Christian Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and lobbying groups play a significant role in influencing public policy and public opinion on abortion, both domestically and internationally. They represent a variety of perspectives within Christianity, from conservative to liberal, and focus on a range of issues, including abortion.
Conservative Christian NGOs and Lobbying Groups
- National Right to Life: Based in the United States, National Right to Life is one of the oldest and most influential pro-life organizations. They work on various levels, from local grassroots activism to national lobbying, to limit access to abortion.
- Family Research Council (FRC): The FRC is a Christian conservative policy and lobbying organization in the U.S. Among its core issues are opposition to abortion and support for what it calls “family values.”
- Focus on the Family: This international Christian organization promotes socially conservative views on issues like abortion, marriage, and family. It has been instrumental in promoting abstinence-only education, adoption, and laws limiting access to abortion.
Liberal Christian NGOs and Lobbying Groups
- Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC): The RCRC is an interfaith organization that includes Christian denominations such as the United Church of Christ and the Episcopal Church. It advocates for access to comprehensive sex education, contraception, and safe, legal abortion.
- Faith in Public Life: This strategy center advances faith in the public square as a powerful force for justice, compassion, and the common good, and includes voices from liberal Christian perspectives advocating for reproductive rights.
- Catholics for Choice: This organization represents the voices of Catholics who believe in individual conscience on matters of reproductive health, including access to contraception and abortion.
These groups seek to influence legislation, court cases, public opinion, and church policy, and their efforts reflect the diverse range of Christian views on the issue of abortion.