Show Notes
The pro-life movement in America hasn't always looked the way it does today. In fact, some of its earliest advocates were Catholics whose defense of unborn life was deeply connected to their concern for the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable.
After reading Daniel K. Williams' Defenders of the Unborn: The Pro-Life Movement Before Roe v. Wade, I was surprised by just how much the movement, and its relationship with American politics, has changed.
In this episode, I explore the Catholic roots of the pro-life movement, how abortion became increasingly associated with Republican politics, the impact of the sexual revolution and birth control, and why I believe today's pro-life movement needs to recover a truly consistent life ethic.
00:00 Pro Life Origins 02:48 Catholic Action Book Club 04:28 Choosing a History Book 06:24 Science and Personhood 09:46 Early Liberal Catholics 13:13 Politics and Sexual Revolution 16:24 Birth Control Split 20:19 Modern GOP Tensions 22:24 Consistent Life Ethic 24:12 Bipartisan Path Forward
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