A Great Book – Evangelicals and Abortion – A Review by D. Clair Davis

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Cameron Fraser’s book, Evangelicals and Abortion, is just remarkable. It not only covers the most crucial discussions through the centuries but also gives a compelling overview of many aspects of other areas of Christian theology that relate meaningfully to abortion. While its primary church setting is within the evangelical side of Protestantism, at times just about every other segment of the church has its abortion struggles revealed.  This comprehensiveness is a thorough listing of sources for further research, both from footnotes and in the text itself.

What do we learn? So much, especially of the many attempts that have accomplished so little. In our wealthy culture it can be very hard to promote the radical lifestyle changes that pregnancy and years of childcare require.  Sacrificial living is hard to promote even for Christians. So, showing how abortion is wrong just isn’t enough. Your own loving lifestyle is what your credibility needs: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

People can be persuaded into having those children, but can they be still a burden? Should our deep love for each other include willingness to ourselves becoming adoptive parents? Is that one’s choice or obvious responsibility? How should we come to see how we are all called to care for each other when the issue is unwanted children? Unwanted because too hard?

Can we end abortion politically? That looks so doubtful, the many paths in this look very hard indeed. Shouldn’t our efforts and prayers focus instead on how the church of Jesus should express compassion to unwanted babies and mothers?

This book is so full of everything. You can see how one of those old controversies continues and then suggest how we can learn from that and do it better this time around. Or, you can work on that missing pastoral care, for those tempted to abort and those caring for them. I have chosen the second, it seems to be the book’s climax!

Either way, thank you Cameron!

The book can be purchased at a forty percent discount by entering the code CONF40 at checkout on  https://wipfandstock.com/9781666784510/evangelicals-and-abortion/

It is available on Amazon and other outlets, without the discount.

Kindle is $7.26 on Amazon

Clair Davis is emeritus professor of Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary