Two years ago, the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade and the appropriate to an abortion. In the aftermath, many churchgoers say they’ve seen their congregations involved in supporting local pregnancy resource centers.
On June 24, 2022, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court opened the door for states to pass laws restricting abortion. In the aftermath, local pregnancy centers have received increased attention. A Lifeway Research study finds 3 in 10 US Protestant churchgoers (31%) have seen no less than one form of congregational reference to those local centers because the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
“In a survey of Americans conducted days before the Dobbs decision was leaked, almost two-thirds of Americans agreed churches and non secular organizations have a responsibility to extend support for ladies who’ve unwanted pregnancies if their state restricts access to abortion,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.
“According to those that attend, nearly all of Protestant churches within the US will not be supporting a pregnancy resource center that exists either individually or as a part of their church.”
More than 1 in 8 churchgoers say their church has supported an area pregnancy resource center financially (16%), encouraged those within the congregation to support a middle financially (14%) or encouraged the congregation to refer those with unplanned pregnancies to the middle (14%).
Another 11 percent say their church has encouraged the congregation to volunteer at an area pregnancy resource center, and seven percent say the church has had a pacesetter from the middle speak on the church. Among those that say their congregation is involved with pregnancy resource centers ultimately, the median variety of activities churchgoers hear about is 2.
Others aren’t aware of any connection between their congregation and an area pregnancy center. More than 2 in 5 churchgoers (44%) say they haven’t heard of their church being involved with any of those measures to support an area center. Less than 1 in 10 (8%) say there are not any such pregnancy centers near their church. Around 1 in 7 (16%) say they aren’t sure how or if their church is involved.
“More than 4 in 10 pregnancies within the US are unintended based on the Centers for Disease Control,” said McConnell. “Changes to the legality of abortion don’t change the fact that numerous women and couples will not be planning for the positive pregnancy tests they receive. They need compassion, care and tangible help but are sometimes not open to turning on to a church for help.”
Often, younger churchgoers and those that attend more ceaselessly are among the many most probably to say their church is working with local pregnancy centers. Those in Lutheran congregations and a part of smaller churches are among the many least likely.
Specifically, churchgoers under 50 (21%) are almost twice as likely as those 65 and older (11%) to say their church has financially supported an area pregnancy center. Restorationist Movement (22%), Baptist (19%), and non-denominational (16%) churchgoers are more likely than Lutherans (7%) to say that is the case at their church.
Additionally, those that attend 4 times a month or more (20%) are more likely than those that attend one to thrice (11%) to have heard about their church giving financially to pregnancy centers. Churchgoers with evangelical beliefs (19%) are more likely than those without such beliefs (12%). And those at the most important churches, worship attendance of 500 or more, (23%) are among the many most probably to say their church financially supports local pregnancy resource centers.
In terms of their churches asking them to financially give to such centers personally, adult churchgoers under 35 (23%) and people 35 to 49 (21%) are among the many most probably to say their congregation has encouraged such support. Those on the smallest churches, lower than 50 in worship attendance, (8%) are among the many least likely.
Beyond financial support, churchgoers under 50 are also among the many most probably to say their congregation has been encouraged to refer those with an unplanned pregnancy to those resource centers—27 percent of those 18 to 34 and 22 percent of those 35 to 49.
Hispanic Protestant churchgoers (24%) are twice as likely as white churchgoers (12%) to have heard the sort of encouragement. Restorationist Movement (22%) and Baptist (16%) churchgoers are more likely than those at Lutheran (8%) or non-denominational (10%) churches to say their congregation has been encouraged in this manner.
Those who attend less ceaselessly, one to thrice a month, (11%) and people attending the smallest churches, lower than 50 in attendance, (10%) are among the many least prone to have heard such encouragement of their congregations.
Younger churchgoers are again more prone to have heard calls to volunteer at local pregnancy resource centers. Those 18 to 34 (19%) and 35 to 49 (20%) are more likely than those 50 to 64 (8%) and 65 and over (5%).
Hispanic churchgoers (21%) are greater than twice as likely as white (9%) churchgoers to say their church has encouraged them to volunteer. Baptists (13%) and non-denominational churchgoers (12%) are thrice as likely as Lutherans (4%).
Again, the less frequent attenders (8%) and people on the smallest congregations (3%) are among the many least prone to say they’ve been encouraged by their church to volunteer at local pregnancy resource centers.
Older churchgoers, those that attend less ceaselessly, those at smaller churches and Lutherans are among the many least prone to say their churches have had a pacesetter from a pregnancy resource center speak at their church since Roe v. Wade was overturned. White churchgoers (5%) are also half as likely as Hispanic (11%) and African American (10%) churchgoers to say this has happened of their congregations.
For some, their congregations might not be serving with local pregnancy centers because they aren’t aware of any near their churches. Those within the Northeast (15%) are more likely than those within the South (7%) or West (7%) to say that’s the case.
Lutheran (14%) and Baptist (10%) churchgoers are more likely than those in Presbyterian/Reformed congregations (2%) to say their church just isn’t near any such centers. Those who attend less ceaselessly (12%) and people attending smaller congregations, lower than 50 (15%) and 50 to 99 (12%), are also among the many most probably to not pay attention to any pregnancy centers nearby.
Regardless of how close a pregnancy resource center could also be, some churchgoers aren’t aware of their church having any involvement with pregnancy centers since Roe v. Wade was overturned. Older churchgoers, those 65 and older (56%) and 50 to 64 (49%), are more likely than those 35 to 49 (32%) and 18 to 34 (22%) to say they haven’t heard of any of the five sorts of involvement.
White churchgoers (47%) and people of other ethnicities (56%) are more likely than African Americans (33%) and Hispanics (32%) to say they’re unaware of their church being involved. Lutherans (53%) are more likely than Baptist (42%) and non-denominational (42%) churchgoers to say they haven’t heard of their congregation being involved with pregnancy resource centers in any of the five ways.
“There is equal opportunity for all churches to point those with unintended pregnancies to assist if there may be a Christian pregnancy resource center nearby,” said McConnell. “Yet few churches are doing so in a way their congregation notices.”
