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A New Global
Ethics
By
Hans Kung
Director of Tübingen University, Institute of Ecumenical Studies, Germany
http://kvc.minbuza.nl/kvcframe.html?/themas.html (Click
on “discussion,” then “panel discussion” in column on the
right, then “speakers,” then “Hans Kung” on the left.
Notice that the common ideology below
is social and spiritual
solidarity. Beliefs that clash with their model of
universal oneness would be considered
exclusive and extremist. In other words, Biblical Christianity
would be banned for the sake of "common good." As Jesus warned
us, "If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you... for they
do not know the One who sent me."
In contrast to the unbiblical ideals
below, please see
God's eternal,
unchanging Word
Challenges and
Responses
1.
We live in a world and time, in which we observe new dangerous
tensions and polarisations between believers and non-believers,
religious people and agnostics, secularists, between clericals
and anti-clericals – not only in Russia, and Europe, but also in
Africa, in North-America, and in Asia.
To this challenge I respond:
There can be no survival of humanity without a coalition of
believers and non-believers in mutual respect!
But many people tell me: Are we
not living in a period of a new cultural confrontation? Indeed:
2.
We live in a world and time, where humanity is menaced by a
'clash of civilizations', e.g. between the Muslim civilization
and the Western civilization. We are threatened not so much by a
new world war, but by all sorts of conflicts...
To this challenge I respond:
There will be no peace among the civilizations without peace
among the religions!
But many people will ask: Is it
not precisely the religions that often support and inspire
hatred, enmity and war? Indeed:
3.
We live in a world and time, in which peace in many countries is
menaced by all sorts of religious fundamentalism, Christian,
Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, often simply rooted in social
misery, in reaction to Western secularism....
To this challenge I respond:
There will be no peace among the religions without dialogue
between the religions!
But many people will object: Are
there not so many dogmatic differences and obstacles between the
different faiths, which make real dialogue a naive illusion?
Indeed:
4.
We live in a world and time, in which better relations between
religions are blocked by all sort of
dogmatisms which exist not
only in the Roman Catholic Church, but in all churches,
religions and ideologies.
To this challenge I respond:
There will be no new world order without a world ethic, a global
ethic despite dogmatic differences.
New World Order and
World Ethic
1.
In negative terms: A better
world order will not be introduced on the basis.... simply of
humanitarian help which cannot replace political actions and
solutions....
2.
In positive terms: A better world order will ultimately only be
created on the basis of
·
common visions,
ideals, values, aims and criteria;
·
heightened global
responsibility on the part of peoples and their leaders;
·
a new binding and
uniting ethic for all humankind, including states and those in
power, which embraces cultures and religions. No new world order
without a new world ethic, a global ethic.
3.
What is the function of such a global ethic? ...
Global ethic is nothing less
than the necessary minimum of common values, standards and basic
attitudes. In other words: ... a minimal basis
consensus relating to binding values, irrevocable standards and
moral attitudes, which can be affirmed by all religions despite
their 'dogmatic' differences
...
But is that not pure utopia? No,
one of the most astonishing and at the same time most welcome
phenomena of the last decade of the twentieth century is the
almost explosive spread of the notion of a world ethic, not only
in theology, philosophy and education, but also in world
politics and the world economy. Let us take a look at the most
important developments.
World politics
discovers the global ethic
When I published the book
Projekt Weltethos (Global Responsibility. In Search of
a New World Ethic) in 1990, there were hardly any documents
on a global ethic from world organizations to which I could
refer. Of course there were declarations on human rights, above
all the 1948 Declaration of the United Nations, but there were
no declarations on human responsibilities. However, now, six
years later, I can refer to three important international
documents which not only acknowledge human rights, but also
speak explicitly of human responsibilities...
(a) The
international Commission on Global Governance (1995)
The report of the
Commission on
Global Governance is entitled
Our Global Neighbourhood. The
phenomenon of globalization forms the starting point for this
four-hundred-page analysis....
....there is an
explicit call for 'these values to be expressed in the form of a
global civic ethic with specific rights and
responsibilities', in which 'all citizens,
as individuals and as members of different private groups and
associations, should accept the obligation to recognize and
help protect the rights of others'. This ethic should be
incorporated into the developing 'fabric of international
norms.'...
The international commission
expresses the hope that 'over time, these
principles could be embodied in a more binding international
document – a global charter of Civil Society – that could
provide a basis for all to agree on rules that should govern the
global neighbourhood'.
(b)
The World
Commission on Culture and Development (1995)
"The major report by the World
Commission on Culture and Development which was published in
collaboration with the UN and UNESCO under the title
Our Creative
Diversity is of equal importance.14 Here a 'commitment
to pluralism' is presupposed, but this statement is preceded by
a chapter which stresses what is held in common rather than the
differences: 'A New Global Ethics', an ethic of humankind, a
world ethic.
"But why do we need a global
ethic? Because collaboration between people of different
cultures and interests could be made easier and their conflicts
diminished and limited if all peoples and groups saw themselves
'bound and motivated' by 'shared commitments'. So it is
'imperative to look for a core of shared ethical values and
principles'.
"But what could the sources of
such a global ethic be? The formulation of a global ethic must
be inspired by the cultural resources, the insights, emotional
experiences,
historical memories
[See also The
Memory of the World] and
spiritual orientations of
peoples. Despite all the differences between cultures there are
some themes which appear in almost all cultural traditions and
which could serve as the inspiration for a global ethic. The
first of these sources are the great cultural traditions,
especially 'the idea of human vulnerability and the attendant
ethical impulse to alleviate suffering where such is possible
and to provide security to each individual'. Now this is more
a Buddhist formulation [That only
applies to Western adaptation of Eastern Buddhism, which
demonstrated both cruelty and gross immorality]....
And here too at the same time
reference is made above all to the Golden Rule, which has found
expression in the traditions of Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism,
Buddhism and Zoroastrianism, Judaism,
Christianity and
Islam,
and is also implicit in the practices of other faiths, thus
pointing to the equal moral worth of all human beings....
"....human rights are perceived very differently in some non-Western
societies. In southern Asia, for example, some human rights
activists have had to recognize:
-
that many rights would be
regarded only in the context of religion, the family or other
institutions;
-
that people would always talk
about their responsibilities before the question of their human
rights...
The core of a
global ethic
The statement by the InterAction
Council, which consists of former Presidents and Prime Ministers
(Helmut Schmidt of Germany, Pierre Trudeau of Canada, Miguel de
la Madrid of Mexico and others), was approved in Vancouver on 22
May 1996 under the title 'In Search of Global Ethical
Standards'. It openly addresses the negative role which the
religions have often played, and still play, in the world: 'The
world is also afflicted by religious extremism and violence
preached and practised in the name of religion.'17 But the
positive role of the religions is also noted.... .'20
The world's religions have different doctrines but they all
advocate a common ethic of basic standards. What unites the
world's faiths is far greater than what divides them.'
....the Parliament of
the World's Religions, which met in Chicago in 1993, proclaimed
a Declaration toward a Global Ethic which we support in
principle.'24...
...a global ethic is no substitute for the
Torah, the Gospels, the Qur'an, the Bhagavadgita, the Discourses
of the Buddha or the Teachings of Confucius and others. A global
ethic can only create the necessary minimum of common values,
standards and basic attitudes..... The alliance of
believers and non-believers (at the same time also that of
theologians, philosophers, and scholars in the fields of
religion and social science) in the matter of ethics is
important....
The 'Declaration toward a Global
Ethic'... simply aims to make known what religions in West and East,
North and South already hold in common, but is so often obscured
by numerous 'dogmatic' disputes and intolerable self-opinionatedness.
In short, this Declaration seeks to emphasize the minimal ethic
which is absolutely necessary for human survival. It is not
directed against anyone, but invites all, believers and also
non-believers, to adopt this ethic and live in accordance with
it. In the words of the Declaration:... we have
learned
·
that a better
global order cannot be created or enforced by laws,
prescriptions, and conventions alone;
·
that the
realization of peace, justice, and the protection of earth
depends on the insight and readiness of men and women to act
justly;
·
that action in
favour of rights and freedoms presumes a consciousness of
responsibility and duty, and that therefore both the minds and
hearts of women and men must be addressed;
·
that rights
without morality cannot long endure, and that there will be no
better global order without a global ethic.' ...
'We are convinced of the
fundamental unity of the human family on Earth. We recall the
1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
of the United
Nations. What it formally proclaimed on the level of rights we
wish to confirm and deepen here from the perspective of an ethic....
We appeal to all the inhabitants
of this planet. Earth cannot be changed for the better unless
the consciousness of individuals is changed. We pledge to
work for such transformation in individual and collective
consciousness, for the awakening of our spiritual powers through
reflection, meditation, prayer, or positive thinking, for a
conversion of the heart. Together we can move mountains!
See also
The U.N. Plan For
Global Control: The Habitat II Agenda
Brave New Schools
| Reinventing the
World |
The Global Compact
Universal Forums of
Culture | Don't Be
Deceived!
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