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Too missional for abortion?

Written by Anthony Bradley

March 2, 10:34 AM

The number one social justice issue forAfrican-Americans in New York City is abortion. Period. The city s abortion rate is twice the

nation average, with 41 percent of all pregnancies ending in abortion. According to recent data,the rate for blacks is even higher: 59.8 percent. For Hispanics it s 41.3 percent, Asians 22.7

percent, and whites 20.4 percent. In 2009, unmarried women accounted for 84 percent of theabortions in the city.

To make matters worse, votes will be cast today for Bill 371, which will effectively shut down

New York City s pro-life crisis pregnancy centers by imposing outrageous regulations that mostcenters do not have the manpower to implement.

Then last month, controversy was stirred up over a billboard erected in SoHo noting, The mostdangerous place for an African American is in the womb. The billboard was only around for a

few days.

All of this has me wondering why the missional, center-city evangelicals, who are all aboutjustice, loving the city, renewing the city, serving the city, etc., do not seem to consider

abortion one those flagship justice issues.

I ve been browsing the mercy and justice websites of several of New York s well-known

churches and Christian non-profit groups for discussion of New York s abortion crisis. Outside

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of the crisis pregnancy centers themselves, I have not found much of anything. What one willfind are very good discussions on subjects like fighting homelessness, improving inner-city

education, opening women s shelters, and dealing with sex trafficking and juvenile delinquency.I raise this issue because I am concerned that perhaps the missional pendulum has swung too far

in one direction.

There are groups of 30-something-and-under Christians in cities who are trying to present adifferent kind of evangelical Christianity one that s not so political and not so much about

culture wars, protesting abortion, or escaping the culture to the safety of the suburbs. Thesegroups have made a conscious decision to not live out Christianity politically.

But Christian withdrawal from politics can inadvertently undermine the justice work of the

church by not having a voting presence to maintain religious liberties for Christians to do whatthey are called to do. I fully recognize how an organization s non-profit status constrains certain

types of activities and speech, but if New York s Christians are not encouraged to get involved inthe politics of religious liberty, people are going to die, literally.

If there were pro-life Christians on New York s City Council, Bill 371 would fail and the crisispregnancy centers would not be in jeopardy of closing. Bill 371 is a reminder that if your center

city church is too missional for the politics of abortion and religious liberty, Christianityeventually will be limited to serving and renewing the city in rhetoric only.

1. BY ODannyBoy 03.02.11 AT 11:53 AMAbortion will never be stopped as long as it is treated solely as a political issue.

Abortion will never be stopped as long as Pro-Life people are only willing to usemethods that rely solely on getting mothers in crisis pregnancies to make the right

choice.

Abortion will never be stopped by killing abortionists.

If abortion is ever to be stopped, it will be by treating the unborn as individual human

beings and doing unto them as we would have them do unto us. As long as we are willingto stand aside after all other methods have failed and allow these little ones to die, we

have no chance to stop abortion.

How many little ones have died today in our cities by our choice not to interfere? Howmany of us are willing to sacrifice our freedom and perhaps our lives to save theirs?

Unless we are willing to stand between them and death, abortion will continue.

Proverbs 24:10-12 states:

If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Rescue those who are being

taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say,

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Behold, we did not know this, does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does nothe who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his

work?

If abortion is ever to be stopped, it will be because we will stop functioning in a Pro-

Choice mode, and start refusing to let the little ones die unless it is over our dead bodies.It will only stop when we are willing to sacrifice all.

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2. BY michelle 03.02.11 AT 12:00 PMIt s an interesting problem and I wonder if it might be generational. Our PCC svolunteers are overwhelmingly in their 50s and 60s; we have a handful of young women

but for the most part it s the Baby Boomer generation that is providing the service.

Some of this may be because of the high cost of living, women have to work and don thave time to volunteer.

Some of it may be the chilling nature of the younger generation. My son told me this

weekend that when he made the statement, I don t approve of abortion, at hisuniversity, the three women he shares an office with were astonished anyone would think

that. We ve lost the hearts of many in the younger generation.

I ve never understood how the African American preachers can remain so silent on thisissue. Or anyone, really.

But, after 25 years of researching and reading about abortion, I keep thinking it has to dowith the hardness of hearts and the blood guilt on so many people s hands. I d guess

almost everyone knows someone who has had an abortion, or knows one of theirrelatives. You don t want to pile on more guilt, but there are so many walking wounded,

it s hard to ignore all the trauma which abortion has inflicted on our society.

We need to continue to preach the good news, in season and out, be Jesus hands andfeet not his mouth and stand firm. God knows, and loves them all.

Abortion is NOT an unforgivable sin.