Conversations around abortion often become very heated, which rarely leads to a positive outcome. Remaining calm is key. "...every person you are dealing with is a potential teammate, not an enemy. As such, it’s vital that they feel loved,” says pro-life activist Ruth Shaw (not pictured). Photo by The Texas Tribune/Flickr

Ottawa Against Abortion offers pro-life apologetics training

“Every person you deal with is a potential teammate”

By Craig Macartney and ChristianWeek Senior Correspondent | April 8, 2014

OTTAWA, ON—A pair of students once arrested for speaking out against abortion are now training others how to articulate a pro-life stance.

Ruth Shaw and Nick McLeod founded Ottawa Against Abortion in 2010 and recently started using the organization as a platform to train Christians in pro-life apologetics. They also take them to the streets to gain first-hand experience.

“We firmly believe every Christian has the responsibility to be able to defend the pro-life position,” says Shaw. “These training sessions equip the average person on how to defend the pro-life position. We give them clear teaching, clear examples of questions and responses and the opportunity to practice having these everyday conversations.”

It was late 2010 when Shaw, McLeod and three other Carleton University students were arrested as they peacefully held signs and spoke to fellow students about abortion. Led by Shaw, the students continued to advocate for freedom of expression for pro-lifers, and eventually the charges were dropped.

The students’ experience has inspired many other Christians to take a better look at what it means to be pro-life.

Ottawa resident Anna Pierlot says she has always been pro-life, but after attending a recent training session with Ottawa Against Abortion, she says she better understands her beliefs and has gained confidence in sharing them with others.

“It strengthened my views with a greater understanding and gave me the tools to confidently tackle each issue with clarity and confidence,” she says. “It also brought home the importance of this issue. I learned the various ways our culture tells us the unborn are somehow not human, and how to discuss and refute these arguments.”

Conversations around abortion often become very heated, which rarely leads to a positive outcome. However, Pierlot says the knowledge and practice she gained help her to remain calm when responding to hostile pro-abortionists. This, in particular, is a key skill Shaw seeks to impart.

“The two things a person will remember after engaging in conversation with you are the pictures they see and if they were treated with respect,” Shaw explains.

“We teach that every person you are dealing with is a potential teammate, not an enemy. As such, it’s vital that they feel loved.”

To avoid hostilities, Shaw trains participants to focus on asking clear questions rather than arguing about facts. She says forcing pro-abortionists to clearly articulate their beliefs often makes them begin to doubt their worldview.

Inspired by Shaw’s courage through the arrest, Taylor Hyatt participated in a seminar hoping to gain the courage to engage people in the public square.

“Two-and-a-half years ago, I could not have imagined where the events of one day [of training] would lead me,” she says. “I’m a very passionate person and often I’ve felt in danger of blurting out something harsh, without thinking. The idea of turning everything into a question has given me time to choose my words carefully in many tense conversations.

“The training helped me become a better communicator in all areas of my life, seeking to understand the other person, how they got where they are today and what I can say to make them think, even if they don't come around to my point of view.”