1. The dimensions of the threats of life today

2. And the value of our moral vision

-          Threat to human life by nuclear war is very real and has got the attention of the world

-          The concern for a specific issue does not leave our minds but the meaning of the many threats to our lives to today is very clear

-          The many problems in politics and technology are very clear

-          “it is only through a conscious choice and through a deliberate policy that humanity can be saved”- Pope John Paul II/ can be used to address other aspects of life and not just nuclear war

-          Problems like nuclear war, abortion, public executions, and the advocation of euthanasia must be confronted as pieces of a larger pattern

-          “I am convinced that the Catholic moral vision has the scope, the strength and the subtlety to address this wide range of issues in an effective fashion”

-          Every problem from the legal aspects of abortion as well as giving shelter and food the poor is seen by the church as specific issues that need to be taken on separately and must be given separate attention

-          Doesn’t believe that the systemic vision of a consistent ethic of life with erode the public’s position on any issues but will give attention to the issues as well as the church giving their own view on the certain issues

-          Consistent ethic identifies the protection of life and its promotion as moral questions / argues for the continuation of life which must be sustained in face of many different threats

-          “A consistent ethic does not say everyone in the Church must do all things, but it does say that as individuals and groups pursue one issue;” the way we oppose a threat is related to support for a systemic vision of life

-          It’s not possible for every person to work towards every issue but it is necessary that the Church connects each issues

-          The goal is to preserve the spectrum of life so that one or many groups of people don’t think that their moral positions or claims are least important to anyone elses

-          “Consistency does rule out contradictory moral positions about the unique value of human life”

-          We can each do something to promote the life of all peoples

-          It is the Church’s job to shed light on the important questions of person and public life today off of what the bible teaches

-          The issue of war and peace provides a unique pastoral opportunity for the Church/ they demonstrate how the teaching of war and peace is supported for a wider concern for life bringing a new tradition to the Church: linkage of all life issues

-          There are many issues like abortion, war, hunger, human rights, euthanasia, and capital punishment; they are treated as separate problems and each is distinct but they need to be talked in the same type of issue of not supporting the respect for human life

-          The “new moment” Is that the Church has an opportunity to speak about issues when it becomes an “open moment” in which the people will be taught about the importance of human life in the issue 

-          A consistent ethic of life should honor the complexity of the multiple issues it must address. 

-          First at the general moral principles,  his principle is both central to Catholic moral vision and systematically related to a range of specific moral issues, issues include direct attacks on unborn life in the womb, attacks on civilians in warfare, and killing of patients in nursing homes 

-          Second level a consistent ethic stresses the distinction among cases rather than their similarities. Not all moral principles have relevance across the whole range of life issues. A systemic vision of the life issues requires a combination of moral insights to provide direction on one issue. The principle which protects innocent life distinguishes the unborn child from the convicted murder. 

-          Third level of the question before us involves how we relate a commitment to principles to our public witness of life. There are limits to both competency and energy; both point to the wisdom of setting priorities and defining distinct functions. Church must be credible across a wide range of issues, scope of our moral vision requires a commitment to multiplicity questions. 

-          The fourth level, is one where dialogue is sorely needed, it’s the relationship between moral principles and concrete political choices. The moral questions of abortion, the arms race, the fate of social programs for the poor, and the role of human rights in foreign policy are public moral issues. A consistent ethic of life seeks to present a coherent linkage among a diverse set of issues. Should be used to test party platforms, public policies, and political candidates.