Jonathan Jeffes, an experienced crisis pregnancy counsellor, asks us to break the silence in church and bring the subject out into the open.
His book is not an anti-abortion polemic full of distressing facts, but a plea for us to consider the circumstances surrounding the number of abortions taking place. He argues that churches may have unwittingly increased the number of women seeking terminations by the shame and secrecy surrounding unwanted pregnancies and failure to present viable alternatives.
Jeffes does not shy away from some of the most sensitive issues in this debate: abortion after rape, and when a disability is discovered. He presents the theological basis for his beliefs, but the major theme of the book is compassion for those suffering the after-effects of abortion. Jeffes shows us how to address the subject, either one-to-one or as part of a larger group, in a way that will demonstrate God’s grace rather than condemnation.
CAROLINE NEWBOLD – chaplain of Lady Margaret School, Parsons Green and associate minister at St Stephen’s Church, Ealing
