For Roman Catholic adherents, their attitudes, values, and beliefs diverge in certain ethical decisions from the teachings of the Catholic Church. These traditional ideas presented by the Church are now being challenged by a more secular society. There has been a shift in the ethical perspectives of the laity, moving away from the traditional teachings of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, as seen specifically in the ethical issue of embryonic stem cell research. The divergent views of lay people are shaped by contemporary society and the various ethical theories that underpin the experiences of the Catholic faithful, including informed conscience and proportionality. To investigate this question, qualitative research was conducted in the form of interviews with lay people from the Roman Catholic Church, exploring their attitudes towards stem cell research and why they feel there is a difference between the ideas of the Church and those of the laity. As a result, an identifiable divergence was discerned. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The Church's teaching authority, the Magisterium, presents what is morally and ethically acceptable through the eyes of a Catholic lens. These ideas are derived from the Word of God and are explained by both Scripture and tradition. It forms the lived actions of the members. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (demonstrating the beliefs of Catholics) supports this by stating that "the task of authentically interpreting the Word of God has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church." However, controversy regarding the role of the Magisterium has become widespread, with the argument arising from the concept that there are limits to the nature of the teachings and determining certain ethical dilemmas with infallibility – the inability to err. We see adherents questioning the role of the Magisterium because of its myopic constitution. Only the pope and bishops are involved in the process, creating a population uniquely representative of older, single men committed to a celibate life. A Catholic secondary school teacher commented on this in an interview, stating: “In some ways the Magisterium is a dictatorship. Decisions are made for the people but not by the people.” The narrow demographic group that forms the Magisterium presents views that are not representative of all adherents, leading to differences of ideas. The ethical question of stem cell research has caused a variation of ideas between the Church and the laity. Stem cell science can be divided into two parts: adult cells (tissue-specific) and embryonic cells (pluripotent). For the purposes of this investigation, embryonic stem cells will be discussed. Stem Cell Australia defines pluripotent cells as “the most primitive type of stem cell”. They can be preserved indefinitely as self-renewing stem cells in the laboratory. This characteristic is important for research, but the process of reaching these cells is where a conflict of ideas occurs. It is important to note that the Church supports the evolution of science – seeing it as hope for those who need it. It is only when human life is violated through the destruction of an embryo, resulting in the loss of a person's dignity. Consequently, the Church accepts the notion of research on adult cells, because it does not destroynot human life. The Church considers the use of embryos immoral, as shown by encyclicals such as “Dignitas Personae” and “Evangelium Vitae,” as well as by prominent Catholic figures. Pope John Paul II said in the encyclical “Gospel of Life”: “The human body must be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception. More specifically, in "Evangelium Vitae", the importance of human life and dignity is shown to the extent that humans are a "manifestation of God in the world, a sign of his will." glory.” This idea is corroborated in "Dignitas Personae", which illustrates that the role of the Church is not to dictate what happens in the medical field, but to ensure that "the ethical value of biomedical science is measured by reference both to the unconditional respect due to him. to every human being at every moment of their existence and the defense of the specific character of the personal act which transmits life.” It is therefore clear that there is no legitimate way to obtain embryonic cells in the eyes of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. The Church's view identified a clear divergence of ideas between the Church and the laity, due to the ethical theories followed. Interviews were conducted to assess the extent to which the teachings of the Magisterium are adopted by the laity. Those interviewed were churchgoers, a teacher and doctoral candidate in philosophy, a neonatologist, and a Christian brother. Of those who attended Mass, five accepted the Church's teaching, an example shown by an Australian in his fifties. On the issue of research on embryonic stem cells, he explained how, in his opinion, “it goes against the dignity of the human person”. Five other participants at the mass disagreed with the Church's teachings, seeing stem cell research as "an important element for society." Develop as a community and promote human development. It is also important to note that four members expressed their dissent conditionally. Various reasons included that it should not be used for research purposes and that it was done ethically, as shown by another interviewee, a secondary school teacher, explaining: "that there should be prudent ethical guidelines and policies around the use of embryos.” The divergence in perspectives is explained by one Christian brother interviewed, representing the teachings of the Church, stating: "The laity are no longer 'blindly obedient' to the rules/teachings of the Church." Although their ideas are based on diverse contexts, these testimonies provide a deep understanding of why and how lay people follow their own ideas, moving away from the teachings of the Church. More and more followers follow their own conscience. Catholic moral theology highlights the notion of “primacy of conscience”. Interchangeable with "enlightened conscience", it shows that an adherent's conscience is the final and primary authority in deciding moral and ethical behavior, even if it contradicts the teachings of the Church. This idea is illustrated by the Christian brother interviewed, who shows that “the Church presents the ideal. But ultimately the individual is accountable to his God. He/she must follow his/her conscience. Corroboration is demonstrated by various encyclicals such as "Gaudium et Spes", which states: "It is their duty to cultivate a well-informed conscience and to imprint divine law in the affairs of the earthly city" and by Pope Francis , declaring "The contemporary world risks confusing the »..