If you don't feel at home in either Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, welcome to ProGrace.
Finding the Way Beyond the Binary
— Angela Weszely, Founder & CEO
I thought I was building bridges, but I kept hitting walls.
That’s how I felt nearly two decades ago as the new leader of a Christian pregnancy organization. Whether I was networking with medical facilities or talking with neighbors, I often found myself faltering when my carefully crafted ‘non-political’ elevator speech was met with awkward silence or skepticism.
But here’s what really got to me: These reactions forced me to ask a question that would change everything: What had been said or done to create this perception of Christians in this field?
Read How This Question Led to ProGrace →
The answer wasn't what I expected. As I examined our organization's practices, I discovered we had built our programs on assumptions rather than research. Testimonials revealed a troubling pattern: women often felt treated as a means to an end rather than as individuals needing support.
This realization hit me like a punch to the gut. I had sometimes felt diminished in certain aspects of my identity as a woman in the church, and I was determined not to contribute to that experience for other women. Yet I had also found deep healing in the church, among believers who emphasized that God's kingdom is a realm where all have equal worth and dignity.
Then came the moment that changed everything. I felt the Spirit highlight Psalm 139:13-16, saying, "This passage is just as much about the woman." Suddenly I saw it, our language consistently emphasized the child's value over the woman's, creating the very binary we claimed to transcend. I wanted to advocate for both because I knew God values both equally.
So I did something radical: I started listening. Without revealing my position, I asked people about their views on abortion and Christian organizations. The feedback was sobering: genuine concerns about manipulation, bias, and lack of authentic support. I realized we hadn't truly listened to the women we served, which stood in stark contrast to Jesus's ministry.
Within three years, we reformed our practices around active listening, social work ethics, and genuine case management. And as I began sharing this journey with fellow Christians and church partners, I discovered something beautiful: I wasn't alone in this tension.
Many believers wanted a way to equally value both women and children but struggled to find language that fit. They were tired of choosing political sides that didn't reflect their faith. They wanted to respond like Jesus but lacked a clear framework.
ProGrace launched in 2016. And we’ve been on a mission since then to offer the theological framework and practical tools that could transform how Christians engage these conversations entirely.
Read How This Question Led to ProGrace
The answer wasn't what I expected. As I examined our organization's practices, I discovered we had built our programs on assumptions rather than research. Testimonials revealed a troubling pattern: women often felt treated as a means to an end rather than as individuals needing support.
This realization hit me like a punch to the gut. I had sometimes felt diminished in certain aspects of my identity as a woman in the church, and I was determined not to contribute to that experience for other women. Yet I had also found deep healing in the church, among believers who emphasized that God's kingdom is a realm where all have equal worth and dignity.
Then came the moment that changed everything. I felt the Spirit highlight Psalm 139:13-16, saying, "This passage is just as much about the woman." Suddenly I saw it, our language consistently emphasized the child's value over the woman's, creating the very binary we claimed to transcend. I wanted to advocate for both because I knew God values both equally.
So I did something radical: I started listening. Without revealing my position, I asked people about their views on abortion and Christian organizations. The feedback was sobering: genuine concerns about manipulation, bias, and lack of authentic support. I realized we hadn't truly listened to the women we served, which stood in stark contrast to Jesus's ministry.
Within three years, we reformed our practices around active listening, social work ethics, and genuine case management. And as I began sharing this journey with fellow Christians and church partners, I discovered something beautiful: I wasn't alone in this tension.
Many believers wanted a way to equally value both women and children but struggled to find language that fit. They were tired of choosing political sides that didn't reflect their faith. They wanted to respond like Jesus but lacked a clear framework.
ProGrace launched in 2016. And we’ve been on a mission since then to offer the theological framework and practical tools that could transform how Christians engage these conversations entirely.
What We Do
ProGrace invites Christians of all denominations and political affiliations to discover the Jesus-centered approach to abortion that transcends the pro-life/pro-choice binary, emphasizing the equal value of every person.
Why It Matters
We envision communities of Christians united by a mindset and language that reflects the fullness of God’s heart and results in extending dignity, belonging, and grace to all people.
How We Work
Through a theological framework, transformational learning, and supportive community, we guide Christians from tension to freedom, division to unity, and political rhetoric to grace-filled conversations.
Our Leadership
Angela Weszely
ProGrace Founder & CEO
Angela has devoted her life’s work to transforming how Christians engage abortion conversations. She is the author of Becoming ProGrace: Expanding the Abortion Conversation Beyond Life Versus Choice. Angela’s personal journey from political tension to grace-centered confidence has equipped thousands of Christians across denominational and political lines to find their authentic voice in complex conversations. She lives with her family in Evanston, IL.
Board of Directors
Jane May
Board Chair
Partner, McDermott, Will, and Emery, Chicago
Gwenn Garmon, M.S., M.D.
Board Vice Chair
Director of Women’s Health (Retired) Jesse Brown VA Hospital, Chicago
Rev. Dr. Darice Wright
Board Treasurer
Ordained Baptist minister and Assistant Pastor, Life Church-Chicago Heights, IL
Jenna Gyorfi, Esq.
Board Secretary
Director, Private Foundations, Cedarstone Partners, Inc., Wheaton
Rev. David Bisgrove
Board Member
Senior Pastor (Retired) Redeemer Presbyterian Church Westside, Manhattan
Advisory Board
Skye Jethani
Award-winning author, speaker, pastor, and co-host of The Holy Post Podcast, Wheaton
Rev. Amy Peeler, PhD.
New Testament professor at Wheaton College, ordained Episcopal priest, and the author of Women and the Gender of God.
Kurt Tillman
Director, Private Foundations, Cedarstone Partners, Inc., Wheaton
Trusted Partners
CONVERSATION
Continuing the Dialogue Toward Christian Unity
CARE
Connecting with Direct Service Organizations
Ready to experience freedom from political tension?
Join thousands of Christians who’ve discovered there’s another way to reframe the abortion conversation with grace. Whether you’re taking your first step or ready to bring transformation to your community, we’re here to walk alongside you.
