A newly released open letter endorsed by prominent Christian conservative leaders is calling on pastors to address abortion clearly and unapologetically from the pulpit.
The appeal was issued last week by Human Coalition, a national pro-life organization that connects women facing unplanned pregnancies with alternatives to abortion. The letter challenges faith leaders to fulfill what it describes as a biblical duty to proclaim Scripture “without fear or compromise.”
“Among the great moral crises of our time, none is more urgent or devastating than abortion — the destruction of countless innocent lives created in the image of God,” the letter stated, referencing Jeremiah 1:5 and Proverbs 24:11 to underscore the Bible’s opposition to abortion.
Signatories to the statement represent a cross-section of evangelical and conservative Christian institutions. They include Human Coalition President Jeff Bradford, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, Christians Engaged CEO Bunni Pounds, and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Daniel Akin.
According to the letter, Kirk’s death on Sept. 10 sparked what it described as “a renewed hunger for truth,” particularly among younger Americans. Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University.
In the weeks following the killing, multiple pastors across the country reported noticeable increases in church attendance, especially among young adults seeking answers to moral and spiritual questions.
The authors argued that Kirk’s outspoken advocacy for unborn children did not end with his death, asserting that the responsibility to carry forward that message now rests with church leaders.
“It belongs to the shepherds of God’s flock," they wrote.
The letter went on to emphasize the theological foundation for addressing abortion, stating, “Every child is a gift from the Creator, and every mother and father deserve the compassion and hope found in the Gospel.” It warned, however, that many congregations rarely hear this message. “Yet in too many pulpits, this truth is absent. Silence on abortion has become one of the Church’s greatest failings.”
Human Coalition suggested that fear of controversy or declining membership has led some pastors to avoid the topic altogether, even if they personally affirm the sanctity of life. Others, the letter said, may treat abortion as merely “one issue among many.”
“But our silence has deadly consequences. Abortion is not an abstract political debate; it is the leading cause of death in America,” the letter stated. “And every week, men and women in our churches are directly touched by it. When we fail to speak, they are left vulnerable to the lies of a culture that denies the humanity of the unborn and the hope of forgiveness in Christ.”
The coalition urged pastors to preach “the Gospel of Life with clarity and compassion,” and proclaim the truth about the sacredness of human life in the womb. In addition, the letter calls on faith leaders to offer “the hope of Christ” to post-abortive men and women in the congregation, and to equip their members to be “defenders of the vulnerable.”
“Abortion is not merely one issue among many. It is a Gospel issue. It is the defining moral crisis of our day. And it is a moment in history when the Church must rise and speak with one voice,” the letter declared. “We call on you, fellow leaders, to join us in this sacred task. Let it not be said of our generation that the Church was silent while children perished and parents suffered.”
