Shownotes:

Abortion is a multi-faceted, multi-layered issue that the church often fails to engage with the depth and compassion it requires. Regardless of one’s position on this issue, the stories of those who have struggled with this impossible decision have been discounted in the midst of political fervor. Poverty forces many vulnerable, marginalized women to grapple with the decision to have an abortion, yet this factor is often overlooked. How do we make space for grace, respect, and empathy in such a nuanced conversation?

Author, speaker, and podcast host Ashley Abercrombie has a strong passion for justice ignited by family members who taught her that faith extends further than a Sunday and helped her practice the ministry of presence. Ashley has pastored for many years, has served as a prison chaplain, and has participated in anti-human trafficking work. For 10 years, she has walked alongside vulnerable women leading abortion recovery groups, and she is familiar with what this issue looks like on both a policy level and a personal level. 

She joins Eddie and Chris to discuss what it means to be pro-life for the whole life, the shame and stigma associated with the impossible decision to have an abortion and the healing process that follows, the role of the evangelical church in perpetuating a harmful discourse around this issue, and the way our convictions can motivate our compassion in a broken world. Ashley encourages us to mind our words and have a faithful witness when it comes to such a divisive topic, and she challenges us to broaden our perspective with empathy to the most vulnerable members of our communities.

Resources:

Follow Ashley Abercrombie on the web: 

https://www.ashabercrombie.org 

Order Ashley’s book Rise of the Truth Teller here

Check out Ashley’s podcast “Why Tho” here:

https://www.ashabercrombie.org/podcast 

Learn more about the history of the evangelical church:

https://www.npr.org/transcripts/731664197  

Follow Ashley on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/ashleyabercrombienyc 

https://www.instagram.com/ashabercrombie/ 

https://twitter.com/ashabercrombie