Contraception and Society: Evangelicals and Contraception

Over the past decades, contraception has had a tremendous impact on society, especially on the various Christian Churches.

For quite some time the Catholic Church has been the only denomination that takes a strong stance against contraception. It wasn’t always that way - prior to the Lambeth conference, mainline denominations were united in the rejection of contraception. Lambeth unlocked the door to contraceptive use, and the advent of the pill opened the floodgates to the eventual acceptance of contraception by non-Catholic denominations.

Since the late 50s, most of the non-Catholic denominations have approved the use of contraception. While some Churches do not outright approve of contraception, they tolerate its use. This may be changing, due to a shift among young evangelicals – more and more are realizing that something isn’t quite right with contraception.

Evangelicals are discovering that contraception fuels the demand for abortion, harms women’s health, and has had a negative impact on society.

Unlike Catholics, evangelicals tend to believe that the bible does not condemn contraception. If nothing else, they believe that the bible discourages it by the teaching that large families are a blessing, a ‘full quiver’.

In covering this issue, the media has focused on the ‘full quiver’ aspect, but have largely missed the boat -- the reason for the evangelical shift on has to do with the relationship between abortion and contraception.

Evangelicals have seen, after three decades of legalized abortion, how contraception has both led to an increase in and a sustained demand for abortion.

An article in Newsweek attributes this change in attitude to “cross pollination” with Catholics in the pro-life movement:

“One possible explanation for the shift in thinking: the alignment between evangelicals and Catholics on some social issues, says Brad Wilcox, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Virginia. ‘The increasing cooperation of Catholic and evangelical leaders on abortion and same sex marriage has allowed some cross-pollination where evangelical leaders are starting to become familiar with Catholic thinking on the family.’ “

It will be interesting to see how far the rejection of contraception will spread through the various denominations.

Author's note: For those who think merely presenting an issue regarding contraception and religion makes NRFC a religious effort or group, just consider that the secular media is also presenting this issue. Does that make the secular media religious? No, and neither does it make NRFC religious either.