ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the sub sequence chapters of this book. It shows the concept of human life to the test by focusing on pregnancy, birth, and abortion in the history of Christianity. Its aim is to understand how and why the conceptualization of procreation, pregnancy, birth, and abortion change over time. It traces the conceptualization of pregnancy in Western Christian culture from antiquity until the present day and gives a broad introduction to the topic by focusing on four moments of transition in the Western conceptualization of pregnancy: antiquity, the Enlightenment, modernity, and contemporary abortion debates. Its focus is on Augustine, the development of Canon law, and folk traditions related to pregnancy. It discusses about Christian reactions to major scientific developments like discovery of heredity, the menstruation cycles, and methods of birth control. Finally, it focuses on the clash between conservative Christian values and secular ideals of gender equality and women's rights.
