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After a year of work, a multi-denominational group of Protestant pastors in Iowa has published a guidebook for Iowa civil leaders. The guidebook presents nine Biblical principles to move forward on abortion legislation in 2024.
The guidance we are going to give is not what they usually hear. And there are two reasons for that. First, we pastors have realized our shortfalls in declaring the Bible’s full counsel on abortion. We have allowed practical politics to hold sway over biblical ethics. Second, across the country, we are entering new territory with abortion legislation. It’s coming to Iowa, too.
The guidebook’s most controversial stance is calling abortion murder and holding the mother guilty as well as the doctor. But there is no way of getting around that if we want to follow the Bible and find blessings in our state. There is no other way to be consistent with saying life begins at conception, and there is no other way to protect life fully.
Thus far, no state in the US has passed equal protection legislation. Iowa would be the first. Or maybe not. We are hearing there will be many equal protection bills presented across the US in 2024.
We did not want to shy away from complex issues. We use the Bible to give guidance on In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Intrauterine devices (IUD) as well as the “Plan B” pill. We did extensive research on the medical front and coordinated with doctors.
Legislators keep telling us they are waiting for the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision on the appeal regarding the heartbeat law. The pastors who are guidebook signatories are not excited about a heartbeat bill because it authorizes the killing of some babies. Allowing that violates the Sixth Commandment. Also, we need to realize that the Iowa Supreme Court is not supreme. James 4:12 tells us that God is the ultimate Lawgiver and Judge. So we should not waste another session waiting on judicial outcomes. It will be best to keep moving forward and skip the heartbeat bill.
We are wondering why Iowa, which promotes a strong stance on life, doesn’t follow the example of 11 other states and outlaw abortion completely without exception (life of the mother, notwithstanding). To be accurate, none of those states calls for equal protection. None of them yet, anyway.
The guidebook also gives a not-so-well-known history of the church’s position on abortion. Even the early church fathers were calling it murder.
We appreciate the pro-life organizations in Iowa. But we thought it was important to come directly as pastors. Currently, we have 17 multi-denominational pastors who are signatories, and the number is growing.
We have asked for a meeting with the governor. We do not know if that will happen. We have reserved the Rotunda at lunchtime on Weds, January 31, and have both the Senate and the House. We will have pastors preach, and there will be time for legislators to make comments. There will also be a time of repentance.
Pastors in Iowa is not a lobbying group or a non-profit organization. Our charge from Jesus Christ, who is the head of the universal Church, to all who believe in His Word and follow it according to the Apostolic and Reformational doctrines of the Church.
The pastors come from Baptist, Lutheran, Nondenominational, and Reformed churches.
