Laws Don’t Change Hearts
Shifting the Battle for Life to Hearts and Minds
We are witnessing the death throes of an old paradigm. What do I mean by this? In the past, politicians often demonstrated their conservative credentials primarily through their stance on abortion.
This approach was coupled with a tendency among many in the church, though not universally, to limit anti-abortion efforts to political advocacy rather than engaging in the hard work of convincing our neighbors. As a result, the old paradigm is now dying.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned and abortion laws were returned to the states, that old paradigm shifted. Now, the responsibility of convincing our neighbors of the evils of abortion is a truly shared responsibility. It is no longer a task that can be left to politicians alone.
Politicians, however, are reluctant to let this paradigm die for several reasons. Some see it as an opportunity to argue that Trump is not a true supporter of life, thereby distinguishing themselves from him—Mike Pence’s stance exemplifies this. Pence stated
“Republicans win on life when we speak the truth boldly and stand on the principle that we all know to be true – human life begins at conception and should be defended from womb to tomb,” Pence said in the post.
“However much our Republican nominee or other candidates seek to marginalize the cause of life, I know pro-life Americans will never relent until we see the sanctity of life restored to the center of American law in every state in this country.”1
Others cling to it to maintain alliances that funnel money into their campaigns. Still others, whether out of mischief or opportunism, seek to further divide the more conservative elements of the party—Lindsey Graham’s push for a national abortion ban exemplifies this.
“The South Carolina senator chose a uniquely tense moment to unveil his party’s first bill limiting abortion access since this summer’s watershed reversal of Roe v. Wade. It was designed as a nod to anti-abortion activists who have never felt more emboldened. Yet Graham’s bill also attempted to skate past a Republican Party that’s divided over whether Congress should even be legislating on abortion after the Supreme Court struck down a nationwide right to terminate pregnancies. And some fellow Republicans said they were highly perplexed at Graham’s decision to introduce a new abortion ban—more conservative than his previous proposals—at a precarious moment for the party.”2
Finally, some fear that any new approach may be perceived as a retreat from the goal of banning abortion altogether, a concern that resonates with many conservatives, including me.
The reality is that the reversal of Roe v. Wade challenges Christians to take on the hard work of persuading our neighbors that abortion is wrong. The burden to abolish abortion is now a truly shared responsibility.
Consider William Wilberforce: his efforts in Parliament were matched by the abolitionists' work on the ground. Abolitionist, Thomas Clarkson was instrumental. While Wilberforce made the case in Parliament, “Clarkson was a tireless campaigner and lobbyist. He made an in-depth study of the horrors of the trade and published his findings. Clarkson toured Britain and Europe to spread the abolitionist word and inspire action. As a result, the abolition campaign grew into a popular mass movement.”3
Thus, slavery wasn’t abolished in Parliament until it had already been rejected in the hearts of most Englishmen. Similarly, our conservative friends who are lamenting the death of the old paradigm may need to be reminded that abortion will not be abolished in America until it is first abolished in the hearts and minds of our neighbors.
Kiera Fraser, Pence slams Trump’s abortion stance as a slap in the face, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/08/trump-abortion-pence-00151080 accessed on Aug 14, 2024.
Burgess Everett, Marriane Levine, and Sarah Ferris, Graham’s Abortion Ban Stuns Senate GOP, https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/13/grahams-abortion-ban-senate-gop-00056423
Royal Museums Greenwich, https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/how-did-slave-trade-end-britain accessed on August 14, 2024