A Love for Life

Is abortion ethical? The answer to this question is often obscured by rhetoric slogans and politics. And the media message on abortion is often of little help. When the typical American opens up her morning newspaper she sees the topic debated between pro-lifers and pro-choicers but receives little information that could help her make an informed moral decision. And as she reads further about the subject it seems that the Christian church often an ethical guide in many of her decisions is of no use to her. Sadly she is told that the church is just as divided as the rest of society on the topic. So our average American is left to fend for herself. She must somehow decide the right answer with little guidance from society from the church or even from God himself. But is our average American really without guidance? Has she gotten all the information she needs about abortion or has she received only the five-second sound bite that leaves her as confused as she was before she heard about the abortion debate? And has God been silent on the abortion question? Has the church really shown a diversity of opinion on the sanctity of life? A Love for Life will provide Christians with the biblical and historical information that they need to make an informed decision on the abortion question. It will also take a critical and biblically-based look at the arguments and theologies of todays most prominent pro-choice clergy. And it will determine if abortion really fulfills the will of God as many pro-choice Christians believe or whether abortion is a clearly sinful act. In short readers of A Love for Life will discover the real message of the church on abortion. In this brief but comprehensive and well-researched book Dennis Di Mauro traces the history of the Christian churchs pro-life position born from its Scriptures and theologically consistent until the latter part of the twentieth century. Di Mauro also demonstrates that the pro-life position represents the majority of the Christian world even as he points to powerful pro-life voices within Christian traditions that are currently pro-choice. Christian people and churches on all sides of the abortion debate need to grapple seriously with these realities and the first step in doing so is to read this book. --Michael J. Gorman author of Abortion and the Early Church In A Love for Life Dennis Di Mauro provides a much-needed review of Christian history that both preceded and followed the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court opinion which legalized abortion. It is a compelling chronicle of the consistent pro-life voice of Christianity through the ages as well as a disturbing review of the divided response of todays churches and religious organizations. In light of the 46 million legal abortions since 1973 Mr. Di Mauros narrative ought to cause readers to consider a new (or renewed) commitment to restoring the historic Christian principle of the sanctity of all human life. --Jean Garton author of Who Broke the Baby? A Love for Life is a splendid achievement. The author brings together the ancient and contemporary biblical truth and todays political arguments in a narrative that illuminates the ways in which Christians have engaged and failed to engage the great human rights question of our time. --Richard John Neuhaus former Editor in Chief First Things Up until now you might have thought you knew the outstanding Christian tradition in defense of children in the womb. But that was before you picked up this book. --Frank Pavone National Director Priests for Life; President National Pro-life Religious Council Dennis Di Mauro is Secretary of the National Pro-Life Religious Council President of Northern Virginia Lutherans for Life and a doctoral student in church history at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC.