Ava Linas
Today religion dominates the discussion about abortion, but this wasn’t always true. In the days before Roe v. Wade Evangelical Christians had yet to form an anti-choice opinion and a network of clergy members formed an underground group to direct women to safe abortion providers called the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion. Learn how religious leaders’ stance on abortion shifted from favorable to hostile.
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- Student holds a cross about the Right to Life Indiana rally inside the Indiana state house while the Indiana sate legislature holds a special session to discuss abortion law.
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- Howard Moody and Arlene Carmen, co-author of Moody’s book Abortion Counseling and Social Change pose for a photo circa 1975. In Moody and Carmen’s book, the two explain the clergy’s obligation to help congregants access safe abortions and provide insights into the best way to offer this support.
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- Religious protestors face off with pro-choice protestors attending a Bans Off Our Bodies abortion rally in Santa Ana, California in May 2022.
Sources:
Andrews, Becca, Rita Ray, Katie Herchenroeder, Matthew Sitman, Mallory McMorrow, Julie C. Suk, and Victor Ray. “How an Underground Network of Ministers and Rabbis Helped Women Get Abortions before Roe.” The New Republic, December 6, 2022. https://newrepublic.com/article/167624/clergy-abortion-network-ministers-rabbis-roe.
Balmer, Randall. “The Real Origins of the Religious Right.” Politico, May 27, 2014. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/religious-right-real-origins-107133/.
Balmer, Randall. “The Religious Right and the Abortion Myth.” Politico, May 10, 2022. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/05/10/abortion-history-right-white-evangelical-1970s-00031480.
Cheang, Ko Lyn. “Anti-Abortion Rally Calls for Outright Ban.” The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis Star, July 26, 2022. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2022/07/26/indiana-abortion-ban-pro-life-christian-protest-say-no-rape-exceptions/65382542007/.
Cline, David. Creating Choice: A Community Responds to the Need for Abortion and Birth Control, 1921-1973
Moody, Howard. Abortion Counseling and Social Change. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1973
News, WFYI. “Live Updates: Indiana Special Session Begins, Focused on Abortion and Inflation.” WFYI Public Media. WFYI, July 25, 2022. https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/live-updates-indiana-special-session-begins-focused-on-abortion-and-inflation.
Sarah Mirk, Anayansi Diaz-Cortes. “The Religious Right Mobilized to End Roe. Now What?” Reveal, July 7, 2022. https://revealnews.org/podcast/the-religious-right-mobilized-to-end-roe-now-what/.
