Specialisation in a complex world

Simplistic assessments irk me. Macquarrie tells me why and what to do about it:

There are after all, two kinds of knowledge required for responsible moral decision - knowledge of moral principles and knowledge of the factual circumstances of the situation. In an increasingly specialized world, only experts in the various fields have the second kind of knowledge. This implies that Christian morality will become increasingly lay morality.1

Cole adds: "The I.V.F. issue provides a case in point. How can the pastor alone be expected to have the factual knowledge required for wise judgement?"


1 J Macquarrie, Three Issues in Ethics (London: SCM, 1970), 74-75. cited in GA Cole, "Thinking Theologically" in RTR 48 (1989), 60.