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National Association of Evangelicals
Abortion 2010
All humans, male and female, are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and, therefore, have
intrinsic dignity that should be respected and honored. Indeed, the breath of life in all human
beings is a gift from God (Genesis 2:7) and thus inherently holy. The National Association of
Evangelicals (NAE) has pledged to protect the sanctity of human life and to safeguard its nature.
In light of our respect for the precious gift of life, the NAE continues to speak on the sensitive
subject of abortion.
Quite simply, America has an abortion problem. Over one million abortions occur in the United
States every year. 1 We find this number horrific, because it is not just a number. It represents
more than a million human lives deliberately terminated every year. The Bible reveals God’s
calling and care for persons before they are born (Psalm 139:13), and each life lost is a unique
creation made in God’s image who might have blessed our society in extraordinary ways. We
declare this situation to be unconscionable and unacceptable.
The NAE is not alone in its concerns. The broader American public long has been disturbed by
abortion, and this sentiment continues today. According to a September 2008 Pew Forum on
Religion & Public Life publication, “most Americans (73%) believe that abortion is morally
wrong in nearly all (24%) or some (49%) circumstances.” 2 We find hope for reform in this
common concern.
We recognize that well-intentioned Americans have debated for many years whether and in what
circumstances abortion should be legal. Americans remain passionately divided on this subject.
The NAE actively, ardently and unwaveringly opposes abortion on demand. However, we do
not dismiss those who advocate for legal access to abortion as unconcerned for human life or
unworthy of our respect and attention. Lack of civility and charity toward our neighbor is also
unacceptable (Mark 12:31).
The NAE is pleased that some longtime opponents in the debate over the legality of abortion
have expressed interest in working together to dramatically reduce the incidence of abortion in
the United States. Without compromising our core convictions, we seek honest conversation
about ways to achieve this goal. These conversations should build on our shared concerns for
human dignity, protecting children and promoting healthy families and communities.
We understand that the problem of abortion is interconnected with other challenges in our
society. Given the generative nature of human sexuality, we recognize an inherent link between
respect for God’s gift of sex and respect for God’s gift of life. Sex is a precious gift from God
intended for a man and a woman to consummate marriage, procreate, express love and
experience pleasure within an exclusive covenantal relationship. The church is called to teach
and model the blessings of sexual purity and to uphold marriage and the family, society’s
fundamental building blocks.
1
COB Meeting July 19-20, 2010