Venue: York St John University
Dates: 5—7 September 2024
Theme: Decline and Christian Ethics

Decline can take many forms. It can be found in the rising cost of living, diminishing trust in
politicians, deterioration in the social fabric, the outbreak of war, an escalating climate crisis, or
falling church attendance. Christian Ethics can serve these spaces by reflecting on both the causes of
decline and what decline means for the practice of ethics. Are there particular theological concepts or
theologians whose work sheds light on the roots of decline and the nature of ethical living in its
midst? Christian Ethics might also reflect upon the way decline is narrated, asking how narratives of
decline can work to both recognise very real challenges and provide resources for solidarity,
resistance and a reimagining of the future. Examining the ethics of narration will also lead the
Christian Ethicist to enquire about the perspective from which a narrative of decline is told. Not all
narratives are true and a narrative of decline may be a mis-narration of the world.