History
In 1983, Ronald Reagan wrote in an essay published on the 10th anniversary of Roe v. Wade that, “’We cannot diminish the value of one category of human life—the unborn—without diminishing the value of all human life. During Reagan’s second term as president, he issued a presidential proclamation designating January 22nd as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. The day served to make a statement that as a nation, we should acknowledge the value of all human life.
The proclamation marked the 11th anniversary of Roe v Wade. In the years that followed, Reagan continued the proclamation annually so that the third Sunday in January would be recognized as Sanctity of Human Life Day. This year will mark 48 years since the Roe v. Wade decision, but what Reagan said in 1984 is still true today: “Each year, remarkable advances in prenatal medicine bring ever more dramatic confirmation of what common sense told us all along—that the child in the womb is simply what each of us once was: a very young, very small, dependent, vulnerable member of the human family.”
Roe V. Wade
Since the landmark decision in 1973 there have been over 61 million pregnancies aborted in the United States.4 Though many supporters of the ruling claim the decision allowed for abortion to be “safe, legal, and rare,” the result has made the practice anything but “rare,” and the emotional and physical trauma affecting many post-abortive women certainly calls “safe” into question.
In 2022, the Supreme Court ruled to overturn the Dobbs case, returning the decision regarding abortion laws to the States. Unfortunately, Oregon is one of the most liberal states in the country, allowing abortions up to 40 weeks (a full-term pregnancy).
There is evidence that abortion is associated with an increased risk for clinical depression and anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse, symptoms consistent with PTSD, and suicidal thoughts and behavior. “Scientific evidence indicates that abortion may be more likely to be associated with negative psychological outcomes than either miscarriage or carrying an unintended pregnancy to term.” Induced abortion also increases a woman’s risk for placenta previa and premature birth for future pregnancies.
Steps you can take during Sanctity of Human Life Month
Women are hurting. Families are crumbling. The need is great. Our goal is to empower you, the Church, to carry out the Great Commission in your city. You can do that by praying, serving, and giving.
Pray
Pray that abortion would become unnecessary.
Pray that the women who feel that abortion is their only choice would be connected with the resources and encouragement they need to make healthy choices for their future and to choose life for their children.
Pray for the volunteers and staff meeting women and families in their time of need.
