Secularism and the Overturning of Roe v. Wade

Secularism places a strong emphasis on keeping religious organizations and political decisions apart. For supporters of secular governance, the reversal of Roe v. Wade is an example of how religious influence could influence public law.

Many scholars and activists argue that the Dobbs v. Jackson decision was shaped by religious ideology rather than constitutional neutrality. This idea has led to several secularist critiques:

• The majority of justices in the ruling were affiliated with conservative Catholic views, often opposing abortion.
• Religious groups spent decades campaigning for anti-abortion legislation, aligning political power with religious goals.
• States now impose bans influenced by specific theological doctrines, affecting non-religious citizens and people of other faiths.
• This shift contradicts First Amendment principles about religious freedom and government neutrality.
• The ruling sets a precedent where religious belief can shape law, affecting rights beyond abortion such as contraception and marriage equality.

Through a secularist lens, Roe’s fall represents not just a legal change, but a turning point in the balance between religion and state authority in American life.