John Goodrich - Choose Life: Answering Key Claims of Abortion Defenders with Compassion

Choose Life is a thorough and articulate examination of the pro-life position by multiple highly qualified contributors. Their challenges to the pro-choice position are reasoned and thoughtful. Whether youre pro-life, pro-choice, or on the fence, this book has much to offer you.

RANDY ALCORN

Bestselling author of Why Pro-Life?, ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments, and Pro-Choice or Pro-Life?

Addressing theological, philosophical, legal, spiritual, and practical concerns, the contributors not only do not shy away from the difficult questions, but answer them with intelligence, care, and compassion. I cant think of another book with such breadth and depth that is also accessible to ordinary people who want to learn more about what it truly means to choose life.

FRANCIS J. BECKWITH

Professor of Philosophy & Church-State Studies, and Affiliate; Professor of Political Science, Baylor University

The defense of human dignity and the sanctity of human life is one of the central and inescapable tasks of todays Christians. In that task, we need every hand on deck. In Choose Life, a first-rank team of Christian defenders of life addresses some of the most pressing questions of our day, and with conviction they counter some of the most influential arguments coming from abortion supporters. This book is timelyurgently soand will be a great encouragement to Christians in the battle for life.

R. ALBERT MOHLER JR.

President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Choose Life is at once both informative and inspiring. The diverse backgrounds of the contributors give the book an impressive breadth and balancebiblical scholarship, philosophical reasoning, legal analysis, public policy, biology, medicine, counseling, personal reflection from experienceChoose Life has something for everyone! This book is a helpful resource that can be used both to equip and to persuade.

BENJAMIN WILSON

Lead Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel, Fayetteville, AR

Abortion is more than a political, cultural, hot-button topic. A Christian must meet this issue with biblical wisdom, an empathetic understanding of womens circumstances followed by considerable solutions. Choose Life gives a voice to the unborn and will direct life-giving, healing conversations.

CANDACE CAMERON BURE

Actress, producer, author, mother of three

On any number of occasions, Black pastors, tired of the news theyre getting from the mainstream media, have reached out to me regarding the pro-life movements leadership, mission, and heart. This book addresses all of those critically important issues and much, much more.

WALTER B. HOYE II

Pro-life leader of Issues4Life Foundation

This is simply a splendid collection of essays. Every pro-lifer who wants to bear witness to the truth about the profound dignity of every human being and our obligations to support women as they bear new life will benefit from this book. No one can afford to sit on the sidelines, and Choose Life will help you defend life.

RYAN T. ANDERSON

President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center

Choose Life is the most thorough work on answering objections in recent years. The up-to-date material found in these pages has been painstakingly researched by some of the brightest and most caring minds on the subject and will be a training manual for any serious student for years to come. I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who would like to research the pro-life position with integrity. Any desire of mine to write on this sensitive subject was dispelled as I realized everything Ive ever wanted to say was lovingly covered. You will cry and you will rejoice as intimate stories of courage, betrayal, and hope are on full display for your consideration to choose life.

RAY COMFORT

Founder and CEO of Living Waters ministries and the bestselling author of more than 90 books

If ever there were an issue that needs to be approached with grace, truth, and compassion, it is abortion in America. This book has done it. Tens of millions of our neighbors lives have been lost or devastated through abortion since Roe v. Wade mandated abortion-on-demand in our country and ignited a bitter national debate that continues to this day. Choose Life gives us a comprehensive framework for approaching this ongoing tragedy with resolve, and with specific action steps to love the human beings involved.

DENISE HARLE

Sr. Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom; former Deputy Solicitor General of Florida; board member of a womens pregnancy center

Jeanette Hagen Pifer and John K. Goodrich have done us the wonderful service of bringing together an outstanding collection of essays that address a vitally important theme. Choose Life delivers admirably on its subtitles promise. Leading scholars from a range of disciplines answer the most pressing claims of abortion defendersand do so with clarity, courage, and importantly, compassion. An excellent resource!

TODD WILSON

Cofounder and President, The Center for Pastor Theologians

Choose Life is a thorough and sensitive look at abortion and the discussion between pro-choice and pro-life advocates. It considers the topic from every anglephilosophical, theological, legal, social, cultural, and, most importantly, from the standpoint of a womans long-term experience. It drips with a sensitive tone, often lacking in this conversation. This book explains why being pro-life promotes our overall social well-being and deep care for the woman who faces a challenging, life-altering, deeply moral choice.

DARRELL L. BOCK

Executive Director for Cultural Engagement, the Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement; Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

2022 by
JEANETTE HAGEN PIFER and JOHN K. GOODRICH

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Some content in chapter 4 is adapted from Scott B. Rae and Paul M. Cox, Bioethics: A Christian Approach in a Pluralistic Age (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999) and Scott B. Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009).

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.