Jul 2, 2022

At the end of last week, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the long-standing right to bodily autonomy for women, including the right to medical abortion. With the end of the protections put forth in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, we are now entering a time in which each state has the right to determine when to allow abortion legally. The ruling was lauded by some, including many Latter-day Saints, and it was met with anger and devastation by many who champion reasonable access to abortion.

How might we as Latter-day Saints improve our understanding of the issues and strong feelings held by proponents on both sides of the debate? What does our religion say about the reasons that we are here on earth and how God acts in the universe and with us individually? Most surveys of Latter-day Saints suggest that they are primarily pro-life, but what are some LDS principles that guide those who take a pro-choice stance? How does this position fit within their wider spirituality, as well? Does Mormonism's theology of God entail sensibilities that give more room to its adherents than what is typically entailed in the God described by wider Christianity?

In this episode, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon is joined by the wonderful and powerful Jody England Hansen and Jana Spangler in the discussion outlined above. Listen in!