Christian leaders reacted with joy about the Supreme Court's potential overturning of Roe v. Wade while requesting prayer that the justices will remain steadfast and not change their votes.
They also noted that the work of the pro-life community will have only begun.
"As I'm reading through the opinion, I'm blown away by the breadth, clarity and truth. Wow," tweeted Jeanne F. Mancini, president of the March for Life, referencing Justice Samuel Alito's leaked option that would overturn Roe.
Following are reactions from 10 Christian and pro-life leaders:
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1. Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse
"Praise God! The Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade according [to] Politico, which received a supposedly leaked copy of the opinion draft. I don't know if this report is true, but if it is, it is an answer to many years of prayer," Graham tweeted.
Praise God! The Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade according Politico, which received a supposedly leaked copy of the opinion draft. I don’t know if this report is true, but if it is, it is an answer to many years of prayer. https://t.co/ieN0E99Be1
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) May 3, 2022
2. Lila Rose, president, Live Action
"Roe has been wrongly decided since the day it was issued. It's illogical and gravely unjust. Overruling Roe would be an important step in the right direction of protecting our fundamental right to life. But if this decision is issued, true justice has not yet been achieved," Rose tweeted. "... We will not have true Justice until every human being's right to life is legally protected from the moment of fertilization. The Constitution is not silent on abortion. The 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection and due process should make abortion illegal nationwide. We are just getting started in our defense of human life. We must be in every statehouse, the halls of Congress, and we will even be back to the Supreme Court to advocate for our preborn brothers and sisters. Pray for the Justices tonight and every night until the decision comes out. I fear there will be unprecedented threats against them."
It’s not enough to send abortion back to the states.
— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) May 3, 2022
Democracies shouldn’t have the ability to vote on if a genocide can be committed against an entire group of people.
Human rights are not decided by majority vote.
They are inalienable. https://t.co/rAfSoXp28U
3. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president, Susan B. Anthony List
"If the draft opinion made public tonight is the final opinion of the court, we wholeheartedly applaud the decision. The American people have the right to act through their elected officials to debate and enact laws that protect unborn children and honor women," Dannenfelser said. "If Roe is indeed overturned, our job will be to build consensus for the strongest protections possible for unborn children and women in every legislature. We also recognize the need for the pro-life movement to continue its existing work to support pregnant women and children in need. There are thousands of pro-life pregnancy centers and maternity homes nationwide and an ever-growing pro-life safety net. The pro-life movement will continue to grow to meet the needs of these women and their families, walking and planning with them to love and serve both mother and child."
©Getty Images/Pool
4. Tony Dungy, football analyst and former NFL coach
"It all comes down to what you believe about the organism growing inside the mother. Is it a life or not? If it is just growing tissue then your 'choice' makes sense," Dungy tweeted. "If it's a life then it's obviously not OK to choose to end it. What does your Bible tell you it is? Psalm 139:16."
It all comes down to what you believe about the organism growing inside the mother. Is it a life or not? If it is just growing tissue then your “choice” makes sense. If it’s a life then it’s obviously not OK to choose to end it. What does your Bible tell you it is? Psalm 139:16 https://t.co/E7dCk6NMmL
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) May 3, 2022
5. Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, director of policy, ERLC of the Southern Baptist Convention
"Just a gentle reminder – if the precedents set in #Roe & #Casey are indeed overturned, there will be lots of vulnerable women and children. Christian – we MUST be standing on the frontlines of caring for women & children," Sobolik tweeted. "We must work to make abortion unthinkable & unnecessary.
"Let me be clear – the work of caring for vulnerable mothers and children has been going on for decades by many faithful individuals & churches," she added. "But if the issue of abortion is sent back to the states, there'll be even MORE opportunities for us to care and to serve."
Just a gentle reminder - if the precedents set in #Roe & #Casey are indeed overtured, there will be lots of vulnerable women and children.
— Chelsea Patterson Sobolik (@ChelsPat) May 3, 2022
Christian - we MUST be standing on the frontlines of caring for women & children.
We must work to make abortion unthinkable & unnecessary.
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Scott Halleran/Staff
6. Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship
"If true, SCOTUS will overturn Roe v. Wade. A grave injustice will be corrected. Prayers answered," Laurie tweeted. "Now, the church must go over-and-above to care for mothers & their children."
If true, SCOTUS will overturn Roe v. Wade. A grave injustice will be corrected. Prayers answered. Now, the church must go over-and-above to care for mothers & their children. https://t.co/gaRVq4Noej
— Greg Laurie (@greglaurie) May 3, 2022
7. Jeanne F. Mancini, president, March for Life
"Like many of you, I'm struggling to wrap my head around everything in the past 14 hours. On one hand I'm deeply saddened by the leak, and how toxic and damaging such an action is to our judiciary," Mancini tweeted. "And then on the other hand, as I'm reading through the opinion, I'm blown away by the breadth, clarity and truth. Wow. If this opinion is adopted in the final decision for Dobbs, the chaos of an erroneously decided decision 50 years ago that has had such a profoundly negative impact on our culture and all women, and men, would finally be set right."
If this opinion is adopted in the final decision for Dobbs, the chaos of an erroneously decided decision 50 years ago that has had such a profoundly negative impact on our culture and all women, and men, would finally be set right. 3/3
— Jeanne F. Mancini (@jeannemfl) May 3, 2022
8. Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center
"If Roe is overturned, the United States might no longer be listed among the seven nations with such extreme abortion laws-- including nations like North Korea and China," Stetzer tweeted, linking to a Washington Post story. "Roe was (and is) bad law and needs to be overturned."
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/David McNew/Staff
9. Cissie Graham Lynch, host, Fearless podcast
"This is unprecedented. How is this leaked almost 2 months early? Will Justices be bullied by the left to change their votes in the 11th hour? PRAY THEY STAY STRONG," Lynch tweeted.
Something is fishy in DC tonight. This is unprecedented. How is this leaked almost 2 months early? Will Justices be bullied by the left to change their votes in the 11th hour? PRAY THEY STAY STRONG. #RoeVWade https://t.co/7Ab36XLiAV
— Cissie Graham Lynch (@CissieGLynch) May 3, 2022
10. Albert Mohler, president, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Mohler quoted a portion of the draft ruling: "We can only do our job, which is to interpret the law, apply longstanding principles of stare decisis, and decide the case accordingly. We therefore hold that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. Roe and Casey must be overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives."
"We must all pray that this resolve and these very words – that is the words of resolve in this particular passage – will hold fast in days ahead," Mohler said on his podcast, referencing the opinion. "And when the Supreme Court hands down its ruling in coming weeks, the defenders of life dare to hope that this is indeed the court's ruling and, oh Lord, let us pray, may it be true."
Related:
Supreme Court Has Votes to Overturn Roe in Draft Opinion: 'Pray They Stay Strong,' Pro-Lifers Urge
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
