4 misperceptions about abortion law in the post-Dobbs era

The Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is only a week old, and already there are misperceptions, misunderstandings, and misconstruals about what abortion law will look like now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned. Here are four main misperceptions that have been expressed in light of the recent ruling and explanations of how to think through them.

Is your church ready to respond to a post-Roe world?

The release of the Dobbs decision marks a true turning point in the pro-life movement — a moment that Christians, pro-life advocates and many others have worked toward tirelessly for 50 years. As we respond to the ruling in this case, we want to be faithful to pray. 

This free Dobbs prayer guide contains a list of 48 specific prayer requests to guide you, your family, and your church in your prayers over the coming weeks and months.

This Week in Washington, D.C.

In addition to last Friday’s monumental abortion ruling in the Dobbs case, the Supreme Court also granted two significant victories for religious liberty and expression. 

• Last week in a 6-3 decision, the Court ruled that Maine cannot discriminate against families who wish to use tuition assistance payments at religious schools. This case arose out of the unique way that Maine provides free education to its 180,000 students. Every child in the United States is entitled to a free public education, but there are areas in Maine where students don’t have easily accessible public education. Given that limitation, Maine offers its citizens a benefit: tuition assistance payments for any family whose school district does not provide a public secondary school.
  
  Thankfully, the court rejected this discriminatory maneuvering by officials in Maine and reiterated the religious liberty afforded all citizens when exercising their faith in the course of their daily lives. You can read more about this case and the ERLC’s involvement here.
   
• On Monday in another 6-3 decision, the Court also ruled in favor of Coach Kennedy, the high school football coach who had been fired because of his private prayers following football games. The Court decisively ruled that both the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses protect Coach Kennedy’s right for religious expression.
  
  This case is another victory in a long line of jurisprudence that further expands Americans’ robust rights of religious expression. Across our convention of churches, faithful Southern Baptists can be found working in the public education sector. As Christians, Scripture calls us to do “all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17). This decision bolsters believers’ ability to do this in the public square without fear of repercussions. You can read more about this case and the ERLC’s involvement here.

Featured Podcasts

From The Public Square

What You Need to Read

Krissie Inserra with How to talk to your kids about Pride Month and sexuality

As Christian parents, we want our kids to be protected, maintaining their innocence and purity as long as possible. We want to shield them from as much of the hypersexualized society that we can, and this is a good thing. But we need to realize two things: 1) They are exposed to so much more than we realize; and 2) It is right and good for a child to understand from a young age and in an appropriate manner that God made us a certain way and that it glorifies God when we see his design for the good gift of sexuality.

SBC President Bart Barber with Why religious liberty is a Baptist distinctive

Our Constitution does not confer upon us the right to serve God. We would do that even if it were illegal to do so. Rather, our Constitution means that we need not hide while we worship, plant churches, and train and send missionaries. That freedom not to hide has meant much greater effectiveness for American churches. That’s something worth celebrating.

Matt Henslee with Why I am alive to see a post-Roe world

You might not be in a place where you can adopt a child or even serve as a foster parent, but you may have the ability to provide resources or even respite care for those that do. Whatever you do, open your hearts, your pocketbooks, and your homes––there’s some way all of us can respond to the influx of scared, vulnerable mothers and fathers and babies who need care. Above all, let’s commit to pray that the God who intervened to end Roe and Casey would raise up his people to pour ourselves out for the lives and souls of those who desperately need Jesus.