Abortion: A Rational Look at An Emotional Issue [Hardcover]

R.C. Sproul (Author), Greg Bailey (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2010

In this book, Dr. R.C. Sproul employs his unique perspective as a highly experienced pastor-theologian and a trained philosopher to provide well-considered and compassionate answers to the difficult questions that attend termination of pregnancy. Dr. Sproul strives for a factual, well-reasoned approach informed by careful biblical scholarship. He considers both sides of this issue in terms of biblical teaching, civil law, and natural law. This edition includes a new foreword by Dr. George Grant and has been updated to reflect developments in the issue of abortion. Appendixes provide further background on the issue of when life begins and list sources for pro-life resources.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 233 pages
• Publisher: Reformation Trust Publishing; Twentieth Anniversary Edition edition (November 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567692095
• ISBN-13: 978-1567692099
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 0.6 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #704,945 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. R.C. Sproul is the founder, chairman and president of Ligonier Ministries, an international multimedia ministry based in Lake Mary, Florida, and can be heard teaching around the United States and overseas on his daily radio program Renewing Your Mind. He also serves as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew s Chapel in Sanford, Florida.

He is the author of more than sixty books, including The Truth of the Cross, The Prince's Poison Cup, The Holiness of God, and Chosen by God. He also served as general editor of The Reformation Study Bible.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 233 pages
• Publisher: Reformation Trust Publishing; Twentieth Anniversary Edition edition (November 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567692095
• ISBN-13: 978-1567692099
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 0.6 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #704,945 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. R.C. Sproul is the founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian education ministry located near Orlando, Florida. His teaching can be heard on the program Renewing Your Mind, which is broadcast on hundreds of radio outlets in the United States and in 40 countries worldwide. He is the executive editor of Tabletalk magazine and general editor of The Reformation Study Bible, and the author of more than seventy books and scores of articles for national evangelical publications. Dr. Sproul also serves as president of Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies and Reformation Bible College. He currently serves as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's in Sanford, FL.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Answers We Need To Hear To Questions Many Don't Want To Face August 23, 2010

By Keith Heapes VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

This is the second twenty-something--year-old book I have read recently that hasn't been reviewed yet on Amazon.com. Knowing how popular R.C. Sproul is this came as quite a surprise. An even greater surprise was the subject matter: "ABORTION (A Rational Look at an Emotional Issue)." Since most of R.C. Sproul's books are on Theology, Church history and matters of logic, it seemed unusual for him to write a book on a social issue like abortion. I'm very happy that he did.

The book is divided into three parts:

Part I: Abortion: The Ethical Dilemma of Our Time.

Part II: An Analysis of Pro-Abortion and Pro-Choice Arguments.

Part III: A Compassionate Response and Strategy

In Part I, Sproul points out how emotionally divided America is over the abortion issue, with the potential of ripping apart the social fabric of one of history's most successful nations. In doing this, he covers some of the core issues like "Is a fetus a living human person?" "When does life begin?" the sanctity of life from a biblical viewpoint, the sanctity of life in Natural Law and how abortion violates that sanctity. Sproul summarizes this as follows:

"A negative prohibition against actual and potential murder implicitly involves a positive mandate to work for the protection, sustenance, and respect for the sanctity of life. To oppose murder is to promote life. Whatever else abortion does, it does not promote the life of the unborn child. Although some people will argue that abortion promotes the quality of life of those who do not desire offspring, it does not promote the life of the subject in question, the developing unborn child...."

I found Sproul's section on how abortion can be shown to violate Natural Law very interesting which included a brief history of abortion in both America and world history. He states that "Abortion--whatever else it may be--is an act against nature." This is an intriguing and expanded viewpoint, especially for those who don't view abortion beyond the boundaries of personal choice. Sproul really begins to get to the crux of the matter when he addresses the central point of "When does life begin?", a question he covers from the medical, legal and biblical viewpoints. In addition, Sproul even focuses a chapter on the role of Government in abortion. I haven't heard the issue of abortion presented from this vantage point before.

For Sproul, the following is the core issue of the abortion debate: "At the heart of the abortion issue rests one single, overarching question: Is abortion a form of murder? does abortion involve the willful destruction of a living human person? Though there are many who believe an abortion is justified on the grounds that the developing baby is 'unwanted,' few if any of these same people would be in favor of destroying the child after it is born. There are far fewer advocates of infanticide than there are of abortion. The reason for this is clear. In the minds of pro-abortionists, an unborn baby is not considered a living human person. Once birth occurs, however, a different set of rules apply."

In Part II, Sproul provides an analysis of the Pro-Abortion and Pro-Choice (there is a difference) arguments. This part is where Sproul is at his finest, sifting through the often-heard clichés like "a woman alone has the moral right to her own body," "women have a legal right to privacy on abortion" and "men have no right to address abortion because it is a women's issue." He carefully peals back these arguments, revealing the underlying arguments that cannot be honestly defended.

The Pro-Choice chapter is such a revealing study and asks questions every citizen in America needs to ask themselves and honestly answer. According to Sproul, there are relatively few in America who are Pro-Abortion and many more individuals who are Pro-Choice, or at least they think they are. Again, Sproul reveals just what is meant when we claim we are Pro-Choice. He wraps up Part II with a chapter on The Problem of Unwanted Pregnancies.

Part III covers the Pro-Life position and strategy. Sproul ends his book with a fascinating 33-page Appendix which includes a transcript of testimony provided by Jerome Lejeune, M.D., Ph.D, a Professor of Fundamental Genetics concerning when he medically concludes when life begins. Dr. Lejeune holds the Kennedy Prize for being first to discover a disease caused by chromosomal abnormality--Down's Syndrome. Testimony was given during a court proceeding in August, 1989. If nothing else, this appendix should be considered, especially for those who think there is no empirical evidence for when life begins.

I was impressed with the way Dr. Sproul handled this sensitive and emotionally-charged subject. The only drawback I found was the book is 20 years old and, though the arguments are timeless, some of the data is in need of a updating. It is a fast read, yet at the same time very thought-provoking, just like most of Sproul's other books. Read more ›

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Misleading title March 3, 2013

By Rick Wiedeman

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

It was dishonest to title this work "a rational look at an emotional issue," which was indeed what I was looking for when I downloaded it. The pro-choice side of the debate is demonized from the beginning, referred to as a "shadowy clutch" of "minions," as if this were a 17th century witch trial. The weaknesses of the pro-life side of the debate are explored with little energy. Quite simply, this book is not what it promises to be. It should be titled "Abortion: A Conservative Christian Perspective." That would be correct, and would attract the appropriate audience. To be clear: My disappointment is not its pro-life position -- it's that the cover pretends to deliver something else.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Bible and Science on the Subject of Abortion April 2, 2013

By Lillian Ammann (Lillie)

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The author demonstrates that the Bible condemns abortion, and then shows that advances in science now prove that unborn babies are human beings. He points out that the people to target in trying to bring pro-choice advocates to the pro-life position are those who say they are personally against abortion but don't want to force their views on women who have the right to choose. That's like saying you are personally opposed to murder but don't want to take away others' right to choose. Some things are not a matter of choice.

One of the most interesting things in this book to me was an appendix. The French geneticist who discovered the chromosome for Down syndrome testified in a case in which a divorcing couple were in a custody battle over frozen embryos remaining after they tried in vitro fertilization, and the transcript of his testimony was in the appendix. The geneticist spoke in English as a second language, but his description of the development of a baby from conception was absolutely lyrical. He never wavered; no matter how many ways the lawyers tried to get him to say that the embryos should be destroyed, he insisted they should not be destroyed as they were living human beings.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Get it February 23, 2013

By lenhendrix

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I highly recommend this title by R. C. Sproul. It is, indeed, a rational look at an emotional issue. People on the fence will benefit.

17 of 25 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars If new to the abortion debate, this book can be read with profit, but other introductions do a better job February 13, 2011

By Joel Barnes

Format:Hardcover

_Abortion: A Rational Look At An Emotional Issue_, by veteran theologian R.C. Sproul Sr., was originally published in 1990 and then again last year in a 20th anniversary edition. Sproul is clear as to the aim of the book. In the preface, he says, "In this book, I seek to examine the ethical implications of abortion. I look at the issue from the perspectives of biblical law, natural law, and positive judicial law." The book is a "brief case against against abortion." Not one to mince words, Sproul says from the outset that he is convinced abortion on demand is evil.

The content of the book is arranged in three parts. The first part concerns itself with the ethical issues surrounding abortion. Says Sproul, "At the heart of the abortion issue rests one overarching question: Is abortion a form of murder? In other words, does abortion involve the willful destruction of a living human person?" He goes on to clarify that the debate is not one of whether murder should be legalized, but whether abortion belongs to the category of murder.

Sproul looks at the Bible's teaching on abortion and concludes that the implicit teaching is against abortion. He makes several arguments against abortion from natural law as well. Along the way, the history of abortion legislation in the U.S. context and a discussion of the role of government are interwoven with the material.

Sproul makes clear that his primary target in the book is "those who are not sure about the ethics of abortion. If you remain uncertain," says Sproul, "I urge you again not to engage in abortion unless you are absolutely certain for clear and sound reasons (which I'm not aware of) that abortion is an ethically justifiable action. The simple adage of common wisdom applies to you: 'When in doubt, don't....'"

In the second part of the book, Sproul addresses some of the arguments used in defense of the pro-abortion position (e.g., the woman's right to her body, pregnancy as a result of rape or incest). Part three contains a chapter on whether abortion is the unpardonable sin and offers a pro-life strategy in the final chapter.

As always, I appreciate Sproul's writing style. He writes clearly and articulately. His contribution to the abortion debate is respectable, but I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a strong pro-life case. Admittedly, Sproul's book is a brief case against abortion, so it shouldn't be judged for failing to be the be-all end-all on the abortion debate. That said, I find many of the arguments - particularly the natural law ones - to be a less than optimal way to engage the debate. In my opinion, a better introductory book on the issue with more helpful arguments would be something like Scott Klusendorf's, _The Case for Life_.

I hate to sound negative because I've read a lot of Sproul and genuinely appreciate his writings. Most certainly the reader who is new to the abortion debate can gain a lot from reading this book. However, I think other introductory books do a better job. So, if your time and/or book budget are limited, you may want to consider looking to other sources for an overview. Read more ›