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Talking Points
Talking Points Lib/E: Abortion: Christian Compassion, Convictions, and Wisdom for Today's Big Issues
MP3 CD Format Helps Christians to think biblically, speak wisely, and act compassionately on the complex issue of abortion.
Our culture is locked in a battle between two opposing worldviews on abortion. How should Christians advise those who are considering or being pressured into an abortion? How can we help those who are struggling with the emotional and spiritual fallout from abortion? What stance should we take in the public arena, and how should we conduct ourselves in conversations on these subjects?
In this short book, Dr. Lizzie Ling and Vaughan Roberts survey the Christian worldview and help us to think biblically, speak wisely, and act compassionately as we engage with the people, the questions, and the heartache surrounding abortion, in a society with very different values.
Our culture is locked in a battle between two opposing worldviews on abortion. How should Christians advise those who are considering or being pressured into an abortion? How can we help those who are struggling with the emotional and spiritual fallout from abortion? What stance should we take in the public arena, and how should we conduct ourselves in conversations on these subjects?
In this short book, Dr. Lizzie Ling and Vaughan Roberts survey the Christian worldview and help us to think biblically, speak wisely, and act compassionately as we engage with the people, the questions, and the heartache surrounding abortion, in a society with very different values.
Audio CD
Published January 5, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 12, 2020
A helpful little book which you can read in an afternoon!
January 12, 2021
Clear, concise, and compassionate. Biblical, personal, and practical. This little book is a wonderful introduction to the issue of abortion from a Christian perspective.
June 6, 2021
3.5. There's nothing wrong with this book, it is just a very basic introductory discussion, so I didn't really come away with any new insights or thoughts on the topic.
March 11, 2020
The Talking Points series is a collection of short books designed to help Christians think and talk about today’s hot button issues. Coming from a mostly conservative perspective, the series is meant to help educate believers beyond stereotypes and move them into loving responses and firm, substantiated convictions. This volume, Talking Points: Abortion, is written by Dr. Lizzie Ling, a former family doctor currently serving as Associate Minister for Women at St. Ebbe’s Oxford.
There is no more emotional or divisive topic in the American political and religious atmosphere than abortion. Both sides—pro-choice and pro-life (though I would argue both are misnomers)—have a habit of using simplistic arguments that don’t engage each other in good faith and often devalue the humanity of the “other side.”
Coming from a conservative perspective, the authors of this volume are decidedly pro-life, but this volume comes with a genuine attempt to get readers to understand the perspective of those considering abortion. That’s the most needed thing in this book. All too often, Christians are told how to defeat or shout down abortion advocates—we see this as a battle to be won in the culture war. But we drive away and radicalize the other rather than draw them in. We never take a look at the root cause for why someone would consider abortion or consider the path that led them to an unwanted pregnancy.
The first chapter talks about the inherent contradictions in our language and laws that treat the unborn as either valuable or non-valuable based on circumstance. It exposes the doublemindedness of those that devalue the life of the unborn. But the book is also careful to say this with love and compassion, reminding readers that those struggling with abortion aren’t the “other.” They are in your churches and communities, and maybe even families.
The second chapter provides the theological foundation of the sanctity of life, building the concept that life created in the image of God is to be set apart as holy and sacred. This leads into the third chapter, which begins a discussion of when life is sparked. This is a complex issue (hence the title of chapter four, which continues that discussion.) There’s a great discussion of root causes and possible consequences that drive people toward abortion that’s extremely helpful in developing a theology of care surrounding this topic.
The latter half of the book contains suggestions for practical engagement, and they are a breath of fresh air in an often stale and vitriolic discussion. Ling advocates getting to know those considering abortion, treating them as humans, and offering competent counseling and care. To those replies, I would also state that developing infrastructure to empower birth moms to parent or adoptive parents to adopt would go a long way into keeping abortion from being seen as a necessary choice.
Like any book of this size—palm-sized and right at 100 pages—it can only be the beginning of a discussion. But this might be something that can get people into the conversation and working in their communities and churches. A good, just-the-basics resource!
There is no more emotional or divisive topic in the American political and religious atmosphere than abortion. Both sides—pro-choice and pro-life (though I would argue both are misnomers)—have a habit of using simplistic arguments that don’t engage each other in good faith and often devalue the humanity of the “other side.”
Coming from a conservative perspective, the authors of this volume are decidedly pro-life, but this volume comes with a genuine attempt to get readers to understand the perspective of those considering abortion. That’s the most needed thing in this book. All too often, Christians are told how to defeat or shout down abortion advocates—we see this as a battle to be won in the culture war. But we drive away and radicalize the other rather than draw them in. We never take a look at the root cause for why someone would consider abortion or consider the path that led them to an unwanted pregnancy.
The first chapter talks about the inherent contradictions in our language and laws that treat the unborn as either valuable or non-valuable based on circumstance. It exposes the doublemindedness of those that devalue the life of the unborn. But the book is also careful to say this with love and compassion, reminding readers that those struggling with abortion aren’t the “other.” They are in your churches and communities, and maybe even families.
The second chapter provides the theological foundation of the sanctity of life, building the concept that life created in the image of God is to be set apart as holy and sacred. This leads into the third chapter, which begins a discussion of when life is sparked. This is a complex issue (hence the title of chapter four, which continues that discussion.) There’s a great discussion of root causes and possible consequences that drive people toward abortion that’s extremely helpful in developing a theology of care surrounding this topic.
The latter half of the book contains suggestions for practical engagement, and they are a breath of fresh air in an often stale and vitriolic discussion. Ling advocates getting to know those considering abortion, treating them as humans, and offering competent counseling and care. To those replies, I would also state that developing infrastructure to empower birth moms to parent or adoptive parents to adopt would go a long way into keeping abortion from being seen as a necessary choice.
Like any book of this size—palm-sized and right at 100 pages—it can only be the beginning of a discussion. But this might be something that can get people into the conversation and working in their communities and churches. A good, just-the-basics resource!
May 28, 2020
A really helpful contribution to the discussion as it’s the first British book of its kind, and it manages to be accessible to non-religious people as well as informative for believers. It’s impressively concise as it gives you all the best tools to consider this incredibly emotive and painful subject - there are stats and stories, Bible passages and Q&A. Anyone who is pro-choice should give it a chance because you will not see your views straw-manned or caricatured, but fairly represented and addressed. Essentially, the book calls us to love them both - the bigger woman showing hospitality to the smaller woman (or man) inside her body, and to continue that love and support after birth too. It also gives comfort and encouragement that there is forgiveness in the gospel of Jesus Christ for all who have sinned in this area (including men or other family members who may have coerced or shamed a woman into abortion). You can read it in under an hour and pass it to almost anyone who might be interested!
August 15, 2020
A concise biblical response to abortion, embracing theological and ethical questions and pastoral responses. The tone is compassionate, and the book acknowledges the complexity of individual circumstances. There is a helpful FAQ at the end, as well as a list of resources. As an introduction to the topic, and a signpost for further thinking, this is a very good little book. Obviously, the briefness of the format means some things are covered quickly and superficially, but Lizzie Ling highlights resources at the end that cover the topic in more depth.
April 16, 2021
Short and helpful resource on the topic of abortion. Very compassion driven and striving for love work for those with differing views or those that have had abortions in the past. I would use this as a great handout book on the topic for church members and non-Christians alike.
March 21, 2023
Interessant boekje dat in het kort een goed overzicht geeft. Eén punt dat mij verbaasde en in mijn ogen echt niet kan is een argument geven in % (abortussen bij verkrachting) waarvan de bron uit 1979 komt. Het boekje zelf is uit 2020. Die bron had geüpdatet moeten worden.
October 8, 2024
Good easy introduction to a pro-life view on abortion. It’s intended to be brief, so don’t expect anything groundbreaking, but I’d recommend it to someone who hasn’t thought much about what their Christian convictions mean for this important topic.
June 12, 2020
As good as a primer to the topic of abortion can get.
September 19, 2020
Thoughtful, practical, compassionate.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews