Hans Kung - Towards a Global Ethics

EENI- School of International Business

Sub-subject: Hans Kung (Catholic, Global Ethics). Syllabus:

1. The Swiss Catholic Theologian Hans Kung
2. Hans Kung's proposal on the principles of a global ethic

Sample of the sub-subject: Hans Kung - Global Ethics

Description of the Sub-Subject: Hans Kung (Swiss Catholic Theologian)

1. The theologian and Catholic priest Hans Küng was born in 1928 in Switzerland
2. Since 1996, he is a Professor of Theology at the University of Tübingen
3. In 1962, he participated in the Second Vatican Council as an expert invited by Pope John XXIII.
4. In 1995, he created the “Global Ethic Foundation.”
5. His works on ethics and religion have meant that in 1979 the Vatican denied him “his authority to teach the Catholic theology” mainly because he doubted the dogma of the Papal Infallibility
6. In 2005, the Pope Benedict XVI received publicly recognising their work on religion and the search for a model of global ethics
7. The issue of the global ethics is derived from his book “Global Responsibility” (1990). This book develops the idea that the world's religions can contribute to the peace of humanity

“Only if they reflect on the elements of an ethic that already have in common: a fundamental consensus on binding values, irrevocable standards, and personal attitudes.” Hans Kung

Underlying the project of a global ethic is the fundamental conviction that:

“There will be no Peace among the nations without peace among the religions.
... Peace among the religions without dialogue among the religions
... The Dialogue between the religions without investigation of the foundations of the religions.” Hans Kung

The first important result of this research was the “Declaration Toward a Global Ethic,” which was endorsed by the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1993, where hundred years earlier had participated, Swami Vivekananda, the spiritual heir of Sri Ramakrishna.

With this Declaration, for the first time representatives of all religions (Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Zoroastrianism) reached an agreement on the principles for a global ethic and committed four irrevocable directives: commitment to a culture of

1. Non-Violence and respect for life
2. Solidarity and a just economic order
3. Tolerance and a life of truthfulness
4. Equal rights and partnership between men and women

The project on “Ethics, Religion, and Business” directed by Pedro Nonell has a different approach based on two principles (Harmony of Religions and Ahimsa - Non-Violence), but the goals are the same: The search for a model of global ethics.

Religions and global business: Christianity - Christians Spiritual Leaders