As the pro-life movement looks ahead with the next generation of activists in the post-Roe v. Wade world, one pro-life curriculum seeks to prepare young pro-life activists to respond to abortion and its supporters with thoughtfulness and compassion.
The Equal Rights Institute work to train pro-life advocates “to think clearly, reason honestly, and argue persuasively,” according to the group’s mission. In 2025 the Institute released a high school curriculum to do so with the next generation of pro-life advocates through its Equipped for Life Academy.
The Equal Rights Institute has always taught relational dialogue via its blogs, videos, podcasts, and course offerings. Distinctive from teaching individuals how to debate, it is a focus on listening with respect to others and meeting them where they are with truth.
“We believe that in order to argue with a pro-choice person and in order to persuade them about abortion, it really takes two things: first of all being able to get their walls down so you can have those conversations,” said Emily Geiger, director of Education and Outreach for the Equal Rights Institute. “Then you need to be able to make really good arguments that pro-choice people actually find compelling.”
“We specialize in understanding the modern, young pro-choice person,” she said of the Equipped for Life Academy curriculum’s approach.
Geiger noted that what drives abortion advocates has changed over the years and it is important to understand their point of view accurately to make a sound argument which counters the narratives they have accepted.
“The truth about abortion does not change, but how we communicate that truth can change a little bit based on what’s driving this pro-choice person’s position,” she said, pointing to the curriculum’s focus on teaching basic truth alongside critical thinking skills.
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For the past 11 years the Equal Rights Institute has been training adults through Equipped for Life online courses. Teachers expressed interest in utilizing the material at the high school level which brought about the creation of the Equipped for Life Academy curriculum released this past year.
While the curriculum is geared for religious high school students, with both Catholic and Protestant versions, the pro-life arguments taught are posed in a completely secular framework.
The curriculum gives context on how the culture came to accept death over the sanctity of life and guides students to build confidence in understanding the pro-life position and how to defend it throughout their lives with a quiet strength that responds to the culture.
Arguments made in a thoughtful, compassionate manner flow from the heart of one who can take ownership of their own pro-life position and demonstrate respect toward others, Geiger said, noting how some students may privately harbor abortion supportive ideologies. So even as the curriculum is taught, hearts and minds are being affected.
“We’re teaching students how to think about the abortion issue well,” she said. “How to have good dialogs with people who disagree with you about anything.”
Geiger said that society is very polarized over religious and political issues and the curriculum equips students to stand on truth without crushing spirits. It is a skill set she believes will serve them well in standing on truth in any topic they encounter within the culture.
Eight of the first 14 lessons are specifically secular in their content. Then the next six lessons bring in a religious point of view to help students see how their faith supplements the pro-life position.
“We deliberately teach them the secular way of thinking about it first to understand why you don’t have to be religious at all to believe this,” Geiger explained. “But then also by the way, our faith does back this up.”
The Equipped for Life Academy curriculum is planned for various settings whether in a faith-based school, homeschool, church youth group, or confirmation class. It is designed to fit state education standards.
The Catholic edition is the first and only pro-life curriculum to have received the Declaration of Conformity from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and is written to fit the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools as well as the Cardinal Newman Society Catholic Curriculum Standards.
The Protestant edition can be used across a variety of denominations, integrating biblical principles and faith-based perspectives.
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There’s a higher standard being met as well. Students will be equipped to battle for hearts and minds, beginning with their own, in an environment where prayer is utilized to spiritually prepare them for difficult encounters whether discussing abortion or other issues.
Lesson One sets the tone with Colossians 4:5-6: “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”
Guided prayer cards accompany each lesson. Inviting the Holy Spirit to speak to students’ hearts on the subject as they are encouraged to pray carries a significant dynamic.
Students discuss not only both sides of the abortion issue but are awakened to the fact that being pro-life includes respect for all life, including the life of the abortion activist who may be screaming in someone’s face or similarly posting online. Out of that respect the student is led to a better way of fighting, which leads to life altering and life-giving conversations.
The responses taught through this curriculum aimed at the toughest pro-abortion arguments are based in the questions of personhood, bodily autonomy, and self-defense - all while treating abortion supportive individuals with respect by responding to the strongest version of their arguments.
In developing well-educated, spiritually prepared pro-life students Equipped for Life Academy sets the stage for gracious, life and heart-changing conversations.
