Black Christians unified in their faith but divided by their stances on abortion

Summary

ABC News delves into the complex intersection of faith, race, and abortion in the black community, showcasing the divided opinions among black Christians. The segment features conversations with activists like Sherilyn Holloway and Kiwana, who both champion the cause of black lives but stand on opposing sides of the abortion debate. As they navigate personal experiences, community dynamics, and religious beliefs, the discussion highlights how deeply personal and multifaceted the issue is, portraying both the pro-black and pro-life perspectives within the context of systemic inequalities and faith-driven missions. The narrative underscores the polarizing nature of abortion while emphasizing the need for empathetic understanding and support within the community.

Highlights

• Sherilyn Holloway champions both pro-black and pro-life causes, inspired by personal faith. ✊🏿
• Kiwana supports abortion rights from a Christian perspective, advocating for black women's choices. 💪🏿
• The debate highlights the intersectionality of faith, race, and female autonomy. 🌈
• Sherilyn challenges racial and systemic inequalities while advocating for unborn lives. 🌍
• Kiwana emphasizes the necessity of providing support for women who choose abortion. 🤗

Key Takeaways

• Faith and activism intersect in the abortion debate within the black community. 🤝
• Sherilyn and Kiwana stand united in black life advocacy but differ on abortion. 🚦
• Abortion's complexity is heightened by historical and current racial inequalities. ⚖️
• The conversation spotlights the need for empathy and understanding in divisive topics. ❤️
• Black churches experience a complex dynamic around faith and reproductive rights. ⛪️

Overview

In a riveting segment by ABC News, the nuanced tensions of abortion within the black community are brought to the forefront. The piece ventures into the lives of activists like Sherilyn Holloway, who merges her Christian faith with her advocacy for both black lives and the unborn, portraying a heartfelt dedication to 'pro-black, pro-life' ideologies. Standing at the crossroads of faith and race, Sherilyn's convictions reflect a broader struggle within the community trying to reconcile deep-seated beliefs with societal realities.

Conversely, the story highlights Kiwana, a pro-choice advocate who intertwines her faith with the fight for reproductive rights, particularly emphasizing the importance of providing options and support to black women who face decisions about their bodies. Her stance demonstrates how faith can also lead to advocacy for personal choice and empowerment, illustrating a non-monolithic perspective within religious circles in the black community.

Throughout, the narrative weaves personal anecdotes with overarching themes of racial inequality and faith, underscoring the multifaceted nature of abortion debates. The dialogue reveals not only contrasting viewpoints but also shared concerns about justice, community welfare, and the role of faith in steering life's pivotal decisions. It's a powerful reminder of the depth and diversity of thought that exist even within unified communities.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction to the Polarizing Topic of Abortion in the Black Community This chapter introduces the contentious topic of abortion within the Black community, highlighting how it intersects with issues of inequality, faith, and politics. It sets the stage for a discussion about the value of human life in the context of advocating for Black lives, featuring insights from ABC's Deborah Roberts.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Personal Reflection and Activism The chapter, 'Personal Reflection and Activism,' explores the critical conversations Black families have about societal perceptions and safety, underscored by personal responsibility and activism. It reflects on a specific moment of activism triggered for Sherilyn Holloway, highlighting the broader issue of the lack of respect for the human dignity of Black men and women. The discussion is situated at a memorial for Michael Brown, emphasizing the ongoing struggle for equality and justice.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Human Dignity and Abortion Debate The chapter addresses the abortion debate, drawing parallels between the helplessness of a man who was shot and a baby in the womb, emphasizing that both lives matter. The speaker advocates for the defense of these lives and highlights the importance of speaking up for them from beginning to end of life. Cherylin, the founder of Pro-Black Pro-Life in Missouri, represents these views.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Challenges to Roe v. Wade in Missouri In this chapter, challenges to Roe v. Wade in Missouri are discussed, highlighting that, despite the majority of Americans supporting women's access to abortion, it's increasingly difficult to operate abortion clinics due to strict laws. The focus is on the last abortion clinic in Missouri, where staff, including the director of surgical services, are striving to provide abortion and advanced care amidst stringent regulations. The director, a Black Christian woman, represents the diverse voices advocating for women's reproductive rights.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Balancing Faith and Advocacy The chapter titled 'Balancing Faith and Advocacy' explores the complex relationship between personal beliefs and activism. It introduces two women, Kiwana and Sherilyn, who share common values such as their faith in God, their identity as Black women, and their advocacy for Black lives. However, they differ significantly on the topic of abortion rights, highlighting the nuanced and often conflicting aspects of personal identity, faith, and social justice advocacy. The discussion emphasizes how individuals navigate these conflicts and the impact of such issues on their activism.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Abortion and the Black Church This chapter discusses the intersection of abortion and the Black church. It highlights the fact that Black women have the highest abortion rates compared to other racial groups, specifically 17% higher than white women. Within the Black church, the topic is often not openly discussed, creating a culture where 'no one asks, no one tells.' The chapter reveals the struggles of impoverished single mothers in the church who require reproductive rights to manage their circumstances. Despite their needs, pastors often preach the idea that God's will is paramount, placing additional pressure on these women.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Personal Experiences and Beliefs This chapter delves into the personal experiences and beliefs surrounding the topic of abortion. Through the narrative of Kiwana and Sherilyn, it explores the complexity and hypocrisy present in societal and individual views on the subject. Personal reflection plays a significant role, as demonstrated by the turning point when a character forms a definitive opinion about abortion after having a personal experience with it.
• 03:30 - 04:00: Stance on Abortion Legality The chapter explores the evolution of one woman's stance on abortion legality, starting from her personal experiences with abortion. She reflects on her emotional journey post-abortion, acknowledging her struggle with her faith and desire to reconcile her identity as a Christian with her actions. The narrative highlights a turning point where she recognizes the importance of being both pro-life and pro-black, emphasizing the need to consider long-term community survival alongside individual reproductive rights. The chapter closes with a question inviting deeper reflection on the legal stance towards abortion.
• 04:00 - 04:30: God's Calling and Personal Belief The chapter discusses the complex relationship between personal belief, choice, and religion. It begins by acknowledging the contentious nature of abortion, with the speaker expressing a belief that abortion should be unnecessary. The speaker shares a personal experience of choosing to carry pregnancies to term despite having the option to choose otherwise, illustrating their pro-choice stance. The chapter then explores the seeming contradiction of being called by God to provide abortions, which is often surprising to others given the speaker's faith. The key takeaway is the emphasis on personal calling and questioning what God might be calling each individual to do, suggesting that divine guidance can lead to different paths for different people.
• 04:30 - 05:00: Race and the Pro-Life Movement The chapter titled 'Race and the Pro-Life Movement' delves into the complexities of being a person of color within the predominantly white pro-life, anti-abortion movement. It explores the unique challenges faced by individuals of different racial backgrounds who advocate for pro-life causes. The focus is on how the message and stance of these individuals might differ from the mainstream narratives commonly seen in the movement, reflecting on the intersection of race and activism within this contentious space.
• 05:00 - 05:30: Complexities of God and Birth The chapter titled 'Complexities of God and Birth' addresses the nuanced discussion within the pro-life movement, specifically when viewed through the lens of race. The author touches upon the necessity of a comprehensive and holistic conversation about life issues. It stresses the need to avoid co-opting communities as mere talking points without a genuine commitment to support them. The conclusion hints at the multifaceted nature of God, suggesting that divine complexity mirrors the intricacies of societal issues.
• 05:30 - 06:00: Healthcare Struggles and Advocacy The chapter delves into the complexities and struggles faced by Black individuals in healthcare, particularly focusing on the disparities in birthing experiences. It highlights the concept of a fetus being a part of a larger creative legacy, while also underlining the challenges that Black birthing mothers face to ensure their child survives.
• 06:00 - 06:30: Conclusion The chapter discusses the struggles faced by individuals suffering in poverty, particularly when it comes to healthcare access. It highlights the additional barriers that arise when someone chooses to terminate a pregnancy and emphasizes the importance of supporting women who make this difficult decision. The speaker expresses a commitment to not abandoning black women who opt for abortion, underlining the phrase "that's black lives."

Black Christians unified in their faith but divided by their stances on abortion Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 there are a few topics more polarizing than abortion but in the black community it's where the realities of inequality collides with faith and politics tonight we explore how the value of human life fits into the conversation around black lives here's abc's deborah roberts when you saw what happened here did your
• 00:30 - 01:00 whole family talk about it that was the time for the conversation you know the conversation that you have with your sons about how the world is going to see them differently my 18 year old son just started driving he's a good kid but the world sees him as a threat standing here at this weather beaten memorial for michael brown sherilyn holloway reflects on the moment her own activism was ignited we have to recognize that we do not respect the human dignity of black men and women how much does that factor
• 01:00 - 01:30 into your feelings about abortion it's all relevant because here's a man who was shot he couldn't defend himself the same way a baby can't defend themselves in the womb both of those lives matter and both of those lives deserve to have someone speaking up for them and i can do both from the womb to the tomb all of it matters cherylin is the founder of pro-black pro-life here in missouri as in a number of
• 01:30 - 02:00 states across the country challenges to roe v wade are mounting even as most americans believe women should have access to abortion this is the last abortion clinic in the state of missouri yeah we are it the laws in missouri are very strict so it just made it hard for people to stay open what specifically is your job here i'm the director of surgical services so i oversee abortion advanced care and things of that nature you're a black woman you're a christian
• 02:00 - 02:30 yeah you're also a strong advocate for abortion rights yes is that a conflict to other people i'm black i'm a woman i love god i go to church and i believe in abortion kiwana and sherilyn are really similar in so many ways two moms who believe that black lives matter and that god is real but on that one subject that drives each of their activism abortion they're on opposite ends of the aisle the issue uniquely affecting their
• 02:30 - 03:00 community black women have the highest abortion rates 17 higher than white women within the black church it sometimes feels like no one asks no one tells a number of the impoverished single mothers that i went to church with they were suffering under a need for reproductive rights in order to make ends meet but our pastors from the pulpit would force upon them the idea that god
• 03:00 - 03:30 would see you as guilty and yet here we were all together still so in a lot of ways we preached something that i want to call complex it was an interesting strange hypocrisy for both kiwana and sherilyn the issue is deeply personal at what point did you stake out a feeling about abortion and whether it's right or should be even allowed after my second one after your second
• 03:30 - 04:00 life after my second one you did have a second i did i [Music] sat on my floor and i wept at that point is when the lord started to really work on because i was tired of being a subpar christian i was tired of saying i was a christian and not acting like one your argument is not just anti-abortion i realized that i couldn't just be pro-life that i also had to be pro-black in order to ensure that for generations to come that we still exist do you think abortion should be
• 04:00 - 04:30 illegal i think abortion should be unnecessary people often say she has five kids and she fight for abortion how does that mix that was my choice i had the right to choose to carry to term and parent but people would be surprised to hear you say god is calling you yeah to help provide abortion right yeah and then i would say to them what is god calling you to do
• 04:30 - 05:00 you need somebody always in the midst of the mud if you have an issue with where god has placed me to be able to fight for people then that's something you got to take up for god yours is not a face that we see often in the pro-life anti-abortion movement is that a difficult place for you to be i'm bringing forth a message that isn't very different from what they're used to hearing or saying for people that look like me that
• 05:00 - 05:30 are in the pro-life movement if we are going to talk about the life issue in terms of race then let's talk about it completely and holy the reality is this is the structure in the country that you built stop using my community as a talking point if you really aren't going to be there for my community [Music] god is complex and god knows
• 05:30 - 06:00 that a fetus is a beautiful part of a continuing creative legacy and yet so too is the opportunity that that fetus has to even survive if it's inside of a black birthing body let's talk about medical apartheid and black birthing rates if serena williams can't have a good birthing story please don't talk to me about peaches and them out here outside of my church struggling to find medical care this black skin is beautiful but it's
• 06:00 - 06:30 hard we suffer in poverty health care and so it's like another barrier on top of us when we decide to make a decision to terminate the woman who is suffering we still need to see to her we still need to help her that's black lives so i'm not going to turn my back on the black girls who choose abortion i'm not going to do that hi everyone george stephanopoulos here
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