What is abortion abolition?

from the old testament

• Every human being bears God's image and therefore has inherent value. Genesis 1:26–27 teaches that humanity was uniquely created in God's image. That means human worth doesn't depend on age, size, development, ability, wantedness, or usefulness. The unborn are valuable because they are human beings created by God.
  
• David described God's involvement in his development before birth: “You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb” (Psalm 139:13–16). Job similarly spoke of God as the One who made him in the womb (Job 31:15; see also Job 10:8–12). The Bible presents a child in the womb as a person known and formed by God, not as meaningless biological material.
• God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5). Isaiah likewise described God's calling of His servant from the womb (Isaiah 49:1, 5). These passages aren't specifically about abortion, but they reinforce a biblical worldview in which life in the womb is under God's knowledge and according to His purpose.
  
• The Old Testament condemns the killing of innocent human beings: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6). Proverbs 6:16–17 likewise identifies “hands that shed innocent blood” among the things God hates. If the unborn are human beings, the biblical principle against shedding innocent blood applies to them as well.
• Israel was repeatedly instructed to defend those who could easily be exploited or overlooked (Deuteronomy 10:17–19; 15:7–11; Isaiah 1:16–17; Jeremiah 22:3). The unborn are among the most vulnerable human beings because they cannot speak or advocate for themselves. A biblical concern for justice, therefore, naturally includes concern for unborn children.
  
• The more vulnerable a person is, the greater our responsibility to protect them rather than exploit them (Deuteronomy 10:18–19; Psalm 82:3–4).
  

from the new testament

• Jesus reaffirmed the value of every person. Jesus taught that the greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37–40). He consistently treated people with dignity, including those whom society marginalized. If every person is our neighbor, then Christians cannot be indifferent toward the unborn simply because they cannot yet speak for themselves.
• Jesus specifically welcomed children and treated them as valuable. He said, “Let the little children come to me” (Matthew 19:14), and cited children as examples of those who belong in God's kingdom (Matthew 18:1–5). While these passages don't directly discuss abortion, they reinforce the Bible's affirmation that children possess dignity and value rather than being disposable or insignificant.
• The New Testament recognizes life in the womb as significant. In Luke 1, John the Baptist is described as a child in Elizabeth's womb, and the unborn John “leaped” when Mary, carrying Jesus, came near (Luke 1:41–44). Elizabeth calls Mary “the mother of my Lord” while Jesus is still in Mary's womb (Luke 1:43).
• Jesus called His followers to love their neighbors, care for the vulnerable, bear one another's burdens, and practice sacrificial love (Matthew 22:39; Galatians 6:2; 1 John 3:16–18). A truly pro-life Christian response should care about the unborn child and the mother.
• Christians should pursue justice without abandoning mercy. The Bible holds justice and mercy together (see Micah 6:8; Matthew 23:23; James 2:13). Christians can firmly oppose abortion while still recognizing that people involved in abortion may be confused, pressured, deceived, frightened, or suffering. Standing for the life of the unborn should never require treating another image-bearer with hatred or contempt.
• Christians are called to speak truth with gentleness and respect. Peter instructs believers to defend their hope “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15–16). Paul says Christians should speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). We don't need to weaken the truth about the value of unborn life but neither should we communicate that truth with cruelty.
• The gospel offers grace to people who have participated in abortion. Scripture teaches that there is forgiveness for repentant sinners through Christ (1 John 1:9; Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17). This is essential because a biblical defense of unborn life should never communicate that someone who has had an abortion is beyond God's mercy. Christians can defend the unborn while extending the gospel to people who have been impacted by abortion.

implications for today

Abortion abolition goes beyond simply saying that abortion is morally wrong. The abolitionist position generally argues that elective abortion should be completely outlawed and legally treated as the intentional killing of an innocent human being. Some abolitionists therefore advocate criminal penalties for abortion providers and, depending on the particular abolitionist position, for women who obtain abortions.

The biblical case for protecting unborn life is stronger than the biblical case for one particular modern legal strategy. The Bible gives us clear principles concerning human dignity, the value of innocent life, justice, mercy, and the protection of the vulnerable. However, the Bible does not provide a modern criminal code that directly answers every question surrounding abortion legislation. Christians should, therefore, distinguish between what Scripture clearly commands and the way we would like that implemented in society. The reality is that there is no theocracy. Therefore, believers seeking to uphold Christian values through the law is something we can fight for, but not something we should expect.

Christians can agree on the value of unborn life while disagreeing about how to pursue legal protection. Some Christians advocate immediate abolition because they believe equal protection requires elective abortion to be prohibited without exceptions. Others pursue incremental legal restrictions because they believe partial restrictions can protect more unborn children under current political circumstances. But remember: whatever position you take, the truth is we are pro-life and believe that unborn children matter. The debate is just about how far Christians should pursue justice in a fallen society.

The abortion abolitionist challenge deserves serious consideration. Should an unborn child be protected by the law? Abolitionists argue that if an unborn child is a human being made in God’s image, then that child deserves the same legal protection as any other human being. They challenge Christians to consider whether political difficulty or public opinion should determine who receives protection under the law. Christian: We should never redefine what is right simply because doing what is right is difficult or unpopular.

At the same time, we should think carefully about what approach will actually protect unborn life. In a society that largely does not see life as beginning at conception, we face many challenges if we expect the law to reflect a fully biblical view of the unborn. Let's uphold the view that life begins at conception and support organizations and ministries that help men and women see that. Let's ask the hard questions: When does life begin? What kinds of laws will actually protect the unborn and their mothers? Will a law actually save unborn lives? Can it realistically be enforced? How will a law regarding abortion affect women, children, and families? Could it create unintended consequences? Christians should pursue the protection of unborn life with courage and conviction, while also seeking the wisdom to determine what approach will best uphold the value of every human life.