James Tallarico

In the Gospel of Thomas, which was later omitted from the Bible,

by church officials.

The Gospel of Thomas quotes Jesus as saying, when you make the male and female one and the same, when the male is not male, when the female is not female, then you will enter the kingdom of God.

And when a woman decides to do theology instead of doing housework, Jesus affirms her decision.

Jesus honors her choice.

In fact, the only person to ever beat Jesus in a debate in the Bible was the Syrophoenician woman.

Think about that.

The only person to teach Jesus something was a woman.

Even the Son of God had something to learn from one of God's daughters.

The churches start to listen to them again.

But I say all this in terms, in context of abortion, because before God comes over Mary and we have the incarnation, God asks for Mary's consent.

which is remarkable.

I mean, go back and read this in Luke.

I mean, 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.