Abolitionism and the High Places

Foundational to the modern movement of Abortion Abolitionism is the assertion that God regards incremental measures against abortion as "iniquitous decrees." Their foundational document, the Norman Statement (found here, and here for the Australian movement), says in Article V (emphasis added):

WE AFFIRM that the only appropriate demand from the Church of Jesus Christ regarding the abortion holocaust is for repentance. We affirm that abolishing abortion represents repentance, and that an incremental bill does not. We affirm that incremental legislation which regulates and thereby allows abortion is an iniquitous decree.

The emphasised text appeals to Isaiah 10:1-2, which reads:

Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees,
    and the writers who keep writing oppression,
² to turn aside the needy from justice
    and to rob the poor of my people of their right,
that widows may be their spoil,
    and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
Isaiah 10:1-2 (ESV)

Thus, according to abolitionists, "incremental" measures, which are any measures which are put in place to curb, curtail, or minimise the shocking amount of abortions that take place in Australia every year (80,000+) are more than flawed; they are iniquitous, oppressive, and unjust. The only consistent Christian response to incremental bills or moves against abortion is to oppose them outright and instead fight for "total and immediate abolition of abortion."

The key point: according to Abolitionists, God is not, and will not ever be pleased with incremental means to end something as heinous as abortion.

The problem with this assertion is that it flies in the face of the Biblical evidence.

First, the quote from Isaiah the Abolitionists muster in its defence does not establish the precedent for their assertion. According to 10:2, the objective of those who write the "iniquitous decrees" is not to curb an evil, but to promulgate or create it. The wicked lawmakers were writing unjust and opressive laws in order to "rob the poor... [and] make the fatherless their prey," or at the very least exacerbating their wretched condition. 10:1-2 does not apply in a situation where an evil is already in place, and the decree is designed to stop a particular part of it. That is, Isaiah 10:1-2 says nothing of a ruler writing decrees with the objective of curbing or curtailing wickedness.

But the Scriptures go further than that. There are examples in the Bible of God approving the actions of legislators and lawmakers that do not totally and immediately abolish particular sins, but curtail and curb it. Take for instance the rulers in Kings, tackling the great sin of idolatry (emphasis added, obviously).

And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done. He put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron. But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days. (1 Kings 15:11-14, ESV)

And [Amaziah] did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not like David his father. He did in all things as Joash his father had done. But the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. (2 Kings 14:3-4, ESV)

Add to these Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:43), Joash (2 Kings 12:2-3), Azariah/Uzziah (2 Kings 15:3-4) and Jotham (2 Kings 15:34-35). Each of these kings were commended by God for their actions against the capital sin of idolatry, and rebuked for leaving the high places standing. God says they pleased him, yet their actions were incremental and incomplete.

What does this prove? First, it should be said that the clear message of Kings is that these rulers should have torn down the high places. Yes, the goal should absolutely have been total removal of all false worship among God's people.

But second, it shows that God approves of leaders and rulers who will use incremental means to curb and curtail such wickedness. The passages are clear; over and over again, God's Word says that it was right in the eyes of the Lord to incrementally fight against this particular sin.

Now, an abolitionist might respond to this argument by arguing that this rule might work in some cases, but abortion is categorically different to those sins. This is special pleading, especially given the Biblical witness of the heinous nature of idolatry as a rejection of the Lord and his chosen place, and also that in many cases, child sacrifice was conducted at these "high places."

Other Abolitionists, in response to this argument, attempt to recategorise Asa's failure to tear down the high places:

"Asa removing certain idols (totally and immediately, as far as we can tell) and failing to remove others would be more similar to completely abolishing abortion, but failing to abolish no-fault divorce."
Nathan Weisser, writing here.

Again, we find special pleading from the Abolitionists. The very reason 1 Kings (and all the other passages above) bring up the kings' failure to demolish the high places is because none of these kings completely abolished idolatrous worship from the land. If the "high places" sat in some different category to the other kinds of idolatrous activity the kings did abolish, then it is very odd for the writer of Kings to bring it up at all. Presumably there were plenty of other categories of sin that King Asa didn't abolish (we've got the King of kings incrementally doing that at the moment).

So to put a point on it; in these passages, we have God's clear approval of kings and rulers who curtailed idolatry in the land. God approved when kings pushed back against wickedness, even when they didn't get all of it at once.

So in our zeal to abolish abortion in our nation, let's not be found to be calling evil those things that God calls good. Incremental wins aren't compromise; God calls them good. We should pray and work and fight so that all abortion is ended, and give God the glory if we manage to save a few along the way.