Supreme Court On A Collision Course with Roe vs. Wade
By Jay Rogers
Published November 1989
WASHINGTON, D.C. (FR) – The U.S. Supreme Court, having begun a new session on October 2, will hear three abortion cases which may result in an overturn of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
According to New York Times columnist Linda Greenhouse, these cases “offer a more direct road map for overturning Roe vs. Wade than the route offered by [Webster].”
Douglas Johnson, legislative director for National Right to Life Committee, said, “In any one of these cases, if the court is going to proceed in a principled way they should first determine what the standard of review is going to be, which means they should decide initially in each case whether or not there is a fundamental constitutional right to abortion.”
On the same day that the Supreme Court decided Webster vs. Reproductive Health Services, it accepted three more abortion cases. Two of these cases, Ohio vs. Akron Center for Reproductive Health and Minnesota vs. Hodgson, involve parental notification as a requirement before an abortion is performed on a minor. In a third case, Turnock vs. Ragsdale, the Court will examine an Illinois law that requires that abortions be performed in a well-equipped, licensed facility.
A Court spokesperson announced that Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens will not take part in the Illinois abortion case. Stevens did not give a reason for his decision to withdraw himself from the case, but it is speculated the Justice may have a conflict of interest relating to the case, perhaps due to a previous relationship with a party in the dispute. Stevens has been a consistent supporter of liberal abortion rights; his absence in the case makes a pro-life victory likely.
In the Webster case, the majority ruled to uphold the Missouri law, but were divided on the grounds for their ruling. Rhenquist, White and Kennedy suggested that Roe be “narrowed and modified”; Scalia urged that Roe be overturned in the Webster case; and O’Connor viewed the Missouri statute as compatible with Roe and did not offer an opinion.
James Bopp, Jr, National Right to Life General Counsel, has outlined three reasons why the cases the Court will hear this term more directly implicate Roe than did the Missouri statute. First, the statutes apply throughout pregnancy, not just after “viability.” Second, the statutes impose a “significant burden” on women obtaining abortions in the first trimester, thus contravening Roe’s holding that left first trimester abortions unregulated. Third, in Turnock, the woman is prohibited from being counseled by her physician, a direct and absolute bar to one of Roe’s key elements.
As a result of implications that these statutes make against Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court may reconsider a precedent. The issue of a woman’s “fundamental right to an abortion,” which is a key element sustaining Roe, may be reexamined by the Court.
Forerunner - Home » The Forerunner Newspaper » Pro-life Activism
Your comments are welcome!
Dr. Francis Schaeffer - A Christian Manifesto (DVD)
That Swiss Hermit Strikes Again!
Dr. Schaeffer, who was one of the most influential Christian thinkers in the twentieth century, shows that secular humanism has displaced the Judeo-Christian consensus that once defined our nation’s moral boundaries. Law, education, and medicine have all been reshaped for the worse as a consequence. America’s dominant worldview changed, Schaeffer charges, when Christians weren’t looking.
Schaeffer lists two reasons for evangelical indifference: a false concept of spirituality and fear. He calls on believers to stand against the tyranny and moral chaos that come when humanism reigns-and warns that believers may, at some point, be forced to make the hard choice between obeying God or Caesar. A Christian Manifesto is a thought-provoking and bracing Christian analysis of American culture and the obligation Christians have to engage the culture with the claims of Christ.
$19.95 — ORDER NOW!
Click here for more information
God's Law and Society (DVD)
Download the Free on-line Study Guide!
God’s Law and Society powerfully presents a comprehensive worldview based upon the ethical system found in the Law of God.
Speakers include: R.J. Rushdoony, George Grant, Howard Phillips, R.C. Sproul Jr., Ken Gentry, Gary DeMar, Jay Grimstead, Steven Schlissel, Andrew Sandlin, Eric Holmberg, and more!
Sixteen Christian leaders and scholars answer some of the most common questions and misconceptions related to this volatile issue:
1. Are we under Law or under Grace?
2. Does the Old Testament Law apply today?
3. Can we legislate morality?
4. What are the biblical foundations of government?
5. Was America founded as a Christian nation?
6. What about the separation of Church and State?
7. Is neutrality a myth?
8. What about non-Christians and the Law of God?
9. Would there be “freedom” in a Christian republic?
10. What would a “Christian America” look like?
Perfect for group instruction as well as personal Bible study.
Ten parts, over four hours of instruction!
Running Time: 240 minutes
Watch over 60 on-line video interviews from God’s Law and Society.
$19.95 — ORDER NOW!
Click here for more information
Martin Luther (DVD) 1953 Classic
Niall MacGinnis – Digitally Remastered
The dramatic classic film of Martin Luther’s life was released in theaters worldwide in the 1950s and was nominated for two Oscars. A magnificent depiction of Luther and the forces at work in the surrounding society that resulted in his historic reforming efforts, this film traces Luther’s life from a guilt-burdened monk to his eventual break with the Roman Catholic Church.
In spite of its age, this film continues to be a popular resource to introduce Luther’s life. This historical epic captures the life and times of the greatest figure of the Protestant Reformation with depth and clarity, while giving a glimpse at the private man in the eye of the storm. Luther’s protest against the established order of the Church gave birth to one of the largest religious and cultural movements history and serves as a prime example of how one man’s spiritual convictions can change the course of human events.
Running Time: 105 minutes
$9.95 — ORDER NOW!
Click here for more information
Dr. Francis Schaeffer - How Should We Then Live? (DVD)
Special Two-Disc Set!
After 40 years of intense study and world-wide ministry, Dr. Francis Schaeffer completed his crowning work of scholarship – to present profound truths in simple film language. Dr. Schaeffer’s brilliant analysis of the past and predictions for current trends have proven so uncannily accurate that this amazing series still feels contemporary almost three decades after its initial release. Ultimately, Schaeffer concludes that man’s only hope is a return to God’s Biblical absolute, the truth revealed in Christ through the Scriptures.
Available for the first time on DVD, this documentary spectacular also includes intimate in-depth conversations with Francis and Edith Schaeffer. With the on-disc study guide, this presentation forms a unique course of comprehensive study. While this series forms an innovative analysis of the past, this outstanding work is more than history. Each episode focuses on a significant era, yet speaks clearly to 21st-century man with answers for modern problems.
$49.95 — ORDER NOW!
Click here for more information
The Beast of Revelation: Identified (DVD)
Who is the dreaded beast of Revelation?
Now at last, a plausible candidate for this personification of evil incarnate has been identified (or re-identified). Ken Gentry’s insightful analysis of scripture and history is likely to revolutionize your understanding of the book of Revelation — and even more importantly — amplify and energize your entire Christian worldview!
Historical footage and other graphics are used to illustrate the lecture Dr. Gentry presented at the 1999 Ligonier Conference in Orlando, Florida. It is followed by a one-hour question and answer session addressing the key concerns and objections typically raised in response to his position. This presentation also features an introduction that touches on not only the confusion and controversy surrounding this issue — but just why it may well be one of the most significant issues facing the Church today.
Ideal for group meetings, personal Bible study — for anyone who wants to understand the historical context of John’s famous letter “… to the seven churches which are in Asia.” (Revelation 1:4)
Running Time: 145 minutes
$17.95 — ORDER NOW!
