Roe, legalizing abortion in 1973, caused Baptists to embrace life
The U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision not only awakened Southern Baptists eventually to the gruesome reality of abortion but helped power what came to be known as their convention's Conservative Resurgence, two longtime observers say.
America will reach the 40th anniversary of legalized abortion Jan. 22. On that date, pro-life advocates will grieve and abortion rights defenders will celebrate Roe, the opinion that –- coupled with a companion ruling, Doe v. Bolton -– had the effect of striking down all abortion restrictions and legalizing the procedure nationwide for virtually any reason at any stage of pregnancy.
When the high court issued those decisions jointly in 1973, Southern Baptists were either uninformed or misguided -– and consequently unengaged -- at the grass roots but supportive of abortion rights at the institutional level and through the resolution process, Richard Land and...
Ray Comfort | 10/4/2011
