Saint Augustine and Thomas Aquinas for instance, believed in something called ensoulment. The belief was usually that the fetus did not yet have a soul until the mother felt it kicking. So abortions were typically permitted before that point.
And in this country most Protestant denominations affirmed a woman’s right to choose in some way. Even the Southern Baptist convention affirmed it in certain circumstances in 1971 1974 and 1976. They didn’t adopt their modern position until 1977.
See the modern pro-life movement is a political one not a Christian one. It’s simply a product of Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority. This includes Ronald Reagan who changed his own position on the issue in the mid 70s.
The truth is that white Evangelical leaders didn’t like what happened in the 60s and the direction of the country. So to fight back they needed an issue to galvanize their supporters. Roe v Wade gave them exactly what they needed.
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