The End of Roe is Very Good

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” - Genesis‬ ‭1:31‬ ‭[ESV‬‬]

Unequivocally, the end of Roe v. Wade is very good. While it does not result in abortion being banned across the United States, it opens that possibility and has obliterated the notion of a national consensus on the morality of abortion. That abortion is not universally deplored as immoral indicates that work remains. A great chasm has been crossed…and there remain miles to go before we sleep.

Yes, Roe’s demise is very good. If God calls his Creation very good only after the creation of human beings, it follows that it is only great evil which would enable the unjustified annihilation of his prized, image-bearing creatures. Consequently, anything which would remove such great evil can only be called very good.

I have previously examined the important moral considerations entailed in rejecting abortion; I won’t reiterate the nuances here. Too often we obscure basic truth with exceptional cases rather than leaning on the firmness of this truth to guide us through such circumstances. Here the bedrock truth is that every human being is made in the image of God. It is only upon this reality that human life is legitimately dignified above that of any insect. Apart from this reality, every human being is left with only the power of self-defense; it takes little imagination to foresee the brutal consequences for the weak and voiceless.

Acknowledging the divine dignity of human beings requires great imagination to navigate the complex circumstances that confront us. Will we surrender our birthright for the pottage of easy solutions? Up to this point, the popular answer has been yes - “Just kill the child.” Not adoption, not greater social services, not greater maternal support, at whatever the cost - no, give us the assassin. Give us Barabbas, for we have no interest in following the Messiah who would lead us in laying down ourselves for others.

Roe’s end begins a new chapter where repentance can make its mark. The fate of abortion moves from the court to the legislature where our representatives are found. Important work can yet be done before it is made illegal. The promise of supporting women and families can begin now through churches, nonprofits, and legislative initiative. We can make abortion unimaginable before it is illegal.

Identify all that is challenging and difficult about this course - the truth of human dignity remains unchanged, as does our responsibility before Almighty God. When asked if we will do that which is difficult, our response should be a resounding “YES!”