It’s no coincidence that the anniversaries of Father’s Day, Juneteenth and the overturn of Roe v Wade coincide in the month of June. When peripherals collide, convergence is imminent. Admittedly America and indeed the world seem to be teetering on the brink of disaster in the midst of a June-filled season of anniversaries. Meanwhile, there is a cry of repentance sweeping America and the globe. Indeed, as my AFPI colleague Jack Brewer points out, there is truly an awakening to a fatherhood crisis in America. On the wings of awareness there are solutions stirred by prayers of repentance. Having been raised by God-fearing patriarchs and matriarchs, I can’t say enough about the importance of honoring our parents; Fathers in particular during this season.
On the heels of Father’s Day this year, Juneteenth is celebrated. Officially, Juneteenth National Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining June and nineteenth, it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas; eighteen months after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. In Bible terms, Juneteenth is closely aligned with Jubilee, a form of repentance, healing and restoration sorely needed in these times.
Gratefully, just days after Father’s Day and Juneteenth, America will bear witness to the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade and held that there is no constitutional right to abortion. Sadly, and not surprisingly, some continue to respond with an apocalyptic tone. Fearful, false and alarmist claims of fascism, a war on women, and systematic inequality due to the Supreme Court’s decision still attempt to lead to dozens of violent attacks on pro-life groups across the country. As it turns out, the anti-life propaganda is false. Thankfully there is a solution to calm the storm. Speak truth to power in a united voice of agape love.
Dobbs didn’t lead to a catastrophe for women’s rights across the country at all; instead, it merely returned the contentious issue of abortion to the states, where the people could debate the merits of the issue for themselves and elected representatives to reflect their beliefs. Members of the true pro-woman movement know that the life issue doesn’t stop at restricting abortion. Therefore, our goal is to reduce the number of women seeking abortions; and make abortion unthinkable. Moving forward, our work must be to provide unconditional love and support for all parties involved in the abortion debate: the unborn baby, the mother, and yes, the father. That’s why investment in opportunities such as foster care, adoption, maternal healthcare, and resources for mothers facing unwanted pregnancy is so essential in the days ahead. Thank God, we have tens of thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of new lives which will be saved every year going forward. Like they are doing at Auntie Angie's House, many also need to be prepared to step up and meet the needs of so many new mothers. Now, a year after the Dobbs decision, we can celebrate the most significant win for life in generations, and the supposed “right” to abortion is no longer enshrined as a substantive right in our Constitution. Nonetheless, our work is far from over. My uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., famously said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” While some states have moved boldly to protect life in the past year, there remains much work for us to do to build a comprehensive culture of life and show our love for unborn babies and their vulnerable mothers. Watch our new celebratory music video, NIA Song.
As we embrace the blessings of Father’s Day, Juneteenth and the Dobbs decision, our goal as believers is to cherish all life, in every stage, from the unborn baby to the vulnerable mother, to the elderly and infirm, and all humanity. When we live this truth in our lives fully, we can then be said to be a culture, as the one blood human race, that values all its children, from the womb to the tomb; into eternity.