In this episode we continue our response to John Irving’s article for the New York Times that attempts to bash pro-life advocates over the head with a history lesson. Irving claims that colonial America was actually friendly to abortion practices.

Before we examine the colonial period we look at Scriptures against abortion. Then, we observe a consensus among Christians of the first five centuries that abortion at any stage of pregnancy is wrong–even if the science of the day could not tell when life begins in the womb!

Articles Cited:

“The Long, Cruel History of the Anti-Abortion Crusade”https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/23/opinion/anti-abortion-history.html

References:

Didachehttp://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-lake.html

Epistle of Barnabashttp://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/barnabas-lightfoot.html

Letter to Diognetushttp://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/diognetus-lightfoot.html

Athenagorus of Athens”The Christians Condemn And Detest All Cruelty” from A Plea for the Christianshttp://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/athenagoras-plea.html

Tertullian:”Apology” (chapter 9)http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/tertullian01.html“On the Soul” (chapter 27)http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0310.htm“On the Soul” (chapter 25)http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050109.htm

Hippolytus of RomeRefutation of All Heresies (book 9, chapter 7)http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050109.htm

Basil of CaesareaLetter 188 (chapter 2)http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202188.htm

Gregory of Nyssa”On the Soul and the Resurrection”http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2915.htm

John ChrysostomHomily 24 on Romanshttp://www.newadvent.org/fathers/210224.htm

Augustine of HippoOn Marriage and Concupiscence (book 1, chapter 17)http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/15071.htm