Being Voices for The Unborn
“The right to life is first among human rights.” – Pope Francis
An estimated 15.6 million lives are lost to abortion every year, according to a study conducted in 2015. This statistic reflects an abortion rate of 47 per 1,000 women. Abortion, simply put, is the termination of a pregnancy by removing a human fetus, or baby, from the mother’s womb.
In 1971, India introduced its Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, allowing for the termination of pregnancies up to 12 weeks with the consultation of one doctor and up to 20 weeks with the consultation of two doctors. However, strict restrictions were placed on these abortions, permitting them only under specific circumstances:
a. When the pregnancy endangers the mother’s life
b. When the pregnancy poses significant risk to the woman’s physical or mental well-being
c. In cases of pregnancy resulting from rape
d. In cases of contraceptive failure
e. When there are signs of potential physical or mental abnormalities in the newborn child
The Act was amended in 2002 to expand abortion clinics, purportedly making abortion more “accessible.” A further amendment occurred in 2021, legalizing abortion up to 24 weeks with the consent of two doctors, and beyond 24 weeks with certification from a government-notified medical board.
Our Stance on Abortion as a Church
The heartbeat of a baby in the womb begins around the 5th week of pregnancy. By the end of the 5th week, the brain, spinal cord, and other neural tissues develop. By the 6th week, the baby’s arms and legs start to form. Bones and genitals emerge by the 7th week, and by the start of the 8th week, all major organs begin to form, with further development throughout the pregnancy.
Though the Bible doesn’t explicitly mention the term “abortion,” it contains passages emphasizing the sanctity of life. Our church’s belief is that every individual, from conception to death, possesses inherent value and dignity as creations of God. The sixth commandment, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13), clearly prohibits intentionally taking innocent human life, including that of unborn children. Prophets like Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5) and apostles like Paul (Galatians 1:15) speak of being set apart by God even from the womb. This underscores God’s value and purpose for human beings before birth.
In Luke 1:41, John the Baptist is described as leaping in his mother’s womb upon Mary’s visit, recognizing the personhood and humanity of the unborn baby. In Psalm 139:13-16, David speaks of being knit together in his mother’s womb, illustrating that God breathes life into us and ordains our days according to His will.
The notion that life in the womb is merely a clump of cells contradicts these verses. Imagining ourselves in the place of the unborn baby, we can empathize with their potential suffering through heinous means of termination. The agony and despair of such methods, if inflicted on an adult, would be deemed unimaginably inhumane. Shouldn’t we then mourn for the loss of innocent lives and protest such brutality and injustice?
As the body of Christ, we are called to stand against this widespread, normalized injustice. We must be the voice for the voiceless. Unborn lives are not mere “clumps of cells” or desensitized terms; they are uniquely created beings with personalities and potentials, destined to impact lives, families, and nations.
“The right to life does not depend, and must not be declared to be contingent, on the pleasure of anyone else, not even a parent or sovereign.” – Mother Teresa
