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By T. M. Moore|Published Date: May 24, 2010
Come now, let us reason.
From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them… Acts 28:23
A new tack
Christian pro-life activists have begun to take a new tack toward achieving their social and moral objectives. Rather than preach or jeer at pro-choice advocates, they have decided to try to engage them in discussion and debate.
In a recent issue of Critical Review, Jon A. Shields reported on the efforts of Christian groups such as Justice for All and Stand to Reason to train and deploy pro-life activists who are polite, engaging, conversational, and non-confrontational in their demonstrations against abortion (“Christian Citizens: The Promise and Limits of Deliberation”). He commented approvingly of the training and efforts of such groups on college campuses and in community demonstrations, noting that they manage to maintain their composure and resist the temptation to retaliate in kind against the verbal abuse of pro-choice demonstrators. The students and other activists trained by these groups are determined to bring a new tone to the public debate over abortion, and they are eager to engage their opponents in conversation and dialog.
Not willing to go along
The problem is that the pro-choice side has taken a Bartleby, the scrivener, approach to such tactics: “I prefer not.” Instead, as Mr. Shields reports, they continue to abuse, scorn, and vilify pro-life advocates. All to no avail, however. In demonstration after demonstration Justice for All and Stand to Reason trainees have kept their cool, made their points, and managed to demonstrate that the pro-choice argument has a good many holes in it, and no advocates able to plug those holes with solid reasoning.
The national media, of course, has chosen to ignore these confrontations, doubtless because they make pro-choice advocates look so beastly and unruly in the face of the patient kindness and politeness of their pro-life opponents. But Mr. Shields also points out that, as a general rule, pro-choice advocates are not willing to engage the debate. Indeed, they are counseled by leaders and spokespersons in their movement not to dialog with the pro-life demonstrators, believing as they do that they are defending a noble cause and have no need to dialog with fools.
The power of a Christ-like posture
This is all very encouraging, on the one hand, because it demonstrates that Christians are beginning to learn that we cannot leave our Christ-like character behind when push comes to shove in the public square. In spite of the raging, ranting, and ridicule of unbelieving opponents, on whatever issue, Christian demonstrators and witnesses need to maintain a posture of calm, openness, and, yes, even love toward their detractors.
Loath to talk about Jesus?
This new generation of pro-life activists is showing the power such a posture can wield. But while we should not leave our Christian character out of the public square, we shouldn’t leave our Christian message out, either. Here I find fault with those movements that instruct Christian demonstrators to avoid theological issues and evangelical debates when they are taking a stand for the pro-life cause. Mr. Shields reports that “Justice for All volunteers were especially careful to avoid theological arguments, even when baited by pro-choice activists. As one completely surprised anarchist reported to me, ‘They seem loath to talk about Jesus.’” We should never be loath to talk about Jesus, but always ready to give a Gospel explanation for the hope that is in us. We will really begin to make an impact on the public square when we manage to combine sound social and political engagement, loving character, and winsome witness, all at the same time, for the cause of Christ and His Kingdom.
This is a challenge for every follower of Christ. The world and our friends and associates may not want to engage us on the Gospel and its implications. But they cannot prevent us from living that Gospel out in love and speaking at least some portion of it whenever a door of opportunity presents. Bearing witness is a matter of life and words, carried out in the context of a credible, if not laudable, lifestyle. The harder we work to cultivate each of these, the more the world will begin to hear – and in at least some cases, engage – the Good News of Christ and the Christian worldview.
For additional insight to this topic, get the book, Reimagining Evangelism, by Rick Richardson, from our online store. Or read the article, “Let Us Reason,” by T. M. Moore.
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