James Talarico

I mean, go back and read this in Luke.

The angel comes down and asks Mary if this is something she wants to do.

And she says, if it is God's will, let it be done.

Let it be, let it happen.

So to me, that is an affirmation in one of our most central stories that creation has to be done with consent.

You cannot force someone to create.

Creation is one of the most sacred acts that we engage in as human beings.

But that has to be done with consent.

It has to be done with freedom.

And to me, that is absolutely consistent with the ministry and life and death of Jesus.

Again, I think that's what we're called to do as Christians.

Almost every debate Jesus is in is with the religious authorities of his time and directly challenging orthodoxy.

So I do think this is, you know, Jesus was a religious reformer.

Paul was a religious reformer.

And so I think when we're at our best as Christians, we are challenging religious dogmas and religious supremacy.

But I also try to come at this with humility.

On the issue of abortion, I've said before, I don't know what Jesus thought about abortion.

The Bible doesn't tell us.

The Bible doesn't mention abortion at all.

And so as with many issues that aren't mentioned in the Bible, we have to take...