Reflections on the Integrity of Life: A Day at the University of Chicago

Last Thursday, I attended a wonderful conference at the University of Chicago called “Religion and Responsibility: Moral Reflection in a Global Age.” It was a two-day conference, but I decided to attend only the first day—specifically the first three lectures—because that was all the time I had.

The conference was sponsored by the Divinity School, and it was free. They had good coffee and even served a delicious lunch, which was also free, so I was very happy about that. The conference was held in honor of William Schweiker1, a theological ethics scholar, on the occasion of his becoming an emeritus professor.

The three lectures that I attended were: “Reasons and the Paradox of Rationality,” “Cacophonous Authority: Scripture as Resource in Theology and Ethics,” and “Tradition as Source of Moral Resilience.” Cacophonous means harsh, discordant, full of clashing sounds (or, metaphorically, conflicting voices or opinions)

I didn’t get much from the first one, “Reasons and the Paradox of Rationality,” because I couldn’t follow what the scholar was trying to explain. It seemed to me that the topic was complex, and he couldn’t develop his talk in a way that people could follow. At first, I thought it was just me, since I don’t have that level of intellect when surrounded by so many professors and PhDs. But I looked around and noticed that a lot of people were on their phones or getting more coffee just to stay awake, so I felt okay and realized I wasn’t the only one lost in the room. By the way, each talk was about an hour, and since this was the first one, it felt especially long.

Now, the other two speakers were excellent and made their subjects easy to understand. I took so many notes, and my mind was in a happy place as I reflected on what I heard.

The scholar who spoke on “Cacophonous Authority: Scripture as Resource in Theology and Ethics” used her personal experience of losing her baby and how the book of Job in the Bible helped her during the grieving process. She reminded the audience that she is still undone and still grieving—very understandable—and my heart broke as she began to describe her pain. Keep in mind that she is a devoted Christian, grieving within her faith framework, which is likely very different from how others in similar circumstances might cope with such a terrible loss. I certainly would not turn to the book of Job to deal with that kind of pain, but it was interesting to hear her explain that scripture contains a great deal of tension—tension that doesn’t always match people’s expectations. If we look closely at the complexity of the text, with all its disturbing, chaotic, and tragic scenes, we may come to understand something we have not yet seen or experienced. She highlighted examples of this by referencing Job’s loss in the opening chapters, Abraham being commanded by God to sacrifice Isaac, and Mary receiving the revelation that she would give birth to Jesus. She emphasized that we need to pay attention to the friction and catastrophe at the beginning of these stories—not just the happy endings—and understand how those moments shape our lives.

The lecture on “Tradition as Source of Moral Resilience” was fascinating. She said many things that interested me, but one point in particular stood out. She discussed the tradition of confession and forgiveness. Different denominations practice this either collectively or individually, but her point was that confession and forgiveness demonstrate how a person faces failure and takes responsibility. A moral person recognizes his or her faults and responds by confessing and asking for forgiveness, showing accountability for their actions. A person unwilling to take responsibility reveals a character flaw. How many people do we know today who refuse to admit fault or ask for forgiveness? Or worse, how many blame everyone else and never take responsibility themselves? Problematic, right?

A theme developed throughout these two lectures:

“We are to respect and enhance the integrity of life.”

Of course, when discussing scripture and tradition, that respect and enhancement are framed in relation to God. After all, most of the attendees were Christians. But the door was opened to the idea that this principle can extend beyond Christianity to other religions, faiths, and belief systems.

After the conference, I researched that theme and found the exact quote, which came from the person being honored, William Schweiker:

“In all our actions and relations, we are to respect and enhance the integrity of life before God.”2

Certainly, this should be true for all Christians, even if we don’t always see it reflected in the leaders of this country who call themselves Christians. But it made me wonder: how can we, as a society, live this out?

“In all our actions and relations, we are to respect and enhance the integrity of life.”

Maybe it begins with how we engage in conversations, make choices, form habits, and build relationships. It certainly means avoiding harm, exploitation, or diminishing life—our own or that of others. The end state should be the overall improvement of society and the environment, where everyone can flourish according to their abilities.

But as we witness the current conflict in the Middle East, there is no doubt that many actions and relationships today are not conducive to respecting and enhancing the integrity of life. This was on my mind as I listened to the lectures last week, wondering how we can move beyond such situations.

Then yesterday, I read the following from Cicero:

“But the chief thing in all public administration and public service is to avoid even the slightest suspicion of self-seeking.”

“No vice is more offensive than avarice, especially in those who hold positions of power. To exploit the state for selfish profit is not only immoral; it is criminal and disgraceful.”

Perhaps we begin to live up to this ideal when we choose to vote out self-seeking leaders who fail to respect and enhance the integrity of life. What do you think?

  1. https://divinity.uchicago.edu/directory/william-schweiker ↩︎
  2. https://learn.elca.org/jle/sufficient-sustainable-lifespan-for-all-responsible-biotechnology-and-elca-social-thought/ ↩︎

77 thoughts on “Reflections on the Integrity of Life: A Day at the University of Chicago”

  1. I have been thinking a lot about confession, forgiveness, and taking responsibility lately, Edward. Your thoughts are always so carefully prepared and your efforts to learn are exemplary. You have (again!) given me much to consider as I wrestle with my failings and my future. Thank you!🙏

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  2. Respect and enhance the integrity of life – there’s so much in those 7 words. Thanks for sharing the conference with us. It sounds like an interesting way to spend a morning. The first speaker aside, of course. Isn’t it fascinating that some people can unpack things in a comprehendible way and others can’t?

    Your point about our politicians and alignment with Cicero are so good. We have more work to do to respect and enhance the integrity of life. But what a great reminder of the goal! Thanks, my friend!

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    1. Thank you, Wynne. I agree with you, there’s a lot there. I brought one of his books home, so I’m looking forward to digging into what he’s getting at with those seven words. I’m sure it’s going to be illuminating. You know, I’ve been thinking about the first speaker, and he was probably given the topic and just couldn’t connect with it.

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  3. Wow…this will stick with me for a long time, Edward:
    …”her point was that confession and forgiveness demonstrate how a person faces failure and takes responsibility. A moral person recognizes his or her faults and responds by confessing and asking for forgiveness, showing accountability for their actions…”
    Important tenets about moral character…described so well, so succinctly.
    Thank you for taking us along, virtually. What a thoughtful experience….and the fact that the coffee met your standards? Amazing! (wink, wink!) 💝😊💝

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    1. You’re so welcome, my friend. I’m still thinking about the wonderful things I heard that day. There’s so much to read and learn. Surprisingly, the coffee was pretty good. Apparently, their coffee shop, which is in the basement of the divinity school, is the best on campus.

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  4. Fascinating insights, Edward. I was especially struck by this, “A moral person recognizes his or her faults and responds by confessing and asking for forgiveness, showing accountability for their actions.” To me, it comes down to humility, and being willing to recognize that you could be wrong. An undervalued virtue in our current political climate.

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    1. Thank you, Michelle. You are absolutely right. That virtue, in our current political climate, is definitely undervalued. The sad part is that those same politicians who are incapable of admitting they could be wrong are often the ones proclaiming themselves to be holy men and women.

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  5. This was really thoughtful and grounding. It’s good when reflection leads to humility, care for others, and a desire for integrity in how we live and lead. God values truth lived out in love, not just spoken ideas. Keep holding on to that.

    Dag, I wish I knew you were in town, we could have met up.

    🤗 🙏

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  6. The best historical advice/morals/values hold true for the long haul, whether it’s the words from religion to respect life, or the wise words of Cicero to recognize selfishness from those in power.
    This: “I took so many notes, and my mind was in a happy place as I reflected on what I heard.” is always a wonderful feeling when learning. Thanks for sharing this experience.

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  8. I think you put this in terms we could all understand, unlike the first lecturer. I didn’t fall asleep or look for distractions. Thank you for sharing, Ed. Of course, you compel us to provocative thought. Where am I on the scale of personal integrity, and respecting and enhancing the quality of life. It is a question we must answer for ourselves when we put God first. Or is the question, “Do we put God first?” This must be in order to walk in this space.

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    1. Thank you, Sandra. I think that for Christians, if you put God first, then the fruits of that relationship should reflect a commitment to the integrity, respect, and enhancement of life. If we don’t see those fruits, then I don’t think they are putting God first.

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  10. Thank you for this discussion of the thought-provoking conference sessions you attended. I am particularly intrigued by ” . . . we are to respect and enhance the integrity of life before God.” I’ve never seen the phrase “integrity of life” used before, just “sanctity of life.”

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    1. You’re welcome, Liz. Absolutely, and that’s why it caught my attention. They were giving away some copies of his books, so I grabbed one to read further. It was interesting to hear that philosophical perspective on life, though it sounds very similar to the sanctity of life. I think integrity of life reaches across all humanity, regardless of beliefs, but I definitely need to read more on the subject. Thank you.

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  12. I agree with your hope of the presence of self-seekers in high places, Edward.

    If course, I share the applause of your continuing education and ability to describe it. The various religious writings leave us with dilemmas of interpretation that put of us in a kind of Tower of Babble, unable to fully understand or agree with the views of our fellow humans.

    The religious texts also often leave serious questions unanswered or troublesome.

    Job, in particular, offers questions about God’s role in allowing Lucifer to cause the death of Job’s family and cause Job huge pain.

    As you know, God offers no satisfying explanation for any of this when Job asks for one. We, too, are left without an answer. No wonder many biblical scholars find the Job story the most troublesome portion of the entire body of the Bible.

    Again, thank you for your always provocative and graceful writing.

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    1. You’re very welcome, Dr. Stein. What I found interesting is that she’s studying those more troublesome portions of the text to find meaning. I’m sure she has a particular focus, because it would take a lifetime, and more, to understand all the difficult areas of the Bible. I agree with your Tower of Babel description; it definitely feels that way most days.

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  13. What a wonderful experience! Thank you for sharing. My heart goes out to the person giving the first talk. Obviously they need some practice in developing a lecture that draws in the audience. I remember my first conference as a Grad Student presenting a paper. It was about the same — LOL. It does sound like there were some jewels of wisdom to be gleaned from the experience.

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    1. You’re very welcome, Joni. Well, he was a professor with a PhD. My guess is either he couldn’t work out the topic given to him, or he is one of those scholars who is great at writing and publishing but not strong at communicating a concept. I think it’s the former, though, because it seems he was reaching into other areas where he was clearly an expert. It was a great experience, and I got a lot from it. Hopefully I can attend more of them.

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  14. We can also begin by purging our own motivations of self advantage in what are purportedly relationships of love and friendship.

    So pervasive is this practice in large and little ways that anyone who fails to relate to others without consideration of petty gain is generally considered never to have achieved full adulthood.

    I myself, of course, beg to differ with that evaluation ~ I see an adolescent humanity, full of self destructive behaviors at every level, but continuing to show promise, despite it all, of maturing eventually. 🙄

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    1. I see the same thing about humanity. It feels like we are going through some kind of cycle, and I can sense hopefulness, at least among young adults. I think they are waiting for the older generation running the country to step aside so they can move us toward greatness.

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    2. I understand Ana – well worded. we have pushed and abused the social contract to a certain extent where its warped nature gives us no choice but to act in a zero-sum mindset and raw incentives. but I like to think there is an inherent truth to the thought that humans want to do good – whether because of ideological fulfillment or the incentive to simply stay alive. I love yours and Edward’s wisdom! Mike

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  16. First off everything is better with “good coffee and even served a delicious lunch” but after the first talk, kudos for staying. I thought the same thing reading the title. Thanks for the definition. Thank goodness for the saving grace of the next two talks.
    What I love the most is how you make connections in your understanding and heart to give voice to what matters most which is summed up in you last line:
    “Perhaps we begin to live up to this ideal when we choose to vote out self-seeking leaders who fail to respect and enhance the integrity of life”
    Respect, understanding and integrity of life is paramount for change and having faith.

    Thanks for another great post, Edward💕🙏🏼

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    1. Thank you, Cindy, and blessed be the coffee that kept me awake during the first talk! 😀 It took two cups to do the trick. The other two speakers definitely saved the day. It was interesting to see their openness, because there are religions like Christianity that can be very inclusive, yet not always welcoming of other beliefs. These philosophers, even though they are Christians, understood that respecting each individual is important, regardless of their views. That was my takeaway from that day.

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  17. I’m glad you had an opportunity to attend this conference Edward. The third lecture and your discussion of how we treat each other with respect and enhancement of life is sadly missing in our US leadership and much of the world. And too many of our leaders clearly serve themselves before the public they are elected to serve.

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    1. Thank you, Brad. It’s definitely missing, and sadly, we can see that in both parties. It would be wonderful if both parties united in Congress to set term limits and remove big money from politics. That would be a great start to move our country in the right direction.

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  18. Another compelling and thought-provoking piece, Edward. I’ve been to conferences where the speaker is less than stimulating and others where the speaker catches you with their first line and keeps you captive for hours. I was especially interested in the bit about confession and asking for forgiveness. I was raised Lutheran, and we had both public confession and private (not aloud to anyone, just in our own hearts and minds) during the holy communion service. My dad taught that apology is empty if the behaviour repeats. I believe the same about confession.

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    1. Thank you, Terry. That particular speaker was Lutheran, so that makes sense. I’m with you on confession. Some kind of change or progress needs to be noticeable; if not, as your dad says, it’s just empty.

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  19. This is such a thoughtful and deeply reflective piece. What stands out most is the honesty with which you’ve engaged the experience—not just reporting what was said, but noticing what landed and what didn’t. That moment where you realized you weren’t the only one lost in the first lecture adds a very human touch; it makes the whole experience feel real and relatable rather than intellectual for its own sake.

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  20. Very thought provoking. I’m so glad you went. As someone who was raised with Catholic guilt I often wondered how other religions and backgrounds deal with confession and the rights and wrongs in life. I know many who don’t confess and just pretend things never happened. That’s a whole different arm of humanity. Lol anyhoo – happy for you!

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    1. Thank you, my friend. Your comment about those who don’t confess and just pretend things never happened reminded me of the documentary I just watched on Netflix about the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints called Trust Me: The False Prophet. They caught the guy with his hands in the cookie jar, and he was like, “Me? Never.” So infuriating.

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      1. Sadly though these people hide behind the church. Don’t get me started with crimes in the Catholic Church. It’s infuriating. You’re so right.

        Hope your week is off to a great start my friend!

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  21. A thoughtful and well-articulated reflection. The connection you draw between the concept of the “integrity of life” and personal as well as civic responsibility is especially compelling. Your emphasis on accountability and the role of ethical leadership provides a clear and relevant takeaway.👍

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      1. as always, your breakdown and clarity of media is insightful and gives people a grounded sense of the material. to know about talks and programs like the one you attended gives me a lot of hope for the future – especially with the emergent theme of the integrity of life and how it must be protected.

        I do agree that there is a need to re-assert these values in our modern day society. but i would also be interested in knowing how their antithetical values take root and eventually calcify as well. Mike

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        1. Thank you very much, Mike. I’m also hopeful because I’ve seen a lot of young people interested in this subject. It’s kind of funny that you’re asking about how their antithetical values take root. I’m reading Think Again by Adam Grant, and he discusses the psychological concept of the ‘totalitarian ego,’ in which a person shuts out external input in order to preserve their belief system, even if it is the wrong one. He then says, “The inner dictator manages to prevail by activating an overconfidence cycle. First, our wrong opinions are shielded in filter bubbles, where we take pride in seeing only information that supports our convictions. Then our beliefs are sealed in echo chambers, where we hear only from people who intensify and validate them.” This could be an answer to your question. Besides, I think there are people who are just flat-out evil.

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          1. oh, so basically Twitter 😂👍🏼 I’ll take a look at that Adam Grant book – thanks, as always, for the great recommendations!

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            2. Well, Mike, I was trying to comment on your latest post, but for some reason it’s asking me to register, even though I already am. I entered my email, and it recognized the authentication, but it’s not allowing me to proceed. I guess you’ve added some top-secret way to interact with your blog. Anyway, here’s what I wanted to say: “Welcome, new American! I can’t believe you picked A-ha. Now I’m going to be singing that song the rest of the day—awesome!”

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              1. oh my gosh Edward, I think I really messed up my blog while adding features on it. I will look into this today and when you can (no rush), Id appreciate it if you could post a comment to see if anything changed. I have other users now that told me they cannot access my site! and also some whose comments get pushed off to spam.

                I promise, this isn’t an extension of my post about wanting Baghdad Embassy style security lol

                But as for REAL ID, yes – it’s crazy how this formed after 9/11 and took shape the way it did. but to see just how much info they want – I cannot see how people can get past this through fraudulent means. someone on the inside would have to help them!

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  24. This sounds fascinating, Edward. Even with a graduate degree in theology, I’m often lost in such classes, but there are always parts that make sense. And the more I learn, the more that is open to me. You certainly got plenty for your time, and I appreciate you sharing it with us.

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