Two years ago, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and the nationwide right to an abortion. In the aftermath, many churchgoers say they’ve seen their congregations involved in supporting local pregnancy resource centers.
On June 24, 2022, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court opened the door for states to pass laws restricting abortion. In the aftermath, local pregnancy centers have received increased attention. A Lifeway Research study finds 3 in 10 U.S. Protestant churchgoers (31 percent) have seen at least one type of congregational connection with those local centers since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
“In a survey of Americans conducted days before the Dobbs decision was leaked, almost two-thirds of Americans agreed churches and religious organizations have a responsibility to increase support for women who have unwanted pregnancies if their state restricts access to abortion,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “According to those who attend, the majority of Protestant churches in the U.S. are not supporting a pregnancy resource center that exists either separately or as part of their church.”
More than 1 in 8 churchgoers say their church has supported a local pregnancy resource center financially (16 percent), encouraged those in the congregation to support a center financially (14 percent) or encouraged the congregation to refer those with unplanned pregnancies to the center (14 percent). Another 11 percent say their church has encouraged the congregation to volunteer at a local pregnancy resource center, and 7 percent say the church has had a leader from the center speak at the church.
Among those who say their congregation is involved with pregnancy resource centers in some way, the median number of activities churchgoers hear about is two.
Others aren’t aware of any connection between their congregation and a local pregnancy center. More than 2 in 5 churchgoers (44 percent) say they haven’t heard of their church being involved with any of these measures to support a local center. Less than 1 in 10 (8 percent) say there are no such pregnancy centers near their church. Around 1 in 7 (16 percent) say they aren’t sure how or if their church is involved.
“More than 4 in 10 pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended, according to the Centers for Disease Control,” McConnell said. “Changes to the legality of abortion do not change the reality that a large number of women and couples are not planning for the positive pregnancy tests they receive. They need compassion, care and tangible help but are often not open to turning directly to a church for help.
“There is equal opportunity for all churches to point those with unintended pregnancies to help if there is a Christian pregnancy resource center nearby,” said McConnell. “Yet few churches are doing so in a way their congregation notices.”
For more information, view the complete report and visit LifewayResearch.com.
— Aaron Earls is a writer for Lifeway Christian Resources.