This has been a monumental and historic year for the pro-life movement in America. On Friday, June 14, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade (the right to abortion ruling), sending it back to the states. It was a time of gratitude, rejoicing, and refreshed hope among the majority of evangelical Christians.
“We were all sitting around the table when the news came. When we heard the news, we just sat in silence for a few seconds. Then tears began to flow, and our phones blew up. Roe was no more,” said Alexia Newman, director of Carolina Pregnancy Center in Spartanburg. “Supporters, friends, and pastors were calling and texting, asking if we were safe.” A celebration ensued and additional security was added at the center.
Newman said, “Bottom line for us is that this ruling changes nothing. We will continue to serve women and families. We will provide our services at no charge, and we will continue to provide diapers and formula. We will keep offering ultrasounds, provide information on adoption, and, most of all, keep telling people about Jesus and how they can find hope and forgiveness through Him.”
This year marks 50 years under the yoke of Roe v. Wade, and this year brings with it the hope that Christians have prayed for since the inception of the original and controversial ruling in 1973. Justice Samuel Alito stated, “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.” This meant that the status of abortion was sent back to the states, where it was 50 years ago.
South Carolina, along with several other states, had passed various types of anti-abortion legislation. The Heartbeat Bill in South Carolina was “immediately enjoined by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which had become very liberal, and it looked like it was going to be held up indefinitely,” said Tony Beam, director of Public Policy for the South Carolina Baptist Convention. The ruling by the Supreme Court was the final word in this long battle and overturned the ruling of the Fourth Circuit: “Within about 24 hours, Attorney General Alan Wilson filed to have the ban lifted. That basically means a woman cannot have an abortion after a heartbeat is detected (around six weeks).”
“There is an agreed-upon effort by the pro-life community to get a bill passed in South Carolina that would outlaw abortion beginning at conception, with the only exception being the life of the mother. There will be a strong push by some to make sure that if we do ban abortion, that exceptions for rape and incest will be included as well as the life of the mother.”
A longtime supporter of the right to life, Robert Jackson, a family physician serving in the Upstate, said, “I am relieved that this has happened in my lifetime. Now, I feel like the children of Israel returning from Babylon who said, ‘We feel as if we are in a dream’ (Psalm 26:1-3). I wake up each day and I remind myself that it is really true. God has answered our prayers after all of these years.”
He added, “The next several months will be pivotal in South Carolina as our legislators wrangle over legislation to limit or outright abolish abortion in our state. Our lawmakers tend not to see the light until they feel the heat. The outcome will depend on how often they hear from concerned citizens/voters who demand the complete elimination of abortion in our state.”
Crisis pregnancy centers will likely see an increase in clients in the months ahead. Newman said, “It will take more people to volunteer to see the potential increase in numbers. We will need more diapers, formula, and, of course, more finances to increase our services. People are already calling to see how they can help, and money is coming in from unexpected sources. The Lord is moving on hearts, and we are grateful. The opportunities for ministry ahead are countless, and we are pumped for the future.”
Jackson noted, “I am so grateful to be a part of an army of Christians who’ve prayed for 49 years at the abortion clinics. I am grateful to those who have traveled to Columbia to lobby our legislators who call and write them diligently as well and pray for them year in and year out. I am thankful to be a part of 26 crisis pregnancy centers in our state that provide alternatives to abortion. I am thankful to be associated with sidewalk counselors, prayer warriors, and preachers who show up week after week at the three abortion centers, standing at the very gates of hell!”
While Roe v. Wade is no longer the law of the land, abortions will continue in this nation. Since each state has the right to pass its own laws regarding abortion, several states will continue to offer abortion throughout a woman’s pregnancy. States like California, New York, and others have offered free passage for women desiring an abortion. Beam observed, “There is actually some discussion between Oregon, Washington, and California to make the West coast an abortion haven.”
He stated that Dick’s Sporting Goods has said they would pay “up to $4,000 for a woman to travel to get an abortion. They are putting that in their healthcare plan.”
The battle for the life of unborn children has not ended, as the Biden administration and the House of Representatives continue to push for ways to circumvent the Supreme Court decision and support abortion advocates. However, the Supreme Court ruling has severely slowed the progressive death march. Millions of lives will be saved, but it is up to Christians to step up with their time, money, and resources to help helpless children.