Here are seven pro-life books and articles I recommend to pastors, medical practitioners, counselors, and students who wish to gain a better understanding of the pro-life case against abortion. I will describe each resource and then rank its level of difficulty on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the most difficult. A Level 1 resource is one you could give to any friend or family member. A Level 5 resource is one that would be required in a PhD seminar. The list is also organized with the more accessible resources at the beginning of the list and the more challenging ones at the end.

  1. “We Shall Not Weary, We Shall Not Rest,” by Richard John Neuhaus. This essay is the transcript of what Robert P. George has called “the greatest pro-life speech even given,” a speech delivered at the close of the 2008 convention of the National Right to Life Committee. Neuhaus was an extraordinary man and compelling writer, and this essay is Neuhaus at his best. 5 pages. Level 1.
  2. “The America We Seek: A Statement of Pro-Life Principle and Concern.” This 10-page essay is, in my opinion, a powerful and beautiful concise statement of the pro-life position. It is a multi-authored essay signed by such persons Midge Decter (author), Jean Bethke Elshtain (U. of Chicago), Elizabeth Fox-Genovese (Emory U.), Mary Ann Glendon (Harvard Law), and Robert P. George (Princeton Law). 10 pages. Level 2.
  3. The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture (Wheaton: Crossway, 2009). Written by Scott Klusendorf, this book is a very accessible beginner’s guide to articulating the pro-life position. 256 pages. Level 2.
  4. The Unaborted Socrates: A Dramatic Debate on the Issues Surrounding Abortion (San Francisco: Downers Grove: IVP, 1983). Author Peter Kreeft (Professor of Philosophy at Boston College), one of the sharpest thinkers and most engaging writers of our day, creates an imaginary dialogue/debate between a doctor, a philosopher, and a psychologist in order make his case that an unborn baby is indeed a human being who deserves “justice and equality” like any other human being. 155 pages. Level 2.5.
  5. Christian Bioethics: A Guide for Pastors, Health Care Professionals, and Families (Nashville, B&H, 2014). Authors C. Ben Mitchell and D. Joy Riley (MD) provide an excellent introduction to bioethical issues, including abortion, euthanasia, and physician-assisted suicide. Mitchell is a professor of philosophy at Union University. Riley is board-certified medical doctor specializing in internal medicine. 224 pages. Level 3.
  6. Embryo: A Defense of Human Life (Doubleday, 2008). Authors Robert P. George and Christopher Tollefsen make a scientific and philosophical case that the fetus is a human being from the moment it is conceived. As such, an embryo has all the moral and political rights inherent in that status. George is a professor of law at Princeton. Tollefson is a professor of philosophy at the University of South Carolina. 256 pages. Level 3.5.
  7. Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case against Abortion Choice (Cambridge, 2007). Probably the best systematic philosophical and legal treatment of the pro-life position. 296 pages. Level 4.

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