Aylesbury LIFE because Learning Is For Everyone

I was talking about moral choices in a wide range of situations the other night with some friends. The point was made surely you don't need a theologian to tell you what is right and what is wrong. My partial and rather weak answer of the top of my head goes something along the lines of "no, not everyday -- but in some areas I just don't have a clue -- help get me out of hear I need an expert."

The discussion progressed to talk about the nature of helpful expertise in this kind of discussion.

One of the topics we spent some time on was abortion and the life and choice questions. So I thought I would pass on the following quotation from the end of an recent article on Bishop Alan's Blog (17 May 08) which by total coincidence seems to echo some of our Tuesday evening conversation about the personal aspects of ethical principles.

"Perhaps the terminology needs reclaiming from the possession of zealots. Ordinary people need to live and choose in real terms, as much as bang on about "Life" or "Choice." Christianity is not based on "what you do," but the infinite value God sets on persons, and the hope of redemption. Christians would do well to maximise their capacity to be there for people (including themselves?), and keep it real — Is that what the Good Samaritan did for the other guy? — and, perhaps, leave the hufflepuff to the zealots..."

I guess it is quite reassuring to find someone else who thinks like us Tuesday evening theologians -- who are doing it seems to me what Bishop Alan suggests is good practice for everyday life with everyday people. That is quite handy really as we don't go much for superheros around every corner.

Having said that I wouldn't want to rule out the possibility of being challenged in my heart felt thinking by those who have studied the ethics of a wider range of situations more than myself. Just sometimes theologians who have studied the nature of right and wrong in different situations are better equipped to challenge (and provoke me to think about) my underlying assumptions. I think that has to be a good thing. After all what if I was wrong...?!