Abortion in the Early Church: The Surprising Witness We Need Today

Gavin Ortlund explores the early church’s clear yet nuanced opposition to abortion and shows how its emphasis on human dignity and neighbor love can challenge Christians today toward a truly consistent pro-life ethic. Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites, Visiting Professor of Historical Theology at Phoenix Seminary, and Theologian-in-Residence at Immanuel Nashville. SUPPORT: Tax Deductible Support: https://truthunites.org/donate/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites FOLLOW: Website: https://truthunites.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truth.unites/ X: https://x.com/gavinortlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnitesPage/ MY ACADEMIC WORK: https://truthunites.org/mypublications/ PODCAST: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/truth-unites DISCORD SERVER ON PROTESTANTISM Striving Side By Side: https://discord.gg/MdTt6d5PVs CHECK OUT SOME BOOKS: https://www.amazon.com/Makes-Sense-World-That-Doesnt/dp/1540964094/truthunites-20 https://www.amazon.com/Theological-Retrieval-Evangelicals-Need-Future/dp/1433565269/truthunites-20 https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Right-Hills-Die-Theological/dp/1433567423/truthunites-20 https://www.amazon.com/Retrieving-Augustines-Doctrine-Creation-Controversy/dp/0830853243/truthunites-20 00:00 - Introduction 00:55 - Why Consider the Early Church? 05:44 - Earliest Testimony 15:14 - 4th and 5th Century Witness 22:55 - 1) The Early Church Was Not Perfect 26:00 - 2) The Early Church is in its own context 28:14 - 3) We Should Learn From the Early Church