Pastor's Circle - Bill Ury

Dr. Bill Ury is Professor of Systematic Theology at Wesley Biblical Seminary and hosts the Hour of Holiness on AFR on Sunday mornings. He joined the Pastor's Circle to discuss the story of Hosea. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

How should we be thinking on a deeper level about the Personhood Initiative?

I guess the one thing I've noticed in the church people I've talked to is that we don't want to be confused. We want to be compassionate.

On this issue, Mississippi needs to lead the way in saying that look, we do care. But we have an unshakable belief in the personhood of an unborn child.

What has been the historical position of the Church on this issue?

Until recent generations, there was no possibility of being able to abort like we do, with science covering the horror of what's going on.

But theologically, there's never been anyone who played with the personhood of the child. Once you move away from that, all kinds of issues arise.

All through Church history,this has been the undeniable idea.

Why are pastors shy about this issue?

I hope it's not because of money. I hope it's not because of fear of being called a "Neanderthal."

It's a hard deal. But I know that anybody who speaks the Word of God in public and who allows a barrier to be laid between the baby in the womb and personhood is responsible to God.

The need for pastors to be a moral force in the world has to be met. If the Holy Spirit is able to change a human life, then we can come back to what is right and true and good.

We are advocating a moral truth in the world, and that means that we have to step up to the plate.

Why is the Left so scared about 26 in Mississippi tomorrow?

I think that should tell us what's going on. Anytime you have evil challenged, you have an uproar of outrage.

These are all huge issues, and the Devil doesn't want us to have the victory.

We have to keep speaking the truth in love.

The lie of our culture is that we can separate the living breathing baby and the one in the womb. We have to go back and ask ourselves where the human being begins to be.

Before Jesus did anything in Israel, God said about him, "This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased."

I think that's what God says about every single embryonic being. This is my creation, in whom I am well pleased.