue. On Friday, the organization’s leader Jeanne Mancini asked the eager attendees, “Should we still march?” The crowd responded with cheers and excitement because most are all too aware of the work left to be done. Conversations throughout the day centered on the tragedy of increasing access to abortion pills that undermines state-level abortion bans, the newfound importance of pro-life state legislators, and ultimately, the task of affecting “hearts and minds” of our neighbors who are blind to the innate value of a human life.

I came away from this moving experience with three important reminders.

Praise God for our freedoms: I’m thankful that the ERLC is present in conversations about preserving religious freedom. 

No matter what happens next, we are free to raise our voices to defend the defenseless. Looking around at friends and strangers lifting up their voices as well as their banners was a moving experience. One of the most powerful moments was when a woman named Casey who has Down syndrome spoke on stage about the amazing opportunities she has had and the love and joy in her family. “I love my life!”, she exclaimed. In our global context, petitioning the government with hope and joy is a rare sight, and one to be treasured. 

Embrace interfaith and interdenominational efforts: The pro-life movement is a team effort and an opportunity to unite with our neighbors. 

The March for Life embodies unity among differences—it is a tapestry of diverse yet allied voices from many religions, and especially many Christian denominations. As I walked next to Jesuit, Catholic, and Lutheran brothers and sisters, just to name a few, I was inspired to learn more about their beliefs and lifestyles. I was challenged to see them as teammates instead of strangers with whom I see differently on important theological matters.

We may have different approaches to defending the defenseless, but it is our collective efforts at the local level that affect individual decisions for life.

Proceed faithfully: Our pro-life work should reflect our Savior.

One reason I was hesitant about coming to the March for Life in years’ past is because I feared being associated with messages that didn’t represent the truth, grace, and mercy of Jesus. My friends who counsel post-abortive women have seen the harm of shameful messaging targeted at women who chose abortion. However, my worries about insensitivity at the March proved largely untrue, at least in 2023.

Like any collaboration of imperfect humans, there is going to be some messiness, and to those in our churches who have been shamed pre- or post-abortion, I am truly sorry. Together we must proceed faithfully, holding tightly to Jesus’ example when he interacted with those considered by society to be the worst of sinners, like in this powerful scene: 

“And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners’” (Mark 2:16-17 ESV).

It was 49 years ago that that the first March for Life was held on Capitol Hill following the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973, a case that fabricated a Constitutional “right to abortion” and led to abortion access in every state. Since then, the pro-life community has opened pregnancy care centers, called on members of Congress to enact policies that help inform mothers about abortion and its alternatives, adopted children who were born into adversity, and faithfully marched. Every single year, whether in deep snow, rain, or cold, thousands have marched to stand up for the rights of the voiceless in the United States.  

Throughout my lifetime, I hope to see many victories for the preborn, for the disabled community, for those at the end of life, and others who are silenced and prevented from living the life God gave them. When the decisions don’t go our way, we must continue to exercise our freedoms to assemble and petition. When enemies try to divide our movement and our churches with strife, we must remain unified and focused. When we make judgements and mistakes in the process, we must proceed faithfully, centered on the compassion of Christ.

Moving forward, the movement will change with policy and culture, and the essential work of Southern Baptist churches and the broader pro-life movement must continue. My experience at the March inspired me to keep going until abortion is unthinkable in America and around the world, and I hope you will too.

5 small pro-life steps churches can take
By / Jan 18

The March For Life will take place this week in Washington, D.C., beginning on the National Mall and proceeding to the steps of the Supreme Court. Hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children walk this path to advocate for the dignity and protection of human life, especially in its most vulnerable form, that of life in the womb. This year, they will also in march in celebration of the historic overturning of Roe v. Wade.

I was fortunate to be among those who marched a few years ago, and as we made our way through the streets, past monolithic buildings, and historic landmarks in our nation’s capital, I thought about what would come next, after the march was over. When the peaceful chants could no longer be heard and the decorated signs displaying pro-life views had been stacked in the recycling bins, as we all climbed into Ubers or hurried into local coffee shops and restaurants to rest our legs or escape the cold, would we find ourselves decidedly more pro-life than before the march began?

I hope the answer is yes. It is for me. While the march is a powerful and even emotional experience, I am challenged to not let a demonstration be the end of my pro-life advocacy for the year. Even while Roe has been overturned, there are many involved in the ongoing work needed to ensure that our government be held more accountable for protecting human dignity for all. There are also heroes among us who are serving tirelessly in pregnancy centers and clinics, not to mention the countless ministries and churches who commit to serving the women and men in crisis due to unplanned pregnancies each year.

If spending a few days in Washington taught me anything, it was that the opportunities to stand for life are endless. Even when we are not participating in organized efforts, our call as Christians to love our neighbors and and our belief that every person is created in the image of God compels us to live pro-life. 

What your church can do

As I think about what this looks like in a practical sense, and how the application of a gospel-based pro-life ethic will look different for every person, I’m brought to the realization that this all comes together within the context of the local church. Sometimes churches, and especially church leaders, may feel as if pro-life ministry is yet another work they ought to be doing, while at the same time feel they are failing miserably.

However, the more I consider how my own church can do a better job of fostering a pro-life culture, the more I’m convinced that the steps are small and doable for almost any pastor, leader, or member to begin today. Here are a few that come to mind:

1. Look for and support the pro-life efforts already happening in your church

There is a good chance that church members in your congregation are already engaged passionately in fighting for life. Begin having conversations with your members, asking around for anyone who is involved in ministries like foster care, pregnancy center support, or serving those with special needs. If your church actively preaches the gospel and teaches a Christian worldview, it is very likely that disciples of Christ are already at work. As church leaders, we have the opportunity to encourage and empower them (Eph. 4:12).

It can be difficult to gain traction quickly when launching a new ministry or focus in your church, especially when you and your fellow staff or volunteers are busy with the administrative duties of running a church. Rely on your church members already carrying the baton to let you know where the pro-life work is happening and how the church can better resource its members to engage even more deeply in those efforts.

2. Teach a whole-life, pro-life view to your church members 

It is impossible to teach the Word of God accurately and miss God’s desire for human flourishing. Genesis to Revelation reveal that he is the author of our lives, faith, and salvation; so, we must obey his commands. From the senior pastor down to the small group Bible study leader, the local church needs to teach a pro-life ethic that is consistent with and rooted in Scripture.

As church leaders, we have a responsibility to help people see their own role in caring about human dignity and the protection of life, especially in its most vulnerable forms. It’s not “too political” to advocate for issues of life from the pulpit when your authority is the Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and your church is filled with grace and love for people who have not always valued life.

3. Commit to educating yourself and your people toward a fuller pro-life ethic

In the same way that we grow in the understanding and knowledge of God when we read and learn his Word, we have an opportunity to grow in understanding on many issues surrounding the protection and flourishing of life. As leaders or members in the church, we need to be learners, not to be inflated by knowledge but to live and work for the good of those around us who might see our good deeds and give glory to God (Matt. 5:16).

Attend a conference, and learn from professionals working to advance life across the board: in special needs ministry and advocacy, in immigration reform, in human trafficking rescue, and in anti-abortion legislation. We cannot be experts in everything, or even several things. Inviting church members, perhaps even paying their way when resources allow, to join you in educating yourself on issues of life sends a strong message that you care about human dignity and how to better incorporate a pro-life ethic into your church and city.

4. Evaluate the priorities of your church

As a church leader, you carry the important and difficult responsibility of deciding which environments and programs your church will offer to foster discipleship. Strategic decision-making is important in churches that want to see growth in Christ. As such, it is important to ask if your church shares opportunities for members to engage in pro-life work, whether formally through set ministries or informally by sharing stories of church members engaged in parachurch ministry.

This is not to say that if your church doesn’t have a full-blown orphan care ministry complete with its own budget and staff that your church isn’t fulfilling the commands of Scripture. For example, our church supports ministries like our local pregnancy center through financial giving, participating in local advocacy efforts, and by encouraging church members to volunteer. We know that their staff is doing work that our church is not equipped to do on its own.

However, if we find that we are caring for our members without equipping them to live on mission, then we need to re-evaluate. What’s more, if we find that our ministries are catering to the comfort and satisfaction of our church members and not to reaching out to a lost culture around us, then it’s time to repent.

5. Celebrate the diversity of opportunities for pro-life ministry

We need every member of the body of Christ to fulfill the Great Commission and help build the church (1 Cor. 12). We also need every follower of Christ to envision a world that values the sanctity and dignity of human life, and to work toward that end. There are wonderful and abundant opportunities to engage in pro-life work.

In my former church in the states, I knew of members pursuing adoption, fostering children, counseling survivors of sex trafficking, volunteering at the local pregnancy center, caring for refugees, and preparing to move overseas to share the gospel in foreign places. If you see a lack of energy in your church toward pro-life causes, it’s time to practice what you preach.

Starting a ministry isn’t the only way to support pro-life work—host a foster care education class, take a small group to your local pregnancy center to volunteer, or give to a supply drive for single moms choosing life. These needs exist in our communities, and unless we make the theoretical practical for our church members, a pro-life worldview won’t connect as deeply as when the stories and testimonies are coming from our own church members.

The March For Life is held in January to coincide with the Supreme Court Case of Roe, the outcome of which legalized abortion in the United States. For almost 50 years, the conviction that every human being deserves life has made its way through the heart of our nation’s capital. And God has honored the millions of prayers for preborn children in the overturning of Roe. Now, our prayers and work turn to the state level where we proclaim the absolute sanctity of every human life.

God is still listening, and he has not been silent. No one is more pro-life than God, and in his great mercy and love for his people, he has also extended grace to those who have chosen abortion or compromised the dignity of a human life. Nothing is more pro-life than the gospel, and so gospel work is pro-life work. In our freedom and our ability to do so, we, as followers of Christ, must pray and consider how we will enter into this work individually and corporately. The needs are great and the opportunities are abundant. Let’s make sure our churches are the places where women and children are most dignified for God’s glory.

March for Life 2023, South Carolina’s 6-week abortion law, and Stand for Life
By / Jan 13

In this episode, Lindsay and Brent discuss the South Carolina Supreme Court striking down the state’s 6-week abortion ban. They also talk about the pro-life organization and the March for Life happening next week.

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  • Dobbs Resource Page | The release of the Dobbs decision marks a true turning point in the pro-life movement, a moment that Christians, advocates and many others have worked toward tirelessly for 50 years. Let us rejoice that we live in a nation where past injustices can still be corrected, as we also roll our sleeves up to save preborn lives, serve vulnerable mothers, and support families in our communities. To get more resources on this case, visit ERLC.com/Dobbs.
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The March for Life continues in our homes, churches, and communities
By / Jan 21

Today is the 49th Annual March for Life, and it could potentially be the last one before the disastrous precedents in Roe and Casey are overturned by the Dobbs case. Advocates for life have longed for the day our laws will protect the most vulnerable among us — the little ones in the womb. The March for Life is the world’s largest human rights gathering, and it’s an incredibly powerful display of commitment to the protection of the preborn. Nellie Gray, the founder of the march, “after realizing congressional protection of the unborn was not on the horizon, decided to hold a March for Life every year until Roe v. Wade is overturned.” 

In December 2021, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case titled Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The Dobbs case reviewed a Mississippi law titled the “Gestational Age Act” that prohibits abortions after 15 weeks except in a medical emergency and in cases of severe fetal abnormality. This law replaces the ‘viability standard’ created by Roe with a limit on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The issue the court examined is whether pre-viability prohibitions on elective abortions are unconstitional. 

Dobbs is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the court to overturn the harmful precedents in Roe and Casey. With each passing day, more and more people recognize preborn lives are worthy of protection. The Dobbs case provides another chance for the court to come to that same conclusion and affirm the fundamental right to life. If decided favorably, this case would potentially expand protections for children in the early stages of gestational development.

Where the March for Life continues

While the March for Life is an important annual event for pro-lifers to promote the innate dignity and worth of every single person, the real work happens in our homes, our churches, our neighborhoods, and our communities. Every one of us has an essential role to play in changing views on abortion, because we are uniquely situated to love our neighbors.

If Dobbs is decided favorably, abortion won’t end overnight. Instead, abortion will be sent back to the states. The need to care for vulnerable women and their preborn babies will increase, and Christians must be ready and willing to stand in the gap and provide care.

While we work to ensure that our laws protect the preborn, we also must work toward a day when abortion is unthinkable and unnecessary. Scripture is clear that every life has innate dignity and worth, and that abortion ends the life of a preborn baby. The reason women choose abortions varies greatly, from believing that a child will hamper their professional growth and abilities, to not desiring to parent a child at that point in their lives, to feeling as if they can’t provide for a child. Our response to abortion must be as multifaceted as the reasons women choose to abort. Solutions can’t be one size fits all. Because each woman has unique needs, we should care for her and her child individually.

How we can pray 

There are dozens of ways we can get involved in caring for women and their children, and we should prayerfully discern how the Lord is leading us to engage. Personally, I’ve served in a variety of capacities at different times and different seasons throughout my life. But each one of us can regularly pray for abortion to end and for a day when a woman doesn’t feel like her only choice is an abortion. Here are some other ways you can pray: 

  • Pray that every woman facing an unplanned pregnancy would be surrounded by a caring community who’ll support and love her.
  • Pray that women’s hearts will be changed and they will choose life for their children.
  • Pray that more people would get involved in becoming foster or adoptive parents.
  • Pray that the church would be the safest place for vulnerable women and their children.
  • Pray that laws would be passed that protect life.

How we can serve

In addition, there are countless ways to get involved in serving in the pro-life movement. I encourage you to spend some time discerning through prayer how the Lord is calling you to serve. Below are just a few ways to get involved:

  • Volunteer at your local pregnancy resource center.
  • Financially support a pregnancy resource center or a pro-life ministry.
  • Throw a baby shower for a woman who’s choosing life for her baby.
  • Consider volunteering as a CASA (court appointed special advocate for children and youth in fostercare).
  • Consider becoming a foster or adoptive parent.
  • Support foster or adoptive parents in your local community.
  • Help women access child care resources.
  • Teach a parenting class.

As we continue to work toward a day when our laws protect the little ones in the womb and abortion is both unthinkable and unnecessary, may we do so with the love, grace, and kindness of Christ. Our words and deeds — whether interacting with pro-choice advocates, helping a mother choose life, or ministering to the woman who has had an abortion — should ultimately point others to the grace, forgiveness, and salvation that Christ offers.

The history of the March for Life
By / Jan 21

Each year the March for Life — which is the world’s largest human rights demonstration — is held on or around the anniversary of the United States Supreme Court’s decision legalizing abortion in the case Roe v. Wade. The first March for Life was held in the nation’s capital on Jan. 22, 1974 — exactly one year after the Roe decision was announced. Since then evangelicals across the country have returned each year to support the overall goal of the march to “end abortion by uniting, educating, and mobilizing pro-life people in the public square.”

Evangelical involvement early on

When the original march began, though, abortion was still considered a “Roman Catholic issue.” While individual evangelicals may have opposed abortion, many major Protestant groups were either silent on the issue or supportive of abortion in some way. For example, in 1971, the leadership of the Christian Life Commission (later reconstituted as the ERLC) even supported a resolution — which was later adopted at the SBC annual meeting — that called upon Southern Baptists to “work for legislation that will allow the possibility of abortion under such conditions as rape, incest, clear evidence of severe fetal deformity, and carefully ascertained evidence of the likelihood of damage to the emotional, mental, and physical health of the mother.”

At the time, SBC leadership was not out of alignment with local churches on the issue. A poll conducted by the Baptist Sunday School Board in 1970 found that 70% of SBC pastors supported abortion to protect the mental or physical health of the mother (which is the core rationale in the Roe decision), 64% supported abortion in cases of fetal deformity, and 71% in cases of rape. Evangelical leaders would eventually adopt the pro-life cause, but at the time of Roe the primary opposition was being led by Catholic activists like Nellie Gray. 

How the initial march came to be

In 1973, Gray was in her late 40s and working as a lawyer in the Labor Department. “It was such a shock to think that anyone would kill an innocent human being,” she told a television interviewer. To allow abortion, she said, was out of character for a nation that had recently passed civil rights laws and had helped at the Nuremberg trials to convict Nazis of crimes against humanity.

Since she was familiar with Washington, D.C., other Catholic activists reached out to her about holding a rally on the first anniversary of Roe in 1974. “I received a call from the Knights of Columbus,” said Gray. “I didn’t even know who they were, but they explained their stance against abortion and needed a place to meet to discuss plans for a march. That place was my living room. About 30 people gathered there and they asked if I could help get speakers for the event since I knew Capitol Hill well.

“What I couldn’t get was a master of ceremonies for the event,” she said. “Politicians didn’t want to get involved in a march, and people at that time weren’t interested in marches after the civil rights movement and other things. That left the emcee job to me.

The initial march was intended to be a one-time event. But since there were still funds left over, the organizers used them to launch the March for Life Education and Defense Fund. Gray retired from her government job to become a full-time pro-life activists, running the organization from her home. Before her death in 2012, Gray had attended every March for Life, which at the time totaled 38 rallies.

The original March in 1974 was attended by 20,000 pro-lifers. By 2003, the event brought in around 250,000 attendees each year. In the past few years, however, an estimated 300,000–400,000 people braved the cold to attend the D.C march.

Over the past few decades, the march became a focal point for pro-life organizing, with numerous events held in conjuction with the event. In 2016, ERLC and Focus on the Family hosted a major pro-life conference called Evangelicals For Life to advocate for preborn lives and vulnerable mothers, help increase awareness among evangelical Christians of the March for Life, and motivate them to participate.

This year’s March for Life events will begin with a rally today at 12 p.m. ET on the National Mall. Following the rally, the March will proceed up Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court and Capitol Building.

Jeanne Mancini on the March for Life
By / Jan 19

This week, Chelsea Sobolik sits down with Jeanne Mancini, President of the March for Life. They discuss how and why the March began, this year’s theme and how Christians can get involved in caring for women and their preborn children.

Guest Biography

Jeanne Mancini was appointed to the role of President of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund in the fall of 2012. In this capacity she proudly directs the small non-profit organization committed to restoring a culture of life in the United States, most notably through the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., held on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

Previously Jeanne worked with the Family Research Council (FRC), where she focused on issues related to the inherent dignity of the human person, including abortion, women’s health, and end-of-life issues. Prior to FRC Jeanne worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Office of the Secretary. Her federal government experience includes global health policy, as well as domestic and international health care issues. Before working in public policy, Jeanne worked for the Catholic Church in a variety of positions involving educating on life issues, human sexuality, marriage, and family.

Jeanne has made frequent media appearances including interviews on MSNBC, CNN, FOX, ABC, CBS, and others. Jeanne’s writings have appeared in The New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, USA Today, the Washington Post and numerous others publications.

Jeanne holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from James Madison University and a Master’s degree in the theology of marriage and family from the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. Jeanne resides in northern Virginia with her husband, David.

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Three leaders who shaped the evangelical Pro-Life Movement
By / Jan 29

Every January the March for Life rally brings thousands of people to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to “end abortion by uniting, educating, and mobilizing pro-life people in the public square.” This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the “heightened pressures that law enforcement officers and others are currently facing in and around the Capitol,” the event organizers have made the rally virtual and are encouraging pro-lifers to join by watching the broadcast online. 

The event brings in around 250,000 attendees each year, including tens of thousands of evangelicals. (In 2016 the annual Evangelicals For Life Conference began to coincide with the March for Life.) But when the original March began in 1974, abortion was still considered a “Roman Catholic issue.” 

For example, prior to the 1970s, many Southern Baptists either took no position on abortion or were accepting of legal abortion under certain conditions. A poll conducted by the Baptist Sunday School Board in 1970 found that 70% of SBC pastors supported abortion to protect the mental or physical health of the mother, 64% supported abortion in cases of fetal deformity, and 71% in cases of rape. In 1971, the leadership of the Christian Life Commission (which was later renamed ERLC) even supported a resolution—which was later adopted at the SBC annual meeting—that called upon Southern Baptists to “work for legislation that will allow the possibility of abortion under such conditions as rape, incest, clear evidence of severe fetal deformity, and carefully ascertained evidence of the likelihood of damage to the emotional, mental, and physical health of the mother.”

Fortunately, there were still some leaders within evangelicalism who understood the necessity of protecting life in the womb. Although thousands of people helped launch the movement, there are three leaders who during the 1970 and 1980s had a particularly important influence on getting evangelicals to embrace the pro-life cause. 

Harold O.J. Brown

When abortion became legal throughtout the U.S., Harold O.J. Brown, a Harvard-trained theologian, historian, and philosopher, was working as an associate editor at Christianity Today in 1972. As WORLD magazine notes, “On Jan. 21, 1973, he joined some members of the American Medical Association and the Christian Legal Society in New York to discuss abortion and a strategy to combat it. The next day, the high court handed down its Roe v. Wade decision. Brown hurried home to write his magazine’s lead editorial.” 

“This decision runs counter not merely to the moral teachings of Christianity through the ages but also to the moral sense of the American people,” wrote Brown in that editorial. 

Three years later Brown left the magazine and founded the Christian Action Council, the first major U.S. evangelical pro-life organization, and became a contributor to newly established journal, The Human Life Review. The Christian Action Council would later adopt the name “Care Net,” and become one of the major networks for pregnancy resource centers. 

When Brown died in 2007, Michael Kruger, now the president of the Charlotte campus of Reformed Theological Seminary, said that Brown’s “most central place of influence is rightly considered the pro-life movement. He not only anticipated the problem before abortion was legalized, but he has been one of the great organizers of actions to deal with the problem.” 

C. Everett Koop

One of the men who joined Brown in founding the Christian Action Council was Dr. C. Everett Koop. Koop was a pioneer in pediatric surgery who invented many of the anesthetic and surgical techniques that are now used on neonates and infants. In 1956 he established the nation’s first neonatal surgical intensive care unit, and became the first editor of the Journal of Pediatric Surgery when it was founded in 1966.

Early in his career he became convinced that “abortion amounted to taking a sacrosanct human life.” This lead him in 1975 to wrote The Right to Live; the Right to Die: Famous Pediatric Surgeon Speaks Out on Abortion and Mercy Killing. The influence of Brown is apparent in this book, observes Matthew S. Miller. “Koop evidently kept Brown’s articles close at hand as he put his own thoughts to paper,” says Miller, “He quotes from Brown more than from any other source (other than the Bible), often whole paragraphs at a time.” 

In his memoir Koop says, “I aimed the book primarily at Christian readers, as I sought to awaken the evangelical community to a vital moral issue they were choosing to ignore.” The 120-page treatise would sell over 100,000 copies in its first year of publication, and another 100,000 in the years that followed. 

Koop’s pro-life activism caught the attention of newly-elected president Ronald Reagan, who nominated Koop to be U.S. Surgeon General in March 1981. When Reagan published his 1984 book on abortion—the only book to be published by a U.S. President while in office—the original version included an essay by Koop titled “The Slide to Auschwitz.” 

Francis Schaeffer

In 1950, Koop removed the appendix of a young girl named Priscilla, which sparked a lifelong friendship with the girl’s father, Francis Schaeffer. A few years later, Schaeffer would leave the U.S. to set up the ministry organization called L’Abri (“The Shelter”) in Switzerland. Harold O.J. Brown brought Schaeffer back to the states to give a series of lectures in Boston, including at Harvard. These lectures lead to Schaeffer and his wife Edith becoming well-known figures within evangelicalism. 

After the Roe decision in 1973, Schaeffer took up the cause of opposing abortion. In 1979, he partnered with Koop on Whatever Happened to the Human Race?, a project that included a five-part film series, a book, an activist handbook, and an international lecture tour. 

“In Washington, D.C., the series was screened by prominent politicians and opinion makers; churches across the country showed the series to their congregations,” noted PBS. “Thousands of evangelicals heard Schaeffer’s message and became persuaded that they had a duty—indeed, a moral obligation—to set aside their long-standing aversion to politics and step into the political arena.”

“It is difficult to overestimate the incredible impact that Francis Schaeffer and Dr. C. Everett Koop made on evangelical Christians in the latter third of the 20th century,” said Richard Land, former president of ERLC. “Everyone devoted to the pro-life cause owes an incalculable debt of gratitude to Francis Schaeffer and to Dr. C. Everett Koop.”

46th Presidential inauguration, Uyghur “genocide,” and a conversation about ERLC social media content
By / Jan 22

In this episode, Josh, Brent, Julie, and Meagan discuss the inauguration, QAnon in light of Trump leaving the White House, the new COVID-19 variant, Uyghurs “genocide,” the four nominees for SBC president, the March for Life going virtual this year, and the states Americans are choosing to work from home in. Julie also gives a rundown of some of the ERLC’s most popular content from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Julie

Julie Masson serves as Director of External Engagement for the ERLC. She is responsible for strategic planning, development and implementation of the ERLC brand strategy across all ERLC departments and provides leadership and oversight for the ERLC marketing team as well as coordinating external affairs and partnership deliverables. Julie and her husband Jesse spent two years in Spain with the International Mission Board before moving to Kansas City where they live with their three children. She is a graduate of Iowa State University. You can connect with her on Twitter: @juliermasson

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  8. Randy Adams announced as nominee for SBC president
  9. Pastor @EdLitton to be third candidate for SBC president
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Mouthwash vs. COVID-19, Brexit Countdown, and a conversation with Mary Wiley
By / Dec 18

In this episode, Josh, Brent, and Lindsay discuss the first American to receive the coronavirus vaccine, Biden and Pence getting the vaccine live on TV, how mouthwash slows COVID-19’s spread, Brexit, J.D. speaking at the March for Life, snow days, and Dolly Parton saving someone’s life. Lindsay also gives a rundown of this week’s ERLC content including the ERLC Staff with COVID-19 and the concern about aborted fetal cells in medicine, Jordan Wooten with “How lament can lead to hope in a time of plague: Grieving our losses amid the pandemic,” and Jason Thacker with “What is Parler, and why does it matter?” Also in this episode, the hosts are joined by Mary Wiley for a conversation about life and ministry. 

About Mary

Mary Wiley is the author of Everyday Theology, an eight-week Bible study exploring essential doctrines and why they matter in our everyday lives. She holds an MA in Theological Studies from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, works in publishing, and hosts the “Questions Kids Ask” podcast. She and her husband, John, have two children and live near Nashville. You can connect with her on Twitter: @marycwiley

ERLC Content

Culture

  1. Critical care nurse in New York is among first in US to receive a coronavirus vaccine
  2. Covid has killed more than 300,000 nationwide
  3. Biden, Pence to get COVID vaccine soon
  4. Gargling Could Slow COVID-19 Spread, Mouthwash Makers Say
  5. Emmanuel Macron: French president tests positive for COVID
  6. Brexit Countdown: What To Know As The United Kingdom Breaks With The EU
  7. AP: The Electoral College decisively confirmed Joe Biden on Monday as the nation’s next president
  8. Inauguration committee urges people not to travel for Biden’s inauguration
  9. Greear to be first SBC president to speak at March for Life
  10. Parts of the Northeast blanketed by over a foot of snow
  11. Fantastic snow day letter from Jefferson County Schools in West Virginia
  12. National Treasure Dolly Parton Literally Saved the Life of a 9-Year-Old Actress on the Set of Her Latest Christmas Movie

Lunchroom

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Sponsors

  • End of Year Giving: If you’ve benefited from the content shared on this podcast, would you please consider making a year-end donation? Any individual donations we receive, apart from the Cooperative Program, goes to placing ultrasound machines in pro-life pregnancy centers, advocating for religious liberty, and human dignity here at home and across the globe.
  • Searching for Christmas by JD Greear. This book is perfect for giving to unbelieving friends and family this Christmas.

Explainer: Executive Order to protect born-alive babies
By / Sep 29

President Trump signed an executive order that seeks to ensure that “infants born alive, no matter the circumstances of his or her birth, have the same dignity and the same rights as every other individual and are entitled to the same protections under Federal law.”

The “Executive Order on Protecting Vulnerable Newborn and Infant Children” clarifies several existing laws, including the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA), Section 504 of the Rehab Act and the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act to ensure born-alive babies in American hospitals are entitled to non-discriminatory access to medical care,with the consent of a parent or guardian, when they present at hospitals receiving Federal funds.

EMTALA ensures an individual’s access to emergency medical screening and stabilizing services, regardless of the ability to pay. The Executive Order clarifies thatE MTALA applies to all children, including those born prematurely, are born with a disability, or survive an abortion. It further clarifies Section 504 of the Rehab Act, which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by programs and activities receiving Federal funding. The Born-Alive Infants Protection Act makes clear that all infants born alive at any stage of development are considered persons for purposes of these and other federal laws and are, therefore, afforded the same legal protections as any other person.

Even though there are existing laws, some hospitals refuse to properly provide lifesaving medical care to babies who were born prematurely, with a disability or babies surviving an abortion. The Executive Order directs the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to “ensure that individuals responsible for all programs and activities under his jurisdiction that receive Federal funding are aware of their obligations toward infants, including premature infants or infants with disabilities, who have an emergency medical condition in need of stabilizing treatment, under EMTALA and section 504 of the Rehab Act, as interpreted consistent with the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act.”

The Office of Civil Rights at HHS has passed regulations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to further clarify the protections, and have a complaint portal where the public can file a complaint if they believe that a child has not received proper medical care.

Why is this important?

Any measure that seeks to protect vulnerable born-alive babies ought to be applauded, because Christians affirm that every life, both unborn and born has inherent dignity and worth. We should celebrate when our laws protect all life. The majority of Americans support limits on abortion. According to a Marist poll, 70% of Americans would limit abortion to the first three months of pregnancy, or to a more stringent requirement. Nearly half of those who identify as pro-choice (47%) also support such restrictions. Labeling someone as “pro-choice” doesn’t clearly indicate how they view restrictions and limits on abortion and lumps everyone into the same category.  

What’s next?

This executive order is a positive announcement of administrative policy, yet, a permanent and legislative solution is needed. Congress should swiftly pass the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to ensure that every child, including those who survive attempted abortion, is fully protected under the law. This important bill would amend the federal criminal code to require any health care practitioner who is present when a child is born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion to, first, exercise the same degree of care as reasonably provided to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, and second, ensure that such a child is immediately admitted to a hospital.

The ERLC is committed to defending the vulnerable at every stage of life. Withholding medical care from an infant who was born alive denies the human dignity affirmed to them by God. Such a callous dereliction of responsibility by both the legal system and medical profession also denies that child’s basic human right of life as guaranteed by the United States Constitution.