January 23 is the 52nd March for Life in Washington, D.C. Over the years, thousands have braved the cold to stand for the voiceless children in the crosshairs of abortion on demand. This year’s theme, “Life is a Gift,” contrasts those who see all preborn lives as inherently valuable and those who see their value as determined by convenience.
It was back in 1974, just one year after the infamous Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision, that a small group realized they needed to speak out. The March for Life is one of the most significant ongoing political acts in American history. In fact, it’s difficult to think of another movement with such a consistent testimony. Each year, tens of thousands of Christians and like-minded people show up and remind the world that life is sacred.
In the 1970s, many Evangelicals considered abortion “a Catholic issue,” and therefore not their cause. Because of notable efforts of people like Francis Schaeffer, more Protestants awakened to the realities of abortion. Since the movement has attempted to lay out the groundwork for a culture for life through speeches, rallies, and training. Contrary to the claims of pro-abortion propaganda, pro-lifers have built networks to provide real help for pregnant women in crisis and their children through thousands of pregnancy centers throughout the country. This work made the “choose life” slogan practical.
On the political front, the struggles have been palpable. The occasional small gains that were made were no match for the judicial overreach of Roe v Wade. Whenever a pro-life law was passed, it would be either shot down or seriously mitigated by the courts. Roe also provided cover for “pro-life” politicians in name only.
After years of activism and prayer, the Supreme Court ruled that Roe was unconstitutional in 2022. Roe’s aftermath has been mixed. The Dobbs decision didn’t make abortion illegal, but it did mean that after years of hope and anticipation, pro-life communities were free from the immoral stranglehold of Roe and could enact laws for life. Several states, like Tennessee and Missouri, had laws in place to protect the unborn, but others, like Ohio and Kansas, put life and death on the ballot. Voters chose the latter. Meanwhile, pro-abortion states like Colorado and New York advanced draconian laws to enshrine abortion as a sacred right.
Today, the pro-life cause faces opposition within both major political parties. The Democratic Party has made abortion a non-negotiable, celebrated plank of its platform. For many within the Republican Party, the call to protect life is seen as a nuisance that threatens the rest of their platform. Pro-lifers owe President Trump a great deal for the Court appointees that delivered the Dobbs decision, but he’s also proven an unreliable ally. Though ostensibly “pro-life,” the Trump administration has promoted under-regulated IVF and widened the availability of chemical abortion.
And so, the movement continues. It must. Events like the March for Life are a good place to start. The Marches that I have attended were both inspiring and instructive. If you can’t make the national March in DC this month, go to their website to see if your state has its own March later this year.
Continuing to move the needle for life requires individual courage, movement-level efforts, and shrewd political maneuvering. All aspects are required if this decades-long effort to create a culture of life is to succeed, in which abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia are swept into the dustbin of history and made both illegal and unthinkable.
Originally published at BreakPoint.
John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center, equipping Christians to live with clarity, confidence, and courage in today’s cultural moment. A sought-after speaker and author on faith, culture, theology, worldview, education, and apologetics, he has co-authored five books, including A Practical Guide to Culture, A Student’s Guide to Culture, and Restoring All Things. John hosts Breakpoint, the nationally syndicated commentary founded by Chuck Colson, and The Point, a daily one-minute feature on worldview and cultural issues. Previously, he held leadership roles at Summit Ministries and taught biblical studies at Bryan College (TN). He lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with his wife, Sarah, and their four children.
Timothy D. Padgett (PhD) is the Managing Editor of BreakPoint.org with the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. His focus is on cultural engagement, living out the Christian worldview, and the way Christians argue for diverse viewpoints while sharing a common biblical foundation?particularly regarding the relationship between church and state, Christ and culture, and war and peace.
