Celebrating the End of Roe

Dear Church, 

This is a historic day in our country. 

The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, 5–4, holding that there is no longer a federal constitutional right to an abortion.  This is a just and right decision, and therefore we should celebrate. There is more to say about the work ahead in our state, and there are layers of concerns we might have for how this will further reveal the divide in America — intensifying a kind of “two different Americas” — but those things can wait. For today, for now, we pause and thank God for this moment in the defense of life and righteousness.

Behind today’s decision is the egregious wrong of 1973, which legalized abortion in all fifty states and led to the untold bloodshed of millions of innocent humans for half a century. The thought that such a wrong could be overturned seemed impossible to many, even to the most ardent defenders of life, but here we are. Here we are.

I remember first learning about abort73.com some 15 years ago. Their mission, led by a younger generation of pro-life defenders, was to “abort” the ’73 decision. Through education and peer-to-peer engagement, they dreamed of seeing abortion illegal, and unthinkable — with the illegality a necessary step. Today’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision is directed toward such a step, against incredible odds and by means of a long, painstaking process. Together with thanks to God, I’d like to congratulate “ABORT73” and so many others like them who have been striving and praying toward this. As Ryan T. Anderson put it, 

Today's ruling is the culmination of decades of public advocacy, of unheralded acts of love and mercy, and of unrelenting prayers for justice for the unborn and their mothers. It will be remembered and celebrated as one of the most important days in the history of this country.

More importantly, God has heard the prayers of his people. He has heard. Praise him! Give him thanks! Rejoice in his mercy which, like a shining light, today, pierces through the deep darkness of our land.

O Yahweh, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more. (Psalm 10:17–18)

Indeed, church, we should celebrate! I look forward to worshiping God with you this Sunday.

In Christ,
Pastor Jonathan