The pro-life movement in America hasn't always looked the way it does today. In fact, some of its earliest advocates were Catholics whose defense of unborn life was deeply connected to their concern for the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable.

After reading Daniel K. Williams' Defenders of the Unborn: The Pro-Life Movement Before Roe v. Wade, I was surprised by just how much the movement, and its relationship with American politics, has changed.

In this episode, I explore the Catholic roots of the pro-life movement, how abortion became increasingly associated with Republican politics, the impact of the sexual revolution and birth control, and why I believe today's pro-life movement needs to recover a truly consistent life ethic.

00:00 Pro Life Origins

02:48 Catholic Action Book Club

04:28 Choosing a History Book

06:24 Science and Personhood

09:46 Early Liberal Catholics

13:13 Politics and Sexual Revolution

16:24 Birth Control Split

20:19 Modern GOP Tensions

22:24 Consistent Life Ethic

24:12 Bipartisan Path Forward

Fully Human exists thanks to the support of people like you. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend and consider becoming a paid subscriber for access to Eliza’s best writing: elizawritesthings.substack.com.

Eliza Monts on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/elizawritesthings/⁠⁠

Eliza Monts on Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7JQzX1pCVaXOhKuNIp3hzR⁠⁠

Eliza Monts on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fully-human-with-eliza-monts/id6812877101⁠⁠

#catholicism #catholicchurch #catholicsocialteaching