Church in What Context?

From Crystal, who heard about it from Amy, on a blog I've visited before, is an article that struck me as timely in my life. I mentioned a few posts ago that I participated last Saturday in my first abortion protest. Why not before? Lame excuses like being busy or being overwhelmed by the problem or being too angry about it to keep myself under control.

While there, the man who drove our group, who has been interceding for the unborn on the sidewalks outside abortion clinics for years, wondered aloud (which is always intentional for him) about churches that never mention abortion. They never preach on its evil. Church leadership would rather have you feeling good about yourself than make a desperately needed difference in the world. My pastor is not like that. He's willing to speak to issues, though he doesn't do it a lot. And our church supports a pregnancy center designed to combat abortion by offering help.

I also applaud Focus on the Family for their continued support of the silent millions. They did a campaign a few years ago to get ultrasounds (or maybe an advanced 3D ultrasound?) into pregnancy centers across the country, citing claims that when women see their baby, they're much less likely to murder it. They walk the line of political involvement, but let me say here that in this presidential race, media and campaigners will tell you the social policies and personal convictions of a president don't matter, because he doesn't make the laws. This is not true. The president directs use of some money, and many administrations have funded Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion "provider" in the United States. He also has the power to veto legislation (law-making) that could potentially increase or reduce the right to life. (See this recent example.) He can ask congress to consider legislation. Presidents are public voices, in a position to influence issues about which the people are thinking, even if he cannot sway their thought. And he chooses Supreme Court Justices, who initially "legalized" abortion with Roe v. Wade, and who have continued to defend the horrific procedures, though in the last few years they did uphold the law passed by congress outlawing partial-birth abortion. We've a long way to go.

Granted the seriousness of the situation, let me point you to the article I mentioned above, that insists when we design our worship in our churches, we have to put them in context: the context that our country is guilty of at least 50 million legal abortions. Does church have an answer to offer?

To God be all glory.