The history of contraception goes back nearly to the beginning. The first and perhaps only overt Scriptural reference to preventing pregnancy appears in Genesis chapter 38 with the story of Onan, grandson of Jacob. The text says, “Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, ‘Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.’ But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s…