L OCA L L Y S OUR CED
March for Life Up Close Kara Beth Vance
On Saturday, January 8 , about 6 0 people from College remember how overwhelming it was the first time that Church participated in the March for Life held in went to March for Life in Washington D. C. There were Chicago. We gathered at Federal Plaza with thousands probably to100,000 there to celebrate life and oppose hear pro-life speakers from various backgrounds. After abortion. had never been with so many people who the rally, we walked our route by Daley Plaza, Millennium not only knew the value of each life but wanted to do Park, and the Art nstitute on Michigan Ave. and passed something (even if it was a small something) and be a by people in cars and on sidewalks who saw our message witness of this to the watching world. and experienced the positive tone of the march. Several friends have asked me over the years why we T h ere is a temp ta tio n in th e ch u rch to wi thdr aw participateinMarchforLife.Therearelotsofreasons. Some fro m co n vers a tio n s ta kin g p la ce in the people come because of the media attention this event attracts, the leaders in various spheres of life that attend or p u b lic s q u a re, b u t w h a t w e b elieve d o e s have speak at the march, or the notion that events like this are imp lica tio n s every d a y in p u b lic life. part of a larger strategy to protect the unborn. The reason that resonates with me was articulated by one attendee from College Church who wrote after the march that our participation “has a price: a Saturday afternoon, cold, counter-protest tension, but it should cost us something. (
There is a temptation in the church to withdraw from conversations taking place in the public square, but what we believe does have implications every day in public life. The truth is that all human beings are valuable because they are made in the image of God, so intentionally taking the life of The March for Life is one opportunity to put feet to our another human being is an attack on God’s image bearer. beliefs, and it does cost us something—time, saying no Abortion takes human life and is legal in the United States. to plans, standing in the cold. We are always encouraged, This is not the way it should be. And we, as Christians, ought however, by the thousands of people who also participate be shining and make the same sacrifices to be there that daytowith us. light on these conversations, and standing for
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