This month, I had the opportunity to travel to El Paso, Texas on a service immersion trip hosted by my university. On the border of Juarez, Mexico, this trip is run yearly so that students can experience first hand the lives of those who have crossed the border into the US, those who cross frequently for work, and those who are separated from their families because of the border. While there, I got to hear first hand testimonies from individuals whose lives have been greatly affected by the border, border control officers, immigration lawyers, and activists whose life’s work is to provide justice to those who have none. The trip was hosted by a Lutheran church that has members on both sides of the border. Part of this church’s ministry is to educate college aged people on border related issues and welcome them into their community for a week.
I have to confess that I did have trepidations about this trip. Being that I am Catholic, I was aware that there are several fundamental differences between Lutheran and Catholic doctrine. However, while I was there, I was amazed and humbled by the hospitality of this church and the way that they welcomed us into their community. Even though most of them had little to share in the way of material belongings, they were generous in sharing their lives, food, and stories with us.
On one of the last days of the trip the pastor gave my group a financial presentation that laid out for us the average income of a family in El Paso versus the cost of necessities for life in their area. She spoke about how the minimum wage is incredibly low (though many even earn far below the minimum wage) and that it is impossible to provide household necessities, food, child care, and other things with the budget that the people in her community have to live within. She also explained how unintended pregnancy among the youth is incredibly prevalent. In her experience, many of the parishioners become pregnant starting at the age of 15 years old. The pastor then shared with us how this past year she grew tired of seeing the young women in her community find themselves in unintended pregnancies. Against the recommendation of churches in her area, she invited Planned Parenthood to come give a presentation on pregnancy prevention.
To reiterate, the pastor of this Lutheran Church actually invited Planned Parenthood into her church to teach her young parishioners about contraception and family planning. My heart sank, and I could not believe what I had just heard. How is it that a church that shows its people the love of Jesus Christ also invites Planned Parenthood to share lies about contraception, family planning, and even abortion?
Without getting into a discussion of Lutheran Church Doctrine (a conversation which I am neither inclined nor qualified to have), it is my understanding that this particular church does not acknowledge the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. I write this blog not to discourage or further separate my Christian brothers and sisters of various denominations, but rather as a call for unification under the belief that all human life is precious and worth protecting and celebrating. As Christians, we need to have these important conversations about human life before another church invites planned parenthood into its doors. This is no longer a matter of Christian sects, but it truly is a matter of life and death. In the same way that the US-Mexico border separates families, we cannot allow the borders that separate different Christian sects to keep us from uniting in the protection of the unborn.
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