Faith communities who have done the spiritual work necessary to designate themselves as sanctuary churches are especially ready to expand the sense of sanctuary to all those accessing pregnancy, reproduction, and abortion services.
Now, after the end of Roe, accessing these kinds of services has become as arduous as crossing a border or living in a foreign country without documentation. For example, in my state of Arkansas it is no longer legal to access an abortion. In the next state over, Texas, you can be sued up to $10,000 for “aiding and abetting” an abortion, making all of your neighbors part of the state surveillance apparatus.
Sanctuary churches, historically committed to providing sanctuary for undocumented immigrants, have centered their commitment to sanctuary in standing with groups made vulnerable by the current political climate.
To draw attention to the unjust immigration system and to protect asylum seekers from deportation, churches partnered with immigrant-led organizations to participate in civil disobedience by openly housing immigrants who were being targeted for deportation.
This leaves sanctuary churches with some questions they’ll need to ask themselves if they are going to extend sanctuary to include all those seeking access to pregnancy, reproduction, and abortion services.
What impacted-led organizations will you partner with?
Are you preparing for civil disobedience? What form will this take?
Can faith communities engaging in civil disobedience draw attention to the unjust system now in place in this country with the end of the privacy protections secured by Roe v. Wade?
Our congregation hosted an initial conversation today about the role of faith communities after the end of Roe. We are partnering with a Northwest Arkansas collective, Ozark Circle for Choice. They have indicated some of their first needs include more volunteers, donations, and raising of awareness. Because those seeking abortion services are often incredibly vulnerable (fleeing domestic violence, young, poor, etc.) this is a community that often has little opportunity to advocate for themselves. Mutual aid networks are essential.
Community members also made us aware of how weak foster care resources are currently in our state. So if you are wanting to help, it can also be very beneficial to look at becoming a foster household in order to alleviate what will in all likelihood become an even more burdened foster system.
I’m reminded of that line of Martin Luther in a sermon of 1527:
“[One] who will not help or support others unless they can do so without affecting their safety or their property will never help their neighbor.”
Sanctuary churches will continue to take this admonition to heart, and will be willing to risk their own safety and property in order to help their neighbor. Part of the discernment sanctuary churches are called to at this time is to discuss together, and in ongoing partnership with mutual aid groups and impacted communities, how to most effectively be sanctuary in the now changed legal privacy landscape.
Prayers for those who are more interested in arresting us for helping those who can't help themselves. The average seeker is poor, abused and has mental needs. The story shared of one seeker needs to be broadcasted to the world to get more support for this cause. We need to vote for mutual aid networks to have safety nets. We need to encourage more faith institutions to be safe sanctuary congregations.