The Bible says life begins with the first breath, not at conception
From electoral-vote. Sharing as this writer is a lot more knowledgeable than I am.
Those who oppose abortion almost universally do so on the basis of a religious belief (and almost as universally claiming Christianity as that basis). Except for Roman Catholics, quite often those are the same people who insist on Biblical literalism. However, the view that life begins at conception is Biblically unsupportable, as both the Jewish Bible (the Christian Old Testament) and the New Testament universally view "breath" as the designator of life. And I say this as a devout Christian (but not a "fundamentalist"). Indeed, religious fundamentalism is quite clearly among the things that Christ unequivocally and repeatedly condemned and which also, not coincidentally, led directly to His execution. Setting aside the constitutional issues of "establishing" a religious belief opposing abortion, it is worth examining the actual biblical legitimacy of the anti-abortion position.
One must start in analyzing Christian beliefs (and any alleged biblical basis of those beliefs) with some undisputed fundamentals. First, Jesus was a Jew and a devout one at that. He revered the Word of God as then manifest in what we now call the Old Testament, and knew it deeply and intimately—indeed, if one accepts that Jesus was divine as well as human, more deeply and intimately than any human who had ever lived or who ever will. Second, the early Christian Church viewed itself not as a new faith or even a new sect, but as fundamentally Jewish. They continued being observant Jews until well after they were ejected from the Temple and Jewish community. Even then, and even now, Christianity remains pervaded with Jewish tradition, ranging from Christian reverence for the Old Testament to male circumcision, and a host of things between. This is crucial because what Jewish tradition and the Old Testament say about things is not only material but highly pertinent, particularly if one is interpreting or seeking meaning in the Old Testament, or basing claims of belief in the Old Testament. And for those asserting biblical literalism and inerrancy, the Old Testament is essential. Finally, notwithstanding the puzzling reverence many folks have for the King James Version of the Bible, the Bible was not written in 17th Century English—which is, of course, why it is the King James "Version" of the Bible. King James did not author the Bible; his effort was simply an attempt to translate the original Hebrew and Aramaic (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) into what was then contemporary language so that it could be more widely read and understood.
So what does the Bible actually say about when life begins? Interestingly, what it says is not far from the "viability" standard set in Roe v. Wade, though it is expressed in terms that the scientific understanding of the day would understand. Biblically, life begins and ends with the presence of breath. No more, no less. Indeed, this concept is reflected in Hebrew in the word "Ruach" (or alternatively spelled, "Ruah") which means "the spirit of life" or "the breath of life," and sometimes simply "life," "breath," "spirit" or "soul." Some older commentators translate it as the "vital principle which resides in and animates the body." Interestingly, it also means "wind," which is also used often in the Bible to demonstrate the presence of works of God.
This concept is most dramatically illustrated in the story of the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37, where God brought together dry bones, and put sinew and flesh on them. But they were not alive until they were given "breath" from the wind. The same concept is found in Genesis, where the "breath of life" is mentioned repeatedly (Genesis 1:30; 2:7; 6:17; 7:15; 7:21-22). The idea is found throughout the Old Testament—breath as the indicator of life. For example, see Job 12:10, 33:4; Psalm 104:24, 29; Psalm 135:15-17; Psalm 146:3-4; Ecclesiastes 3:18-19, 11:5, 12:5-7; Isaiah 42:5; Jeremiah 10:14, 51:17; Habakkuk 2:19; Wisdom of Solomon 15: 10-11; Ecclesiasticus 33:21; Letter of Jeremiah 6:24-25; 2 Maccabees 7: 23; and 2 Esdras 3:4-5.
In the New Testament, Jesus' death is indicated in the Synoptic Gospels by declaring that He "breathed his last," per Matthew 27:50; Mark 15:37, 39; and Luke 23:6. At the other end of the New Testament, in the Revelation to John, we see breath as the force that resurrects the prophets. That's Revelation 11:9-11.
That a pre-birth fetus is not considered "alive" is also evident in Exodus 21 (at 22-25), where, immediately before the "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" instruction is given, an injury to a pregnant woman that results in a miscarriage is merely fined. And, in Numbers 5:11-31, an induced abortion is prescribed as a test for married women who are suspected of an adultrous pregnancy. And that belief regarding the beginning of life remains the predominant Jewish view today—that life begins with the first breath.
All of this leads, of course, to at least a brief mention of Biblical "literalism" which, like Constitutional "originalism," is often highly selective and non-contextual, and also often entirely disregarded when it yields an undesired result. Here, literalism leads unequivocally to the conclusion that opposition to abortion is simply not based in the Bible because the Bible makes clear that life does not begin at conception but at birth, when "breath" occurs. Given the penchant of fundamentalists, both literally and figuratively, to "thump" the Bible to support their beliefs, for those persons to claim that life begins at a time earlier than "breath" is to take a position that is unquestionably directly contrary to biblical teachings, and is hypocritical at best.
The Roman Catholic position is more nuanced because it is not grounded biblically at all and does not pretend to be because Catholics are not biblical literalists. Rather, it is based upon an inferred value of the sanctity of life from Jesus' teachings (which is an unquestionably fair inference, and also supports Catholic opposition to the death penalty), coupled with a simple declaration at some point in church history by someone that life begins at conception. The exact source of the Catholic dogma on life beginning at conception does not seem to be known other than that it appeared in catechisms as at some point in the first century. However, that position is, as shown above, not based upon biblical tradition or text; it is simply an accepted facet of Catholic faith. Given that the Catholic Church's declaration of beliefs being not biblically supportable was a major reason for the Protestant Reformation, it is historically surprising that this particular facet of non-biblical Catholic declared belief is so predominant among the "more Protestant" denominations than those that are "less Protestant."
The point of this long explanation is twofold: (1) to show that biblical literalists are hypocrites when it comes to abortion and when life begins; and (2) to suggest that for non-Catholics, unless their belief is based upon the acceptance of Catholic dogma (which for Protestant fundamentalists it almost certainly would not be), there is decidedly something else going on. And there is, but that is the basis for another long essay at some point and a topic about which there has been plenty written recently by others.
Those who oppose abortion almost universally do so on the basis of a religious belief (and almost as universally claiming Christianity as that basis). Except for Roman Catholics, quite often those are the same people who insist on Biblical literalism. However, the view that life begins at conception is Biblically unsupportable, as both the Jewish Bible (the Christian Old Testament) and the New Testament universally view "breath" as the designator of life. And I say this as a devout Christian (but not a "fundamentalist"). Indeed, religious fundamentalism is quite clearly among the things that Christ unequivocally and repeatedly condemned and which also, not coincidentally, led directly to His execution. Setting aside the constitutional issues of "establishing" a religious belief opposing abortion, it is worth examining the actual biblical legitimacy of the anti-abortion position.
One must start in analyzing Christian beliefs (and any alleged biblical basis of those beliefs) with some undisputed fundamentals. First, Jesus was a Jew and a devout one at that. He revered the Word of God as then manifest in what we now call the Old Testament, and knew it deeply and intimately—indeed, if one accepts that Jesus was divine as well as human, more deeply and intimately than any human who had ever lived or who ever will. Second, the early Christian Church viewed itself not as a new faith or even a new sect, but as fundamentally Jewish. They continued being observant Jews until well after they were ejected from the Temple and Jewish community. Even then, and even now, Christianity remains pervaded with Jewish tradition, ranging from Christian reverence for the Old Testament to male circumcision, and a host of things between. This is crucial because what Jewish tradition and the Old Testament say about things is not only material but highly pertinent, particularly if one is interpreting or seeking meaning in the Old Testament, or basing claims of belief in the Old Testament. And for those asserting biblical literalism and inerrancy, the Old Testament is essential. Finally, notwithstanding the puzzling reverence many folks have for the King James Version of the Bible, the Bible was not written in 17th Century English—which is, of course, why it is the King James "Version" of the Bible. King James did not author the Bible; his effort was simply an attempt to translate the original Hebrew and Aramaic (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) into what was then contemporary language so that it could be more widely read and understood.
So what does the Bible actually say about when life begins? Interestingly, what it says is not far from the "viability" standard set in Roe v. Wade, though it is expressed in terms that the scientific understanding of the day would understand. Biblically, life begins and ends with the presence of breath. No more, no less. Indeed, this concept is reflected in Hebrew in the word "Ruach" (or alternatively spelled, "Ruah") which means "the spirit of life" or "the breath of life," and sometimes simply "life," "breath," "spirit" or "soul." Some older commentators translate it as the "vital principle which resides in and animates the body." Interestingly, it also means "wind," which is also used often in the Bible to demonstrate the presence of works of God.
This concept is most dramatically illustrated in the story of the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37, where God brought together dry bones, and put sinew and flesh on them. But they were not alive until they were given "breath" from the wind. The same concept is found in Genesis, where the "breath of life" is mentioned repeatedly (Genesis 1:30; 2:7; 6:17; 7:15; 7:21-22). The idea is found throughout the Old Testament—breath as the indicator of life. For example, see Job 12:10, 33:4; Psalm 104:24, 29; Psalm 135:15-17; Psalm 146:3-4; Ecclesiastes 3:18-19, 11:5, 12:5-7; Isaiah 42:5; Jeremiah 10:14, 51:17; Habakkuk 2:19; Wisdom of Solomon 15: 10-11; Ecclesiasticus 33:21; Letter of Jeremiah 6:24-25; 2 Maccabees 7: 23; and 2 Esdras 3:4-5.
In the New Testament, Jesus' death is indicated in the Synoptic Gospels by declaring that He "breathed his last," per Matthew 27:50; Mark 15:37, 39; and Luke 23:6. At the other end of the New Testament, in the Revelation to John, we see breath as the force that resurrects the prophets. That's Revelation 11:9-11.
That a pre-birth fetus is not considered "alive" is also evident in Exodus 21 (at 22-25), where, immediately before the "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" instruction is given, an injury to a pregnant woman that results in a miscarriage is merely fined. And, in Numbers 5:11-31, an induced abortion is prescribed as a test for married women who are suspected of an adultrous pregnancy. And that belief regarding the beginning of life remains the predominant Jewish view today—that life begins with the first breath.
All of this leads, of course, to at least a brief mention of Biblical "literalism" which, like Constitutional "originalism," is often highly selective and non-contextual, and also often entirely disregarded when it yields an undesired result. Here, literalism leads unequivocally to the conclusion that opposition to abortion is simply not based in the Bible because the Bible makes clear that life does not begin at conception but at birth, when "breath" occurs. Given the penchant of fundamentalists, both literally and figuratively, to "thump" the Bible to support their beliefs, for those persons to claim that life begins at a time earlier than "breath" is to take a position that is unquestionably directly contrary to biblical teachings, and is hypocritical at best.
The Roman Catholic position is more nuanced because it is not grounded biblically at all and does not pretend to be because Catholics are not biblical literalists. Rather, it is based upon an inferred value of the sanctity of life from Jesus' teachings (which is an unquestionably fair inference, and also supports Catholic opposition to the death penalty), coupled with a simple declaration at some point in church history by someone that life begins at conception. The exact source of the Catholic dogma on life beginning at conception does not seem to be known other than that it appeared in catechisms as at some point in the first century. However, that position is, as shown above, not based upon biblical tradition or text; it is simply an accepted facet of Catholic faith. Given that the Catholic Church's declaration of beliefs being not biblically supportable was a major reason for the Protestant Reformation, it is historically surprising that this particular facet of non-biblical Catholic declared belief is so predominant among the "more Protestant" denominations than those that are "less Protestant."
The point of this long explanation is twofold: (1) to show that biblical literalists are hypocrites when it comes to abortion and when life begins; and (2) to suggest that for non-Catholics, unless their belief is based upon the acceptance of Catholic dogma (which for Protestant fundamentalists it almost certainly would not be), there is decidedly something else going on. And there is, but that is the basis for another long essay at some point and a topic about which there has been plenty written recently by others.
