Abortion and America's Churches

Abortion and Americas Churches explores the surprising history of how American Christians think about abortion. Many people assume that Christians have steadfastly condemned abortion throughout the United Statess history. Daniel K. Williams overthrows all assumptions about the unity, consistency, or simplicity of American Christian thought and belief in this groundbreaking new book. He demonstrates that churches in the United States have fought among themselves and with the wider culture as they developed and enforced their stance on abortion and reproductive rights, revealing major struggles to define their often-changing positions. Far from a cynical exercise of political interest, changes and disagreements arose from serious theological considerations informed by each traditions approach to the faith. These theological shiftsand corresponding shifts in interreligious political alliancesled to the changing fortunes of Roe v. Wade. By capturing the fascinating and complicated history informing each faiths position, Abortion and Americas Churches restores much-needed context to the sharp polarization over abortion today.