Your Voice

Dobbs case can correct catastrophe of Roe v. Wade

By Brent Leatherwood
Acting president, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

“The unwanted child.” This disturbing phrase reverberates in one’s conscience after reading the U.S. Supreme Court opinion from the 1973 case, Roe v. Wade.

Justice Harry Blackmun authored the opinion that seems more like a creative writing piece than a decision rooted in the U.S. Constitution. If some legal analysts criticize judges for “legislating from the bench,” then Roe represents the creation, passage and implementation of a whole new frontier of law without any legislative input.

As a consequence, Justice Blackmun laid the foundation for the modern abortion architecture we see around us in society to this day.

The language and rationale he wielded has led to an unmitigated moral disaster: over 60 million preborn lives extinguished, vulnerable women and families preyed upon by predatory abortion clinics and whole communities targeted by an unrelenting abortion industry.

‘Grave mistakes’

With the oral arguments presented before the court this week in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the nine current justices have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revisit Blackmun’s catastrophic opinion, as well as that of Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992).

The Court should not hesitate to completely do away with it. The Court can correct the grave mistakes of its past in ways that should hearten not only pro-life Americans, but all Americans.

As Christians who recognize the Genesis 3 reality in which we live, we understand nothing short of Christ’s return will truly repair the brokenness that affects our relationships in a fallen world, but we should not fail to recognize the ways Blackmun’s opinion did harm here.

‘Sold a lie’

His reasoning essentially created a legal permission structure that pitted mothers against their children. Because of this, countless mothers have been sold the lie by the abortion industry that their lives will be burdened, less rich and rewarding, and, ultimately, less satisfying with a child in the picture. By overruling Roe and Casey, we can save a new generation of families from enduring these awful and false narratives.

In addition, the court would be taking a necessary step towards establishing a legal environment that views life as something to be protected, not discarded. Numerous experts agree that a favorable decision in Dobbs could return the question of abortion to the states.

In some states, there will be an almost overnight effect that moves their legal posture from a culture of death to one of life.

The right opinion in this case could comport with the very best of America’s ideals. A number of citizens believe that, at its essence, America is synonymous with freedom. Whether one fully agrees with that statement or not, it is undeniable that our nation has played a role in expanding the definition of freedom around the globe.

Even in our current moment, we are having a national conversation about the implications of that term for every individual.

Yet it shouldn’t be lost on us that as we have this dialogue, our culture continues to steamroll the lives of millions of the tiniest individuals in our society each year. That cannot continue.

National moment

The Dobbs case affords our nation a moment when we can finally decide to be consistent and loudly declare that the blessings of America’s “new birth of freedom” extend to born and preborn alike.

The reality is, it is past time for the court to dismantle the disastrous reasoning posited by Blackmun nearly 50 years ago.

By affirming his words, the court robbed generations of preborn children of their dignity, an atrocity that must be rectified. And while that will go a long way towards correcting the errors of the past made by the state, it is up to Christians to realize such a decision is not the end of the challenge before us. In fact, it will represent the starting point for a new prolife generation.

For all the good that a favorable court decision would do, there will still be mothers in crisis who are either unable or unwilling to give a child the love and care he or she needs. It will be at this moment when the true test comes — and the church must be ready.

It has a duty to look out for the child in all of this. To be her voice. To be her advocate. And we should stand ready to welcome her with open arms (Mark 10:14) and let her know the Author of life has wanted her all along.

Court hears Roe challenge

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Dec. 1 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The case involves a Mississippi law banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

In his opening argument, Mississippi Solicitor General Scott Stewart asked the court to overturn Roe v. Wade, returning the power to regulate abortion law back to the states or to Congress.

Mississippi argued that since the Constitution does not address the issue, states should be allowed jurisdiction.

During the debate, Chief Justice John Roberts suggested the court could look at Mississippi’s 15-week law as a new viability standard, rather than 23 to 24 weeks established previously by the Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey decisions.

Justices tend to view oral arguments as a time to answer any questions they may have developed while reading previously filed briefs.

A decision in the case is not expected until later next year. Read more about the case at tabonline.org/jackson.

Making the most of Christmas

The human longing for hope is a powerful force.

People have always longed for hope, but particularly as we emerge from the pandemic, many people hope Christmas will be a fresh source of hope.

Unfortunately, their misplaced hopes are often connected to the fleeting pleasure of receiving a gift or the illusion of dysfunctional families somehow coming together.

People also associate Christmas with rest, with taking some time away from normal demands. Most schools and many companies wind things down near the end of the calendar year, which creates a natural time to recharge for the next year’s sprint. Even more than recent years, people are pandemic-weary and longing for rest right now.

The Christmas season also satisfies, for some, a basic spiritual impulse to connect with God and His redemption story. They may only be Christmas and Easter Christians, but at least they have enough faith tradition to connect on that basic level. It may only be a flicker of spiritual interest, but at least it’s there.

This Christmas season … focus on offering hope to hurting people. Focus on the gospel as a source of rest and peace. Focus on fanning spiritual flickers of faith, not extinguishing them by making sarcastic comments about casual commitments.

The Christmas season is an unprecedented opportunity to communicate hope to the hurting and rest to the weary. It’s a good time to fan flickering faith and enhance relationships for future ministry.

President Jeff Iorg
Gateway Seminary

(Read the full article at gs.edu/presidents-blog/making-the-most-of-christmas.)

Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Placide Cappeau
French poet and lyricist of “O Holy Night”

To be faithful means you trust even when you don’t see. God has not abandoned you. God is at work.

President Jamie Dew
New Orleans Seminary

Everything you go through in life is for Christ. Your mountaintop experiences are for Christ. Your deep valleys are for Christ.

Pastor Ed Litton, SBC president
Redemption Church

Disaster relief remains one of [our] wonderful Christ-centered ministries, made up of 7,000 trained, credentialed and background-checked volunteers from all of our churches.

Mel Johnson
Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief task force

One of life’s greatest satisfactions is to have people who really know us — and still love us.

Gary Chapman
Author and pastor

Maybe you know [the] gospel story. Maybe you base your life upon it. Maybe you want nothing to do with it. Whatever your story … read the beginning of the greatest life ever lived. Read how it has changed me and so many lives completely. Then, if you are one of the people whose lives have been changed, share it. … Share it using your voice, your life and your testimony.

“The Christmas Story= The Gospel Story”
laurengroves.me

As we think about Christmas, let us not forget that the primary purpose of it is the celebration of Christ as our Redeemer.

Morris Murray Jr.
Jasper, Ala.

From the Twitterverse

@macbrunson
The cross of Jesus Christ affected human history long before the Roman Empire existed, before the pages of the Old Testament appeared, long before the crucifixion ever took place.

The cross will have the final say over all of time and eternity.

@nathanfinn
I’m thankful today for Twitter. No, seriously. It amplifies angry and ignorant voices, to be sure. And cyberbullying is a real thing. But Twitter also enhances existing relationships and can serve as the front door for what become strong relationships. So, two cheers for Twitter.

@sPeytonHill
Recently, an unchurched husband & wife were invited to our church by the wife’s hairdresser, one of our members. They both heard the gospel, experienced real community, repented of their sins & placed their faith in Jesus. Today, they went public with their faith through baptism!

@ReavisJr
I do sermon prep the old fashioned way! A Bible, books & a writing tablet! Love it!!!

@lorifrank1
Every [preacher’s kid] grows up with the weight of knowing their sins … could be the bullet that loads the gun aimed at their father.

@PaulTripp
Christians should be the most consistently thankful people on earth.

@dandarling
This is a symptom of not just a busy culture, but a busy heart. We are restless creatures because we are running from the solitude that allows us to meditate, to be quiet, to hear God speak, to repent. It’s uncomfortable to face ourselves, so we fill our time with distractions.

@revandyfrazier
I love the local church. What a gift of grace!

@EdLitton
A church filled with people who know they’re sinners is a place where God abides, where His gospel shines brighter than anything else. —David McLemore

@CSLewisDaily
If God forgives us we must forgive ourselves otherwise it’s like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him. —C.S. Lewis

@TAndrewBrown
He who counts the stars and calls them by name is in no danger of forgetting his own children. —Spurgeon