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The Five Tenets of Abolitionism

The five convictions that define the abolitionist movement: biblical, providential, gospel-centred, church-driven, and immediate.

DRAFT — awaiting editorial review.

The modern abolitionist movement summarises its convictions in five tenets. They are what distinguish abolitionism from every merely political campaign — including, in important ways, from the mainstream pro-life movement.

1. Biblical

The work of abolition is biblically rooted and theologically orthodox. We do not start from polling or pragmatism but from what God has said: every human being bears His image (Genesis 1:27), the shedding of innocent blood is an abomination to Him (Proverbs 6:16–17), and His people are commanded to rescue those being taken away to death (Proverbs 24:11).

2. Providential

Abolitionists depend on the providence and sovereignty of God. Abortion will not be abolished by clever strategy but by God working through the obedience of His people — so we labour, and we pray, and we do not despair at the size of the evil (Psalm 127:1).

3. Gospel-centred

The gospel of Jesus Christ is supreme over every philosophy and ideology. Without it there is neither the call for abolition nor the power for it — and without it there is no mercy to offer the guilty. Abolitionism that drops the gospel keeps neither its engine nor its heart.

4. Local-church-driven

Abolition is the work of the Body and Bride of Christ; it proceeds out from the church, not from parachurch celebrity or party machinery. That is why equipping churches is central to everything we do.

5. Immediate and uncompromising

Abolitionists say plainly that abortion is murder, and we call for its immediate and total abolition. We reject incrementalism — the gradual regulation of a social evil — because a law that says “not after this week” says “yes before it”. Why regulation fails →

These tenets are not our invention: they echo the convictions of the Christian abolitionists who ended British slavery. See the history →

Check yourself

3 questions on what you have just read. Answering is what makes it stick.

1What does the tenet "local-church-driven" mean for how abolition proceeds?
  1. It is the work of parachurch organisations
  2. It proceeds out from the local church rather than from celebrity or party machinery — correct
  3. It should be led by political parties
  4. It belongs to individual activists

Abolition is the work of the Body and Bride of Christ. That is why equipping churches is central to everything the movement does.

2Why does the fifth tenet reject incrementalism?
  1. Because incremental laws never pass
  2. Because a law that says "not after this week" says "yes before it" — correct
  3. Because it is too slow to be practical
  4. Because courts always strike such laws down

Abolitionists say plainly that abortion is murder and call for its immediate and total abolition, because the gradual regulation of a social evil concedes its legitimacy.

3What does the "providential" tenet say abortion will be abolished by?
  1. Clever strategy
  2. God working through the obedience of His people — correct
  3. A shift in public opinion
  4. A single decisive election

Abolitionists depend on the providence and sovereignty of God — so they labour, and pray, and do not despair at the size of the evil (Psalm 127:1).

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