...”Fight” from page 83 The problem is that we tribe up in one or the other camp and act as if one or the other is more important, giving the impression that Christian doctrine only validates one emphasis. But this bifurcation is not biblical, and it misrepresents the true nature of God; God is not intent on justice or righteousness; He states unequivocally in more than one place in His word that, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne…” (Psalm 89:14), and again in Psalm 97:2, “Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.” So to present a more faithful witness we can together cast a cultural vision that puts unborn people right at the center of justice by asking ourselves this question: Can we any longer afford to stand on either side of the false chasm that separates justice based on race from justice for those whose full substance is still being formed? This is the year to cross that chasm. A second reason that it is important to advocate for unborn people with a justice framework is because justice, like life itself, is a foundational orientation from which to advocate for all other issues. Our love, compassion, and respect for life mean nothing if we do not get justice for our neighbors in the womb. What does justice as applied to these people look like? And how can we make the necessary shift to include advocacy from this justice point of view? As Ken Wytsma points out in his book Pursuing Justice: The Call to Live and Die for Bigger Things, justice can be rightly viewed as including right relationships with those around us and correcting harmful and damaging systems; our call is to address both for unborn people. Consequently, justice for unborn people involves individuals and systems, and includes those elements of justice that are customarily sought for post-natal folks—those of us already outside the womb, such as: • protection of their lives from oppression— including discrimination, creating hostile environments that oppose or hinder their existence, and threats of violence and accontinued on page 87... WWW.PRO.LIFE | 1 (800) 858-3040 | 919 S. MAIN ST, SNOWFLAKE, AZ 85937 84
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