Of all the directives given via biblical teaching, the two greatest boil down to “loving God and loving others”. As such, the sanctity and dignity of the lives of human beings are close to God’s heart and should be a deep value for us. It’s why abortion, in any sense of the word, is an abomination toward this sanctity of life we are to treasure.
Naturally, much of the burden falls on businesses that encourage and assist women in conducting an abortion, specifically through surgical procedures. Companies like Planned Parenthood are responsible for the murder of millions. While many of these companies are not publicly traded, there are those (specifically, medical institutions) that offer abortion services. It is these companies, or those who own these companies, that need to be held accountable.
As of the 2025 research update, Insight cites 5 instances of Abortion Services violators that match our definition.
Within the United States (this approximate estimate includes brick and mortar services, telehealth services, and virtual abortion services).
More than 3 million clinician-provided abortions occurred in the United States between 2020-2023 **
The Bible establishes the sanctity of human life as a core principle rooted in God's creation, character, and commands. From the very beginning, Scripture affirms that every human bears inherent dignity, not because of merit or utility, but because we are uniquely fashioned by God in His image (imago Dei).
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
"Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature."
In a similar way, women were fashioned from the image-bearing identity of man and thus carry the same weight and value that no other part of God’s creation is instilled with. Thus, all humans, no matter gender, race, culture, class, or psychology, are imbued with this divine imprint and carry an inherent sanctity because of the spirit within us, which is a sacred gift from the creator of the universe. As such, this image-bearing anthropology demands reverence, protection, and care for life at every stage, from conception to natural death.
Furthermore, the Bible views every life, both born and unborn, as a fully human person who is created, known, and purposed by God. Beyond our shared image-bearing identity, God uniquely crafts every person with an individual personality, DNA, and gifts with the opportunity to impact the world for God’s glory.
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made... Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Thus, a person is foreknown by Almighty God and given dignity, sanctity, and value based on the worth God has for those he ponders and designs. His delight is in his children, and his eyes are constantly on them in care and protection. Going so far as to surrender that which he treasured most (his son, Chris Jesus) for the salvation, protection, and restoration of man.
"Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
Therefore, the taking of a human life, no matter at what stage of life they are at (born or unborn), has been designed by God and carries worth. This is heightened even more by how much He despises those who would hurt the young and the innocent and those who would lead others into committing such atrocious acts.
"You shall not murder."
"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image."
“but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Abortion, then, is the deliberate destruction of something God treasures and something that carries His image and has the capacity to reflect his glory. It is an abominable sin of the worst kind, and anyone who assists and normalizes this act will carry the blood of those whom God treasures.
In the early to mid-20th century, surgical abortion primarily relied on dilation and curettage (D&C), also known as sharp curettage, which involved mechanically dilating the cervix and scraping the uterine walls with metal instruments. This method was a “safer” form of abortion than the crude technique of the past, while not only killed the baby, but often put the mother at tremendous risk. These “safe” practices began to normalize the view of abortion as it became less taboo. In the United States, abortion was widely practiced and legal before "quickening" (fetal movement, around 16-20 weeks) under common law until the mid-1800s. However, when the American Medical Association (AMA) was formed in 1847, its mix of scientific evidence and Hippocratic values led it to campaign to criminalize abortion, specifically targeting medically diverted midwives and "irregular" practitioners. By 1880, all U.S. states had banned abortion except to save the woman's life. In Britain, laws like the 1803 and 1861 Offences Against the Person Acts made abortion illegal, with penalties including death for post-quickening procedures. However, clandestine providers, including Madame Restell, operated a network of abortion services in New York from the 1830s to 1870s, advertising discreetly and facing prosecutions. These methods involved dangerous herbal remedies and tools, often leading to high mortality rates among women.
With criminalization, abortions went underground, resulting in thousands of deaths; in the U.S., unsafe procedures caused nearly 2,700 maternal deaths in 1930 alone, in addition to the loss of infant lives. The Soviet Union became the first modern country to legalize elective abortion in 1920 under Lenin, establishing state-run clinics to provide free services, though Stalin restricted it in 1936 to boost population growth before re-legalizing in 1955. In the U.S., Margaret Sanger opened the first birth control clinic in Brooklyn in 1916, which evolved into Planned Parenthood by 1942, initially focusing on contraception but later advocating for abortion reform. In Britain, Marie Stopes founded birth control clinics in the 1920s, while the Abortion Law Reform Association (1936) pushed for liberalization. The 1938 Rex v. Bourne case in the UK acquitted a doctor for aborting a rape victim, setting a dangerous precedent for health-based exceptions.
The 1950s-1960s saw growing calls for abortion legalization amid public health crises like thalidomide-induced birth defects and rubella outbreaks, with Planned Parenthood hosting a 1955 conference advocating for expanded abortion access. In the U.S., the Society for Humane Abortion (1963) and underground networks like the Jane Collective in Chicago provided illegal services, performing thousands of abortions before legalization. Colorado loosened restrictions in 1967, followed by 11 other states, allowing abortions for health risks, rape, incest, or fetal defects. The UK's 1967 Abortion Act permitted procedures up to 28 weeks for health reasons, primarily through National Health Service hospitals and clinics. In Canada, abortions were legalized in 1969 but limited, with Henry Morgentaler opening clinics and facing trials until full legalization in 1988. Abortive methods advanced with vacuum aspiration in the 1920s (Russia) and 1960s (West), and medication like prostaglandins in the 1970s.
In 1970, New York legalized abortion, and a Planned Parenthood center in Syracuse became the first free-standing abortion clinic in the U.S., serving out-of-state patients. The U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion nationwide until fetal viability, which led to a boom in clinics; by the 1980s, organizations like the National Abortion Federation supported abortion providers. However, the 1976 Hyde Amendment restricted federal funding for abortions, a change that pro-abortion activists would cite as impacting low-income access. Globally, France approved mifepristone (RU-486) in 1988 for medication abortion, which spread worldwide. In China, state-promoted abortions for population control led to high rates in government clinics from the 1970s onward. The 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey ruling upheld Roe but made more state regulations permissible.
Medication abortion became predominant, accounting for over half of U.S. procedures by 2022, with protocols from groups like Gynuity Health Projects. Supreme Court cases like 2007's Gonzales v. Carhart upheld federal bans on certain methods, while 2016's Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt struck down pro-life Texas clinic laws. The 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision overturned Roe, devolving regulation to states, leading to bans in over 40 states and clinic closures nationally. As of 2023, 765 U.S. clinics provided services, down 5% from 2020. However, organizations, like Planned Parenthood, with nearly 600 centers today, continue as major providers of abortion amid ongoing legal battles and despite state bans.
Naturally, Inspire could not operate as a Christ-led, kingdom-driven institution that uses the bible as the foundation for its decisions and philosophy, without taking a strong stance on the sanctity of life, specifically in the area of abortion. Between this category and the other two screening violations that involve abortion (Abortifacients and Abortion Activism), Inspire has drawn a hard line in the sand concerning those who would choose to take the life of innocent children, specifically those still in their mother’s womb. Additionally, any company that publicly supports this practice, either through donation, legislation, or benefits to employees.
The challenge we, as biblically responsible investors, face is the limited number of publicly traded offerings of clinics involved in abortion services. While mainstream abortion clinics, like Planned Parenthood, are typically non-profits and not available for investment, many hospitals and clinics that provide abortion procedures are owned by publicly traded companies, and in some cases, the hospital or other organization is a publicly traded company itself.
It should be noted that due to the overturn of Roe in 2022 and the 41 states that currently ban abortions, the number of brick-and-mortar abortion clinics has been on the decline in recent years, with some sources citing a 5% decline in business from 2020 to 2024.
However, this has also led to a rise of both out-of-state travel to attain an abortion where it is legal (see Abortion Activism) and the use of pharmaceuticals to induce abortions (see Abortifacients). The use of abortifacients is especially worrying, as some reports cite that they were responsible for 63% of all U.S. abortions in 2023, a sharp increase from the 53% in 2020, and continues to be the primary avenue for current abortions.
So, while the cultural landscape might be in the best place for pro-life advocates since 1973, abortion remains a darkly evolving monster that takes a critical eye, intentionality, and courage to fully bring into the light.
It is not too hard to understand how a single abortive instance impacts the well-being of an individual. An abortion is simply the destruction of a unique human life – full stop. Most pro-abortion literature would cite that women who receive an abortion feel a sense of relief, yet some studies have now pointed to the fact that women develop high anxiety, depression, regret, and even PTSD-type symptoms a decade after their choice to have an abortion. Thus, it is both the loss of life and the negative impact on an individual’s well-being that presents the full scope of grief that an abortion presents. Yet, the sorrow of a single instance is exemplified when it is taken into account with the full horror of widespread abortion practices.
Since the introduction of Roe v. Wade in 1973, it is estimated that there have been over 63 million abortions conducted within the United States alone. A number that far surpasses most genocides of the 20th and 21st centuries, and is on par with the millions of lost lives caused by either Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong.
In 2024 alone, it was estimated that around 1,038,000 abortions were provided by clinics in states without total abortion bans, a number that is up 12% from 2020. It is important to note that this number does not take into consideration abortion pills and other abortifacients, and is relegated to “clinic only” procedures. Additionally, it was cited that over 155,000 people crossed state lines to access abortion clinics, a number that represents 15% of all abortions.
While legislative movements, like the overturning of Roe have slowed the rise of abortion access, there has been little evidence that there has been a drastic downturn in procedures. In fact, data shows that abortions have actually increased month over month since 2022.
This slow rise is continued in 2025, with abortion numbers on par with years past, with 591,770 abortions taking place in the first six months of the year.
So, while there have been some silver linings in the past several years concerning abortion activism, the overall war against these atrocious practices is still being hard fought, even if the tactics have changed.
The bible is very clear on the importance of an individual’s life. Starting with the baseline foundation of humanity's image-bearing capacity and moving on to Godly intention for each unique human being. Any destruction of an individual who carries the image of God is not only vile but an action of blasphemy against the sovereignty of God and his authority over all who draw breath. All humanity carries worth and value because they were specifically destined and designed by God. Whether it be an individual person or a company, anyone who takes the authority of life and death into their own hands, or supports this action, has placed themselves as the arbiter of justice.
Even if a life is brought about as a result of an evil action, it does not remove that individual’s dignity and right to life. There is no difference between the image-bearing makeup of an individual born into a household modeled after God’s design for family or one that was conceived as the product of an evil action. Therefore, it is all human life that must be protected and seen as valuable.
