By Chrysa Keenon
The Concern for the Unborn group, a new group meeting to speak out against abortion, met last Friday for the Link for Life event.
The Concern for the Unborn group is a collective of students and professors on campus. The group was started by senior Drew Swing and Jeff Aupperle, director of calling and career and promising ventures. The idea formed from an article Swing wrote for The Echo in Spring '18.
"(My) thesis was 'abortion is the most important social justice issue' and kind of questioning a little bit why we don't talk about it as much on campus, whether it's in the chapel or discipleship programs, why is it not something we're preparing students to think well about or to think beyond graduation how as Christians do we think and act concerning this issue," Swing said.
According to Swing, Aupperle read the article and approached Swing, asking if he'd like to fix this. The Concern for the Unborn group is the result.
The purpose of this group, according to Swing, is to engage students in conversation about abortion and give ways they can get involved to advocate for the lives of babies.
"Christians generally tend to have a pro-life belief on this issue, but it doesn't often go beyond, you know, who we vote for," Swing said. "We don't think about it more critically than that, or we want to know how we can impact it beyond just one time a year during the election season."
The group has focused on praying about the cause and learning how to argue about their position using verses from Scripture. The group sponsored their first event last Friday, Link for Life, which had attendees gather around the Sammy Statues, wore all black, held hands and prayed for those unborn. The event was modeled after a similar event held in New York after the state created a new ruling with less restrictions on abortion.
Colleen Warren, professor of English, was an organizer for this event.
"(Through the event we'd) get the sense of maybe solidarity or community in knowing that you're not the only one who is against abortion," Warren said. "So the numbers of that would be encouraging. And also I thought it would be a really nonthreatening way to take a stand . . . Unity was the idea, linking hands and saying we're in together on this and what can we do, and I was hoping it would be a step towards more action."
Warren said she has had an opinion against abortion for many years, but had never taken a large stand against this issue in being active in her beliefs. Donating money and showing up for a few events was not enough involvement for her, and she hopes that this group will provide a constructive way of speaking out against the issue.
While there are no upcoming events like the Link for Life that are currently being planned, Swing said there are future plans for members of the group to take a trip to a pregnancy help center in Indianapolis to see how they can volunteer.
"Ultimately, our belief is that there are lives at stake concerning this issue, and we want to help prepare students to think and act as a Christian should," Swing said.
If interested in joining the Concern for the Unborn group, email Swing or Aupperle.
