Adam Hamilton, author of Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White: Thoughts on Religion, Morality, and Politics, stands with — I trust — everyone: if we can’t undo Roe v. Wade then at least we can work hard at reducing abortion. There are about one million abortions per year in the USA (this is his number). We can agree that birth control is better than abortion, and that the sacredness of sex needs to be restored to American culture … and here’s a suggestion we don’t read often enough. 70% of women who have abortions say they are Christians … can the Church, he suggests, not take more of a pro-active stand about women in the churches who are pondering abortion. How? Plead with them to carry the baby to term and then help the women and the children.

But, as is so often the case, it is an encounter with the realities that gives us the greatest depth. I will tell here a story Adam Hamilton tells in his book but I’ll reduce it for the blog:

 One of his parishioners told him that she got pregnant at 17; her boyfriend was 16; her father was furious and, because it was before Roe v. Wade, her father tried to get her to go to Switzerland for an abortion; she refused; moved in with her boyfriend, got married, had the baby boy, the two eventually divorced. They both dropped out of high school … did not get to go to college. Then the woman’s letter …

Yes, my life changed dramatically … but, to this day, that child has been the greatest blessing to me…. God prompts him to call his Mom when she needs to talk but doesn’t want to bother him… I am so proud of the Husband and Father that he has become. So many times when I look at him I think that this… person could have ended up aborted… I knew that [the baby] was a gift from God …. I look back sometimes at the college that I missed…

Thank you, Adam, for being my ‘gift from God’ — I never dreamed 36 years ago while I was carrying you that you would have the impact on God’s people, and me, that you do. You are my Pastor, my confidant and my best friend.

I love you, Mom

“This is my mother’s story,” Adam continues, “and I am that child.”