March 19, 2015 Editor

Why I Am (Try to Be) Consistently Pro-Life

An excerpt:

During World War II, famed literary scholar and “mere Christian” C.S. Lewis delivered a lecture to a pacifist society entitled, “Why I am Not a Pacifist.” From a writer whose pen could never be dull, this piece was Lewis’ authorial nadir.

It is akin to Bertrand Russell’s essay, “Why I am Not a Christian,” which discusses only philosophical abstractions. In it Russell sets the rules, such that, by “reason” outside of God’s revelation one “must” prove God, or not, case closed!  [There is a joke about the little child who lost a coin in a dark part of the street. Upon being asked why she was searching for it under a street light, she replied, “There is more light here.” Karl Barth (in “Christianity or Religion”, Fragments Grave and Gay, Karl Barth, London: Collins, 1971) said humanity’s search for God is “religion”, to all of which Christianity is opposed, beginning “when religion ends.” God’s “arising to go to man” is Christianity’s “essence.” We do not set the rules about that search, demanding God be found (or not) under the light of our own rationality. God on the contrary finds us if we are to be found in “active attentiveness to the acts and word of this God”– or not.]

Such negatives presuppose a counter. Upon reflection therefore, this article’s title was changed from “Why I Am Not Pro-Violence” to “Why I Am (Try to Be) Consistently Pro-Life”.

Please click on: Why I Am Consistently Pro-Life

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Editor

Wayne Northey was Director of Man-to-Man/Woman-to-Woman – Restorative Christian Ministries (M2/W2) in British Columbia, Canada from 1998 to 2014, when he retired. He has been active in the criminal justice arena and a keen promoter of Restorative Justice since 1974. He has published widely on peacemaking and justice themes. You will find more about that on this website: a work in progress.

Always appreciate constructive feedback! Thanks.