"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
Romans 13:8-10 (NIV)
Today, I am thankful for The United Methodist Church's interpretation of scripture (and life) that I learned through the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.
This happens to be when we utilize Scripture, Tradition, Experience and Reason to help us form a more disciplined opinion of a subject or a more precise interpretation of scripture (and how it might apply to something concrete in life). It was posited by United Methodist seminary professor, Albert Outler who was a Wesley scholar and deemed that John Wesley utilized these regularly as a disciplined (methodical) approach.
The first time I remember utilizing this was in college.
I was on a spring retreat for United Methodist college students active in Wesley Foundations across the state. We were at Canyon camp and were involved in what is called a fish bowl exercise. This is where you have four chairs in the middle and everyone else observes. Only those in the middle chairs can speak. If you have something to interject, you have to tap in just like in the pro wrestling arena.
We were discussing Lawrence Kohlberg's Heinz dilemma. This is a fictitious situation where Heinz's wife has a fatal disease. An experimental drug has been developed as a cure but it is very expensive. Heinz has exhausted all legal options for obtaining the drug. The question is, "Should Heinz steal the drug?"
We were arguing for and against it using Christian values in the fish bowl.
As you might imagine, I took to this like a duck to water.
My position was that Heinz should steal the drug based on the fact that physical objects can be replaced but human life is sacred.
Much of the opposition revolved around "Thou Shalt Not Steal" being one of the 10 commandments.
I argued that this commandment was superseded by the sacred value of life. The Romans passage referenced at the top of the page speaks to this in my opinion.
When one of the pastors (now withdrawn) asked me how I could determine to toss aside one of the 10 Commandments, I replied that I used other scripture, my reason, the traditions of the church and my experience. Since this was essentially the Wesleyan Quadrilateral and is featured prominently in our Book of Discipline, he was stumped.
Today, I would stick with this rationale and would steal the drug. But I would also take the punishment after the fact and go to jail if necessary. I would use the court trial to highlight the injustice of someone dying if a profit could not be reaped.
How does the Wesleyan Quadrilateral aid you not only in your interpretation of scripture but in your looking at decisions you have to make? If you have something big you are trying to discern, why not make four columns and see what you come up with?
 |
| From ¶ 105 of the Discipline on "Our Theological Task" |
No comments:
Post a Comment