Toward A Truly Pro-Life Vision

I've decided to practice what I preach a bit for the next few Devos by taking on some hot-button issues that have been incredibly divisive. My hope is to demonstrate that there are nuanced and more moderate ways to approach them as followers of Jesus.  

I know.  I'm taking my life in my own hands by doing this, but there you go.  I figured I'd start with the most divisive issue, one that has Christians of all stripes divided in all kinds of ways: the debate over abortion rights.  

Before you stop reading, hear me out.  We need to find better ways to disagree with one another in our current culture and to see each other better.  Even when it comes to hot-button issues, we can (if we work at it) find common ground to stand on.  

With that in mind, I want to share some sage words from author Caitlin Moran on what it means to be "pro-life," and how those words should have an impact on Jesus-followers: 

“I cannot understand anti-abortion arguments that centre on the sanctity of life. As a species we've fairly comprehensively demonstrated that we don't believe in the sanctity of life. The shrugging acceptance of war, famine, epidemic, pain and life-long poverty shows us that, whatever we tell ourselves, we've made only the most feeble of efforts to really treat human life as sacred.” 

Caitlin Moran’s words cut through the noise of our polarized debates. They challenge both those who call themselves pro-life and those who identify as pro-choice to reckon with the deeper question: Do we, as a society, truly value life as sacred?

Too often, “pro-life” rhetoric stops at the unborn while remaining silent about the suffering of the living—the child born into poverty, the mother without healthcare, the refugee turned away, the student killed in a classroom, the soldier lost to a war we’ve grown numb to. 

Can we call ourselves pro-life if we defend the unborn but not the breathing? The Gospel paints a broader picture: Jesus came that “they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Abundant life is not just survival—it’s flourishing, dignity, and care for body and soul.

Yet Moran’s critique doesn’t absolve those on the other side of the debate either. Being pro-choice must also mean being pro-support—creating systems of care so that no person feels forced to choose between financial ruin and parenthood, or between autonomy and abandonment. 

Love demands more than slogans; it requires solidarity. “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

If life is sacred, then the work of valuing it must extend from womb to tomb. It means ensuring healthcare, education, safety, and equity for all. It means supporting mothers and fathers, protecting children, rejecting violence, and dismantling systems that degrade human dignity. 

It means honoring the complexity of moral agency—the God-given ability to choose, to discern, to act with compassion and conscience.

To be truly pro-life, then, is to love life in all its forms and stages—to see every human being as made in the image of God, deserving of care, protection, and freedom. Only then can we move beyond the narrow boundaries of debate and toward a vision of beloved community where life—in all its messy, miraculous, embodied fullness—is truly sacred.

Prayer:
God of life and compassion,
teach us to see Your image in every person, born and unborn, rich and poor, strong and vulnerable.
Help us move beyond arguments into action—toward justice, mercy, and care for all life.
Show us how to build a world where every life is valued, and every choice is met with love.
Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. How might a truly “pro-life” vision change the way you think about issues like poverty, healthcare, and violence?

2. In what ways can you help create a culture where choosing life—at every stage—is supported and celebrated?

3. How does your faith call you to hold compassion and conviction together when facing complex moral issues like abortion?