My Thoughts on Roe V Wade as a Woman, A Pastor, and a Follower of Jesus.
For the last week and a half I’ve sat with my thoughts, quietly letting the Holy Spirit minister to me since the leak of the Roe V Wade draft from the Supreme Court.
At risk of adding to the noise, I’m going to add my thoughts below. As a female, as a pastor, and as a Christian, I feel my perspective is unique (although I know I join a like-hearted chorus). I hope to bring clarity to those that would hear it… and consolation to those who would receive it.
First of all - to my girlfriends who have terminated their pregnancies: I love you. I’ve walked with you, held you, I’ve been on the phone with you at 1AM as you cried until words couldn't come. I write this for you. I hope this post honors you. I feel both deep, horrible sadness for you, and also a defensiveness.
To my girlfriends that aren’t Christians: and think my life is weird (I run a church, I talk about Jesus incessantly), I hope you will hear me. Your friend. This post is probably going to offend the hell out of some of you... but I hope you will hear it all the way through, and know that it’s me: Jessie. Your friend who cares about your womanhood. As well as justice. As well as truth.
First and foremost - whenever the law is involved, there is political tribalness. And it runs deep, fam. Politics, after all, are the new religion. For years we have had talking points discipling us in our own views. Following Jesus in politics is ALWAYS hard, because what would Jesus do… here?
Lastly, I honor the very real fear that comes from being pregnant. Even if you are prepared, have a supportive spouse and a steady income, the responsibility of carrying a child is overwhelming. The loss of independence, the loss of control of your body (bye bye abs, hopefully we will see you later), the uncertainty of raising someone, the fears of inadequacy. Really, they are crushing for every mom - even ones who are well supported. I honor the nature of pregnancy. From the beginning of time it was overwhelming: for every woman that has gone before us… And yet… It is such a huge part of womanhood. While many of my girlfriends will never bear children we all know the weight of carrying a child. It is, in a word: sacred.
So I will start with 2022 and work backwards.
For clarity’s sake, the Roe V Wade ruling is one protects abortion federally, and a woman’s right to terminate pregnancy on a federal level. If it were to be overturned, the authority of abortion law would move to the states; to state representatives, and the desires of their constituents. Meaning that abortion will not be outlawed, it will simply be handled on a state by state basis and voted on locally. If you live in Colorado, for example, this overturn will affect you nada. The Governor in my state codified the protection of abortion this year, and so full scale of abortion is still available to every Colorado woman. (I believe more authority should be in states hands, and less in the federal government’s in general, but that’s another blog.)
I will backtrack, then, to the ruling being passed… The year was 1973. Norma McCorvey (aka Jane Roe) was pregnant with her third child, and wanted an abortion but lived in the state of Texas, which outlawed abortion except for the case of the mother’s life being endangered. Her lawyers filed a federal lawsuit, claiming that Texas law was unconstitutional. It went to the Supreme Court, where in a 7-2 vote they decided that under the constitution abortion was protected under the 14th Amendment and right to privacy.
Ironically, Norma never actually had an abortion before or after this ruling, and has since said various facts of the case were fabricated.
A few notes about 1973. This was prior to ultrasounds, and prior to many findings about babies in utero. Court documents show that the judges clearly can’t claim when life “begins” for a baby, and when said baby’s rights and constitutional abilities come into play. Decades later, we know. We know now… a baby has a heart beat at 6 days. A baby has pain sensors at 8 weeks. Eyes open at 20 weeks. We know now when they hear and recognize a mother’s voice. We know what they LOOK like at 10 weeks. We know it all now. Which, well… changes many things.
As a Christian, one of the main tenants of what we believe is that all life is IMAGO DEI. By this, we believe FULLY that every life is made in the image of God. We believe fully that each child is crafted by God, WANTED by God, predestined since before time. That God actually “knits” babies together in their womb - we believe this. We see DEEP worth in every life. We see deep value in every human - we are eternal in nature. We are from God, made in His likeness, precious.
I believe this for every person that walks in our church. For every person I have ever met - MADE in GOD’S IMAGE. Precious. It is this tenet that helps me walk through racial inequalities, helps me SEE the homeless the way God does, help me to VALUE MYSELF and KNOW my worth.
Historically, Christians have always defended babies. The first century church defended babies against infanticide, caring for discarded babies, protecting babies and teaching on the value of life within Christian communities. According to Rodney Stark and The Rise of Christianity, this is one of the reasons Christianity GREW in the 1st -3rd century. Where the rest of the Roman world disposed of babies readily, Christian mothers and families harbored them, took them in, raised them. This defense of life, and deep value of women was EXTREMELY counter-cultural. And, it was one of the reasons the church exploded in those first 300 years.
Before this, we see in scripture women of faith defending babies from genocide. The Jewish midwives, during Pharaoh’s genocide of babies, hid the children. Defying the law of the day, and their ruler. They obeyed Yahweh and hid children, including Moses from destruction.
Which leads me to baby genocide. Biblically - we see multiple accounts of babies being wiped out. Theologically, I can make a solid argument that these instances were Satanically driven. We see it most deftly in Jesus’ birth. Herod, threatened by a baby, orders every child under two in Israel be killed. Joseph and Mary flee the country with their son to escape this genocide. God was on the move through his people, and the enemy’s plan to dismantle it was to kill children.
Which brings me back to today.
Of all that disturbs me about today - it is the Orwellian double speak around abortion. There are various out right deceptions about abortion that must be corrected if we are to be honest as a culture and society. Here are the deceptions most common:
The refusal to call it a child. Life begins at conception. There is no other viable argument that can be made for when life begins.
The trying to define abortion as reproductive “care”. It is either A.) Giving the baby a heart attack to kill it, and then sucking it out piece by piece, or, B.) Cutting or vacuuming it apart piece by piece. This is not healthcare. Please stop with this lie.
The posturing of a women against a baby. The ridiculous idea of one’s rights threatened by one’s own baby.
I believe that many of society’s issues stem from this reluctance to DEFINE this moment. To DEFINE the value of a child. Why would we care for humans at any other stage if we deceive ourselves about their value at their genesis?
As a Christian today - I look at my Jesus, and his historic followers with awe. They knew, what I profess now - that a child is GLORY. That a child is worthy. That a woman’s “rights” are intrinsically tied up in a their own IMAGO DEI. How can you separate your rights from the reality that He gave them to you? Your worth from the knowing He marked it out?
And so I am called to and will defend the babies. Like my ancestors did. And DEFINE their worth from the moment they come to be. That they are WANTED by God, and therefore VALUED by all of heaven, and by me.
To women - I love you - you are made in IMAGO DEI.
To mothers - go to war - you are carrying IMAGO DEI.
And to the future babies, I will fight for you - you are IMAGO DEI.