Religion's Role in Politics is Older Than the Republic

At its core, the abortion debate is between those who regard the fetus as a person and those who regard abortion as a rightful option for pregnant women. While there are religious and non-religious people on both sides of the argument, the loudest voices are often those of religious traditionalists on one side and contemporary secularists on the other. The discussion also entails biology, medical technology, policy questions and constitutional issues such as state's rights and a personal right to privacy. As the decades have passed, the discussion has also become saturated with partisan politics as the mix of opinion in the major parties has shifted dramatically.