According to the TN Deptartment of Health, there were 9,700 abortions performed in the State of TN in 2019 (the last year with recorded data). Previously, Tennessee allowed abortions up to 20 weeks into pregnancy. There have been six abortion providers in Tennessee: One in Bristol, two in Memphis (one of which had two locations), one in Knoxville, one in Nashville and one in Mt. Juliet.
However, the Supreme Court ruling on the Dobbs v. Jackson case was decided on June 24, 2022. The court held that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. The previous rulings on Roe and Casey have now been overruled and the authority to regulate abortion has been returned to the people and their elected State representatives.
In 2019, the state legislature in Tennessee passed a “trigger law” that totally bans abortion, except “to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or to prevent serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.” This law will go into effect 30 days after the U.S. Supreme Court issues its judgment in the Dobbs case. But this hasn’t happened yet, because the Dobbs judgment is separate procedurally from the Dobbs opinion released on June 24. The Tennessee attorney general expects the Dobbs judgment to come out by mid-July, which would mean abortion would become illegal after fertilization in Tennessee sometime in mid-August.
Losing “Right” to Abortion?
Some see this as a massive blow to constitutional rights. Perhaps you have friends and family online that are outraged at this decision and see it as a regression to a darker time when women had limited rights to education and voting. This would certainly be the case of the crowd of 100+ that showed up to protest at the courthouse in Knoxville, TN. Interestingly, it appears from an interview that the protest organizer’s chief aim was more driven by a fear of government overreach in other areas of ethics rather than the specific issue of so called “abortion-rights.” The protest organizers partner commented:
“What they did by overturning this is they created a trickle effect. So it will go into biracial marriages, it will go into gay rights, it will go into privacy rights too. All that stuff is gone. So I want to let you guys know that we are not just marching for the women, but for literally everyone today.”
So, this is a slippery slope argument. And it hinges on the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. For those who are lamenting the overturn of Roe, the assumption is that there was a proper ruling in Roe and a woman’s right to abortion is a constitutional right. Therefore, to overturn such a “right” is to be pushed backwards in time - and who knows what other rights will be next?
However, the 1970 ruling in Roe v. Wade was highly controversial interpretation of the Constitution. The ruling was based on the 14th amendment which says no state shall deprive any “person” of “liberty.” First, the Justices interpreted “liberty” to include a “right to privacy” and held that abortion is part of the right to privacy. Second, the Court held that the “unborn” are not included with other “persons” protected by the Constitution. So, a woman’s right to privacy was interpreted to include her right to abortion and the unborn were not considered living people with rights.
Therefore, it was an interpretation that was overturned. In fact, even within the rise of women’s rights activists, the “right” to abortion was not universally pursued or celebrated. On the contrary, history reveals quite the opposite. For an interesting history lesson from a pro-life legal scholar, check out this podcast in which she traces the staunch anti-abortion views of women’s rights advocates and how the feminist movement lost its way.
Christian View of Life
But beyond the question of right constitutional interpretation, we must ask “what is right, anyways?” Unless we have some external source of morality that shapes our view of the world, we really have no objective right to rights. How can we come to a definition of life? How can we decide if a life has value?
For Christians, we are subject to the revealed Word of God. And God created humankind in his image. Therefore, all people - from the womb and beyond - have inherent dignity. Their value is not determined by their autonomy or size. If value were based on these things, then we would have to create a hierarchy of value based on cognitive performance and size. How would this pan out with people who have a range of physical and mental disabilities? To go down this route would lead to a Darwinian vision of human value - not far removed from the ethics of Hitler.
In contrast, we believe all people - whether big, small, independent, or dependent - have intrinsic value because God made them in His image. As we are reminded in Psalm 139, God delights to bring forth life:
13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. - Ps. 139:13-16
Local Opportunities to Stand for Life
So, as Christians, we want to do two things: 1) We want to oppose and lament what God deems harmful to life and 2) We want to accentuate and celebrate what God deems helpful to life. If we are to be advocates for life, for children, for marriage, and for family as God has designed them, then we must also oppose and lament those things that would be harmful. One of the key ways that we can advocate for life in our community is to identify partner organizations that seek to highlight God’s good design. We want to stand together to bolster actions that bring life both physically and spiritually. So, we will gladly partner with those who highlight a biblical view of the family and the local church.
In the near future, we have the opportunity to serve in a very practical way alongside Full Circle Medical Center for Women. Full Circle Medical Center for Women is a healthcare center that provides free holistic reproductive health services for women. Periodically, clients who need additional support for a new baby can request a baby shower through a partnering church. In just a couple of weeks, Trinity Grace Church will have the privilege of hosting a baby shower for this new mom in order to provide both physical and spiritual support. This is a wonderful opportunity to practically apply our theology. For more information on how you can participate, click the link below.
