Faith leaders on different sides of abortion rights in Missouri
Oct 29, 2024
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- We're days away from Election Day and access to abortion rights is the top issue in Missouri and it's pulling out several faith leaders.
They're on different sides of this consequential issue but equally passionate.
Amendment 3 would amend the Missouri Constitution. It relates to abortion rights, in a state with some of the harshest restrictions in the entire country.
The state of Missouri's trigger law regulating abortion almost immediately took effect when Roe v. Wade was overturned. Out right banning it except when the life of the mother is at risk, leaving out exceptions for rape and incest.
Early voting tops 50M a week before Election Day
Now the future of abortion rights in the show me state is in the hands of the voters.
"I believe it should be a decision that a woman makes with her doctor, with her family and not have politicians involved in this,” Rev. Kirk Perucca, a retired pastor from Covenant Presbyterian Church said.
"We're convinced human life is in the womb and if human life is in the womb, then abortion is the murder of an unborn human life” Pastor Phil Hopper the lead pastor at Abundant Life Church said.
In the last FOX4/Emerson poll, it showed nearly 60% of Missourians supported voting yes to affirm abortion rights, while 30% were firm no's and 12% said they were unsure.
That may seem contrary in what is typically a conservative state. Political Science Professor Matt Harris has some thoughts as to why.
"With no exceptions for rape or incest that makes it so that people even if they may not – want to see abortion legal in every case through the entire 9-months of pregnancy but people may look at it and say this is too strict,” Harris, an associate professor at Park University said.
Many have even tried to turn the issue into something that it is not.
Take for example, Hopper's church which posts on their website that this would allow gender transitions for minors.
Numerous legal scholars have debunked that and when pressed- Hopper said it is unknown if that would happen.
Harris is clear that this is only being talked about because one side is down, and the language is clear that this is about reproductive rights.
"This is an amendment about abortion, it's about contraception, it's about post miscarriage care,” Harris said.
Pastor Phil Hopper compared abortion to murder - when we asked if in his mind women should be punished for this. He said he "hasn't thought about that enough to say.”
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Perucca says he's not pro-abortion - but pro women having the right to do what they want to do with their bodies.
Harris believes more Missourians will vote yes, amending abortion rights into the state constitution for several reasons including polling and precedent, pointing to what voters in Kansas did just two years ago.