Towards a Global Ethic: An Initial Declaration

The Global Ethic is the formulation of a basic inventory of ethical standards, the share of world religions and the major historical and cultural spaces.

The Global Ethic Project is an attempt to describe the similarities of world religions and a common ethos, set up a tight set of rules from the basic requirements, which can be accepted by all. The initiator of the project is the theologian Hans Küng.

Core beliefs

The core beliefs of the Global Ethic project are

• Not living together on our globe without a global ethic
• No peace among the nations without peace among the religions
• No peace among the religions without dialogue among religions
• No dialogue between religions and cultures without basic research
• No global ethos without change in consciousness of religious and non - religious

" This one world needs an ethos; this one world society does not need a single religion and unity ideology, but several connective and norms, values ​​, ideals and goals. "

Golden Rule

An important example of the similarities in the religions but also non-religious views is the principle of the Golden Rule. All religions and cultures this principle of reciprocity. Formulated in the form of a German proverb reads it: What you do not want them do to you ', the SOG ' not do to others. The Global Ethic Project leads to the following examples for individual world religions:

• Hinduism: One should not behave in a way which is disagreeable to oneself compared to others; that is the essence of morality. - Mahabharata 13,113,8 sa
• Buddhism: A state that is not pleasing or delightful to me must also not be for him; and a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that on another? - Samyutta Nikaya ( speeches of Buddha) V, 353.35-354.2
• Judaism: Do not do to others what you do not want that to do to you. - Rabbi Hillel Sabbath 3a
• Christianity: Everything what you want that you people do so does your you as well. - New Testament, Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31 and love your neighbor as yourself, Leviticus 19:18 AT, Luke 10:27, Matthew 19:19, Matthew 22, 39, Romans 13.9, Galatians 5:14.
• Islam: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. - An- Nawawi, Kitab Al- Arba'in ( Forty Hadith ), 13th verse 256 There is no compulsion in religion: " In religion there is no compulsion. "

Declaration Toward a Global Ethic

From August 28 to September 4, 1993 representatives met in Chicago many different religions World Parliament of Religions, to compile a set of rules that would justify the human rights declaration of 1948 ethical. There 6,500 people participated from 125 religions and religious traditions. They agreed in the Declaration Toward a Global Ethic to four instructions ( Thou shalt not kill, steal, lie and fornicate ), which were formulated in the guidelines:

• Commitment to a culture of non-violence and respect for life,
• Commitment to a culture of solidarity and a just economic order,
• Commitment to a culture of tolerance and a life of truthfulness,
• Commitment to a culture of equal rights and partnership between men and women.

The basic requirement is: Every human being must be treated humanely! Furthermore, the common feature applies the Golden Rule. as " irrevocable, unconditional norm for all areas of life ."

In Judaism, these demands are for example derived from the 10 commandments; also in Christianity, where Jesus' interpretation of these bids shall prevail in the Sermon on the Mount.

Foundation

The project is operated by the Global Ethic Foundation, based in Tübingen. Founded as the foundation of the Baden-Baden entrepreneur Karl Konrad von der Groeben, the attention was drawn to the subject by the book Global Ethic Project 1995. He made a considerable sum available. From the interest the more work can be funded in the long term. First president of the foundation was Hans Küng. In March 2013 ( to Kung's 85th birthday ) took over the President of the Constitutional Court of the State of Baden -Wuerttemberg, Eberhard Stilz this position. The first former German President Horst Köhler said provided from.

Tasks of the Foundation:

• Implementation and promotion of inter- cultural and inter- religious research
• Initiate and implement intercultural and inter -religious education
• Facilitate and support necessary for research and educational work intercultural and interreligious encounter

The objectives of the Global Ethic, the implementation of human rights, freedom of the people from oppression, freedom as such, elimination of world hunger, the implementation of an equitable economic order, solidarity between people, sustainability for the protection of the ecosystem and peace on earth. This will be achieved through dialogue between religions and the change in consciousness of everyone.

Since 1996 is also available in Switzerland, a Global Ethic Foundation, funded by Martita Jöhr tube ( 1912-2008 ), widow of Walter Adolf Jöhr. Also in Austria, the Czech Republic, Colombia, Mexico and Brazil emerged global ethic foundations or similar structures.

Criticism and reception

At the Global Ethic Project is criticism that the foundations for this common ethos very Western ways of thinking entsprängen and thus the contents of other religions not recognized enough. Another criticism is that the religions against the Global Ethic lose importance and thus the knowledge of centuries and traditions might be forgotten. Finally, the Global Ethic Project applies the ( great ) religions of the world and takes into account people who are remotely religious or not religious, only in passing. In contrast, use a variety of projects, such as the project Ethify Yourself.

As one of the sharpest critics of the Global Ethic project, the philosopher Robert Spaemann did forth.

From the perspective of an evolutionary new, scientific- rational religion founded concept formulated Siegfried Pflegerl a stimulating constructive criticism.

The idea of a global ethic understands the legal philosopher Axel Montenbruck already as part of a Western- secular civil religion of the constitutions and conventions; at the same time he embeds the idea of a global ethic in the idea of a universal justice naturalism, in the sense of rational swarm behavior.