Blog: Sharing the Pro-Life Message… in an Oxford Pub
By the end of the dialogue, the young men came away with a far better understanding of the pro-life position – even if it wasn’t something they could immediately ascribe to.
(Oregon Right to Life) — Last month, I traveled to England with some friends from college. It was a dream trip for a group of Anglophiles like ourselves, whose friendship was originally forged over a shared love of one of Charles Dickens’ more obscure novels.
We saw the sights in London, stood transfixed by Oxford’s famous spires, punted on the river in Cambridge, marveled at Stonehenge, strolled the storybook lanes of the Cotswolds, and explored the stunning wilds of the Lake District.
Having so recently been there and soaked up the majesty of England with all its castles, cathedrals, pubs, and gardens, it was with a sense of familiarity and kinship that I began listening to pro-life apologist Scott Klusendorf’s recent video essay describing a conversation he had at an Oxford pub when he, too, was in England around the same time that my friends and I were.
Klusendorf, host of the Case for Life podcast and author of a pro-life apologetics book by the same name, described sitting down in The Chequers in Oxford to enjoy a plate of fish and chips (a must, of course, when one is in England). As he ate, he overheard a conversation between two college-aged men who were remarking that Americans should be better at appreciating the contributions of the British in World War II. Unable to resist jumping in, Klusendorf told them he was at least one American who did know and appreciate those contributions.
The conversation being a lively and friendly one, it quickly moved to what Klusendorf did for a living, and what brought him across the pond. That’s when the topic of abortion came up, as Klusendorf shared that he speaks and writes about bioethics and life issues.
In his characteristic straightforward and compelling style, Klusendorf proceeded to lay out the pro-life case, forcing the young Oxford men to grapple with serious ethical questions as he expertly (but politely) knocked down objection after objection.
It’s exactly the right sort of thing to be doing in an Oxford pub, the likes of which were designed for community and conversation of the sort too often lacking in modern – and particularly in American – society.
Sadly, my friends and I didn’t get the chance to have a conversation like Klusendorf’s during our trip, but having been in that city – teeming with history, intellectual life, and inspiration – and having experienced the coziness of English pubs first-hand, I can fully imagine and appreciate the warm setting and the robust conversation.
By the end of the dialogue, by Klusendorf’s account, the young men came away with a far better understanding of the pro-life position – even if it wasn’t something they could immediately ascribe to.
And that’s precisely what we try to do as pro-life advocates when we talk with people at fair booths, or engage in conversation about abortion or assisted suicide with friends or family members.
We don’t attempt to hit people over the head with the pro-life message, trap them with “gotcha” questions, or force them to agree with us. But we do state the facts plainly, defend them with solid reasoning, and help people recognize that the pro-life position is grounded on serious scientific and philosophical claims, and must be engaged with on that level – not dismissed out of hand as merely “anti-choice.”
Before parting ways with his newfound Oxford friends, Klusendorf took the opportunity to share his understanding of the Gospel with them. Of course, at Oregon Right to Life, we’re a single-issue pro-life organization. Our outreach focuses exclusively on the pro-life message. But many people find that talking about issues as serious as life, death, and morality naturally lead toward more eternal questions, and that’s great too. As a Catholic, personally, I would certainly find points of difference with Klusendorf’s Calvinist soteriological formulations… but that’s a conversation for another time and place.
Klusendorf’s Oxford experience – in addition to making me feel already nostalgic for England –inspired me to be more open in sharing my pro-life values with others. And I hope it inspires you too.
Watch the full video below:
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Blog: Sharing the Pro-Life Message… in an Oxford Pub
Ashley Sadler
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(Oregon Right to Life) — Last month, I traveled to England with some friends from college. It was a dream trip for a group of Anglophiles like ourselves, whose friendship was originally forged over a shared love of one of Charles Dickens’ more obscure novels.
We saw the sights in London, stood transfixed by Oxford’s famous spires, punted on the river in Cambridge, marveled at Stonehenge, strolled the storybook lanes of the Cotswolds, and explored the stunning wilds of the Lake District.
Having so recently been there and soaked up the majesty of England with all its castles, cathedrals, pubs, and gardens, it was with a sense of familiarity and kinship that I began listening to pro-life apologist Scott Klusendorf’s recent video essay describing a conversation he had at an Oxford pub when he, too, was in England around the same time that my friends and I were.
Klusendorf, host of the Case for Life podcast and author of a pro-life apologetics book by the same name, described sitting down in The Chequers in Oxford to enjoy a plate of fish and chips (a must, of course, when one is in England). As he ate, he overheard a conversation between two college-aged men who were remarking that Americans should be better at appreciating the contributions of the British in World War II. Unable to resist jumping in, Klusendorf told them he was at least one American who did know and appreciate those contributions.
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The conversation being a lively and friendly one, it quickly moved to what Klusendorf did for a living, and what brought him across the pond. That’s when the topic of abortion came up, as Klusendorf shared that he speaks and writes about bioethics and life issues.
In his characteristic straightforward and compelling style, Klusendorf proceeded to lay out the pro-life case, forcing the young Oxford men to grapple with serious ethical questions as he expertly (but politely) knocked down objection after objection.
It’s exactly the right sort of thing to be doing in an Oxford pub, the likes of which were designed for community and conversation of the sort too often lacking in modern – and particularly in American – society.
Sadly, my friends and I didn’t get the chance to have a conversation like Klusendorf’s during our trip, but having been in that city – teeming with history, intellectual life, and inspiration – and having experienced the coziness of English pubs first-hand, I can fully imagine and appreciate the warm setting and the robust conversation.
By the end of the dialogue, by Klusendorf’s account, the young men came away with a far better understanding of the pro-life position – even if it wasn’t something they could immediately ascribe to.
And that’s precisely what we try to do as pro-life advocates when we talk with people at fair booths, or engage in conversation about abortion or assisted suicide with friends or family members.
We don’t attempt to hit people over the head with the pro-life message, trap them with “gotcha” questions, or force them to agree with us. But we do state the facts plainly, defend them with solid reasoning, and help people recognize that the pro-life position is grounded on serious scientific and philosophical claims, and must be engaged with on that level – not dismissed out of hand as merely “anti-choice.”
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Before parting ways with his newfound Oxford friends, Klusendorf took the opportunity to share his understanding of the Gospel with them. Of course, at Oregon Right to Life, we’re a single-issue pro-life organization. Our outreach focuses exclusively on the pro-life message. But many people find that talking about issues as serious as life, death, and morality naturally lead toward more eternal questions, and that’s great too. As a Catholic, personally, I would certainly find points of difference with Klusendorf’s Calvinist soteriological formulations… but that’s a conversation for another time and place.
Klusendorf’s Oxford experience – in addition to making me feel already nostalgic for England – inspired me to be more open in sharing my pro-life values with others. And I hope it inspires you too.
Watch the full video below:
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Never Miss a Story!
Sign up for email updates.
*By clicking submit, you agree to receive email updates, including events and action alerts, from Oregon Right to Life.
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Sign up for email updates.
*By clicking submit, you agree to receive email updates, including events and action alerts, from Oregon Right to Life.
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