Bryan Hodge has sought to make a case against contraceptive practices from an evangelical Christian standpoint. He marshalls four arguments to make his point: one from patristic consensus, one from Scripture, one from systematics, and one from practical reason and ethics. I wish to show here that while the considerations he considers raise important questions and challenges for Christians (particularly for those who use contraceptives or contraceptive practices) none of the arguments entail that contraception is inherently immoral and that his conclusions are inordinate and incorrect. I intend to provide a sustained defense of the notion that Christians can sincerely, worshipfully, and in good conscience utilize contraception and contraceptive practices (on the assumption that such things do not involve abortion in any way). My refutation will be divided into parts, corresponding to each of Hodge's arguments. I shall be referencing Hodge's work frequently throughout my discourse here, and the reader is recommended to read Hodge's book alongside my comments and criticisms of it. An online preview of the content this Part critiques can be perused here.
