First, before I launch into my review, in case you don’t read to the end – the Kindle version of this book is now free on Amazon.com.
With the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade around the corner (January 22nd), and with the profound moral, social, and theological issues that surround abortion, and with the fact that this debate still rages and factors into nearly every decision we make at the ballot box, every serious Christian ought to learn more about the abortion issue than what headlines, sound bites, and video fragments tell us. R. C. Sproul’s book Abortion: A Rational Look at An Emotional Issue is a tremendous resource to help you do just that. Sproul writes with clarity (as he always does) and logic as he surveys and analyzes the major issues surrounding abortion, including the biblical teaching, natural law, the difference between “pro-choice” and “pro-abortion”, pro-choice arguments, and the role of government. He also offers guidance for how Christians ought to approach the whole matter in a way that is both compassionate and uncompromising.
This was the first book I’ve read about abortion. I am pro-life but had not really given extended thought to the whole issue. For that reason I found Sproul’s book so helpful. And I would certainly recommend it to anyone who isn’t sure where they stand on abortion. Sproul is clear about where he stands, and makes his case cogently, but he avoids any gratuitous, inflammatory language.
The book includes, as an appendix, a fascinating court transcript from 1989 in which a world-class geneticist, Dr. Jerome Lejeune (now deceased), testifies to the scientific understanding of the creation of a human embryo. Though his English was spotty (Dr. Lejeune was French), and much of his testimony technical, I found his description of the science of the formation of human life just gripping, especially his answers to cross-examination.
No matter where you stand on this profoundly important issue, I urge you to read this book. Did I mention the Kindle version is free? Get it here.
Pastor Scott