In Search Of A Universal Ethic

The best contemporary English-language resource on pursuing a universal ethics In this volume twenty-three major scholars comment on and critically evaluate In Search of a Universal Ethic, the 2009 document written by the International Theological Commission (ITC) of the Catholic Church. That historic document represents an official Church contribution both to a more adequate understanding of a universal ethic and to Catholicism’s own tradition of reflection on natural law. The essays in this book reflect the ITC document’s complementary emphases of dialogue across traditions (universal ethic) and reflection on broadly applicable ethical guidance within the Christian tradition (natural law). Among other things, the document situates the natural law ethical tradition within the larger search for a universal ethic. Along with its insightful essays, Searching for a Universal Ethic offers — for the first time in published form — the Vatican’s official English translation of In Search of a Universal Ethic. Contributors: John Berkman Serge-Thomas Bonino, O.P. David Burrell, C.S.C. Lisa Sowle Cahill Joseph E. Capizzi David Cloutier Anver M. Emon Robert P. George Sherif Girgis Jennifer A. Herdt Russell Hittinger M. Cathleen Kaveny Anthony J. Kelly, C.Ss.R. Fergus Kerr, O.P. Steven A. Long William C. Mattison III Gilbert Meilaender Livio Melina Michael S. Northcott David Novak Jean Porter Martin Rhonheimer Tracey Rowland

This book investigates Albert Schweitzer’s research on China, which first emerged in the 1910s and ended in 1939/40. Schweitzer’s China research evolved alongside the development of his “Kulturphilosophie” research for over a quarter of a century. In “Part I: In Preparation,” this book will mainly focus on the historical background against which Schweitzer formulated his Reverence for Life and established his networks with the China experts. In “Part II: In Progress,” Schweitzer’s periodic research outcomes, which were presented in several of his publications and manuscripts, will be studied. Subsequently, in “Part III: In Completion,” Richard Wilhelm’s translation of the Yi Jing, which lay down the fundamental principles for Chinese thought, Schweitzer’s final manuscript from 1939/40 under the title Geschichte des indischen und chinesischen Denkens, and his final depiction of Chinese thought will be given special attention. The starting point for Schweitzer’s China research was his ideal ethical philosophy of Reverence for Life, which he formulated in the context of the decline of the Western civilization and was heavily shaped by his religious and philosophical convictions. Reverence for Life underscored humanistic concerns, and its ideals eventually became Schweitzer’s interpretative principles in his investigation of Chinese thought. Schweitzer was never a specialist in Chinese thought and Chinese civilization. Dependent on the research of European sinologists, his China research served to justify the necessity for Reverence for Life as well as of the methods for applying this new ethical philosophy. During his entire China research, Schweitzer made great efforts to critically interpret and transform the knowledge that had been conveyed by European sinologists such as Richard Wilhelm. Although in his final research Schweitzer had already seen great resemblance between classical Confucianism in China and his Reverence for Life, he did not ultimately manage to verify his assumptions. His final manuscript on Chinese thought from 1939/40 remained unpublished when he passed away in 1965.

Questions on universal ethics are of utmost importance for peaceful relations between nations, cultures and religions. Are there common values or are all morals just expressions for various political, economic or religious interests? In this book scholars from different academic fields and with various views discuss questions that in different ways concern both the possibilities and risks of universal or common ethics. The book is divided into five parts; philosophical and ethical perspectives, human rights perspectives, universal ethics and religion, globalization and global governance, universal ethics and Nordic values. Scholars from such fields as philosophy, ethics, human rights, history, political science, sociology and theology are represented. All of the authors are active researchers at Scandinavian universities. This collection of articles is directed to professionals in various disciplines, but can also serve as an introduction to the subject of universal ethics.

The International Theological Commission would like to contribute to the current debate over the search for a universal ethic, and fight the increasing separation between the ethical order, on one hand, and the economic, social, legal, and political order on the other hand. It is inspired by the natural law written by St. Thomas Aquinas and incorporates new elements to show that the natural law is not abolished, but rather is brought to its completion through the law of love.

In this timely and urgent work, Hans Kung reminds us: - Every minute, the nations of the world spend 1.8 million dollars on military armaments; - Every hour, 1500 children die of hunger-related causes; - Every week during the 1980s, more people were detained, tortured, assassinated, made refugee, or in other ways violated by acts of repressive regimes than at any other time in history; - Every month, the world's economic system adds over 7.5 billion dollars to the catastrophically unbearable debt burden of more than 1.5 trillion dollars now resting on the shoulders of Third World peoples; - Every year, an area of tropical forest three-quarters the size of Korea is destroyed and lost; - Every decade, if present global warming trends continue, the temperature of the earth's atmosphere could rise dramatically with a resultant rise in sea levels that would have disastrous consequences, particularly for coastal areas of all the earth's land masses. In 'Global Responsibility', the author offers important new approaches and concludes that: - There can be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions. - There can be no peace among the religions without dialogue between the religions. - There can be no ongoing human society without a global ethic.

This book investigates Albert Schweitzer's research on China, which first emerged in the 1910s and ended in 1939/40. Schweitzer's China research evolved alongside the development of his "Kulturphilosophie" research for over a quarter of a century. In "Part I: In Preparation," this book will mainly focus on the historical background against which Schweitzer formulated his Reverence for Life and established his networks with the China experts. In "Part II: In Progress," Schweitzer's periodic research outcomes, which were presented in several of his publications and manuscripts, will be studied. Subsequently, in "Part III: In Completion," Richard Wilhelm's translation of the Yi Jing, which lay down the fundamental principles for Chinese thought, Schweitzer's final manuscript from 1939/40 under the title Geschichte des indischen und chinesischen Denkens, and his final depiction of Chinese thought will be given special attention. The starting point for Schweitzer's China research was his ideal ethical philosophy of Reverence for Life, which he formulated in the context of the decline of the Western civilization and was heavily shaped by his religious and philosophical convictions. Reverence for Life underscored humanistic concerns, and its ideals eventually became Schweitzer's interpretative principles in his investigation of Chinese thought. Schweitzer was never a specialist in Chinese thought and Chinese civilization. Dependent on the research of European sinologists, his China research served to justify the necessity for Reverence for Life as well as of the methods for applying this new ethical philosophy. During his entire China research, Schweitzer made great efforts to critically interpret and transform the knowledge that had been conveyed by European sinologists such as Richard Wilhelm. Although in his final research Schweitzer had already seen great resemblance between classical Confucianism in China and his Reverence for Life, he did not ultimately manage to ve