Chapter 9: Abortion Cultures

This chapter will develop further some of the ideas introduced earlier about the ways in which the anti-abortion groups understand and explain public acceptance of abortion. We will focus on how they understand themselves, their actions and why abortion has come to be a prominent part of their religious practice. Whilst anti-abortion activists often posit that there is a ‘truth’ about abortion, historical evidence illustrates that there have been different Christian interpretations of abortion over time. The chapter starts with examining the idea of a ‘culture of life’ and a ‘culture of death’ developed within Catholicism and how this understanding aligns with the position taken by some evangelical Christians. It illustrates the ways in which abortion is a foundational issue for constructing a battle between good and evil, and, by taking an active role against abortion, the anti-abortion activists are aligning themselves with goodness and godliness. This spiritual battle is constructed emotionally as both a religious belief and a social movement. The differentiation between those who support or oppose abortion creates boundaries and hierarchies within religious communities, setting up anti-abortion people as the ‘true believers’ and denigrating those within their faith position who do not hold the same views as lacking religious authenticity. It also aligns those who support access to abortion as on the ‘wrong side’ of a divinely inspired battle.