Mississippi State University hosted abortionist Dr. Willie Parker on March 1 in a presentation entitled, “Abortion and the Christian Case for Choice.”

Parker’s speech angered many because the publicly funded university sponsored his appearance but his speech also energized the pro-life cause on the Starkville campus.

Among those who listened to Parker speak is Rob Chambers, vice president of AFA Action, who tells OneNewsNow that Parker admitted he doubts the Bible is the inspired word of God.

Chambers

“But [Parker] did draw the conclusion,” says Chambers, “that he believed that abortion is legal, and not only did he say that but he also went further to say that he believed he was doing the work of God by performing abortions.”

Numerous programs and departments at MSU co-sponsored Parker’s appearance as part of Women’s History Month.

At the same time Parker was speaking, however, the school’s Student for Life chapter and Catholic Campus Ministry were announcing a pro-life presentation set for next week, Tuesday March 6, on the Starkville campus.

The main speaker scheduled to appear is writer and speaker Christina Bennett, a self-described “pro-life feminist” who counsels women struggling with an unplanned pregnancy.

In a January interview, Bennett told ABC News that her own mother was planning to abort her when a janitor at the hospital convinced her to continue the pregnancy.

“I think about abortion like I think about slavery and I think about the Civil Rights movement, and some of the things that my ancestors and forefathers fought for,” she said. “Because, without the right to life, you have no other right.”

Parker’s appearance this week raised concerns that his university-paid speaking fee – which was never disclosed to the public – was coming from taxpayers, not a pro-abortion student group or an outside organization. Pro-life Mississippi and Mississippi-based American Family Association pointed that out and asked MSU to fund a pro-life speaker to appear with Parker and debate his views.

MSU did not grant that request but later claimed private funds had paid Parker’s speech fee, with the university paying for event security and other costs, says Chambers, citing repeated conversations with an MSU official.

The events page at MSU, meanwhile, includes Bennett’s coming presentation entitled, “Abortion, Idolatry, and Christ’s Call to Compassion.”

“It appears that the university is working with student pro-life groups to bring in a pro-life speaker on March 6,” says AFA’s Walker Wildmon. “So we are seeing some positive movement on campus at Mississippi State.”