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Global Responsibility: In Search of a New World Ethic

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I rate this one star because despite its elevated language and intellectual pretensions, it is aimed at limiting freedom of religion.

The Assembly of Religious and Spiritual Leaders, eveloping a consensus "for how people should behave," endorsed an interfaith document titled Towards a Global Ethic, An Initial Declaration. This document, drafted by Catholic theologian Hans Kung (who has censured by the Vatican for heretical teachings), condemns the "abuses of Earth's ecosystems," poverty, and social injustices. It affirms interdependence, calling for "a common set of core values...found in the teachings of the religions." "The Ethic," if accepted, would represent "an irrevocable, unconditional norm for all areas of life, for families and communities, for races, nations, and religions."

In this book, "Global Responsibility: In Search of a New World Ethic" (1991), Mr. Kung makes clear that participation in this new "ethic" (religion) will NOT be optional. He states:

"Any form of... church conservatism is to be rejected... To put it bluntly: no regressive or repressive religion - whether Christian, Islamic, Jewish or of whatever provenance - has a long-term future... If ethics is to function for the wellbeing of all, it must be indivisible. The undivided world increasingly needs an undivided ethic. Post modern men and women need common values, goals, ideals, visions. But the great question in dispute is: does not all this presuppose a religious faith?... What we need is an ecumenical world order! "

The Global Ethic is emerging as a companion to The Earth Charter and is expected to be to religion what "The Charter" is to international politics. Together, these documents are destined to impact, if not shape, the future course of mankind. The World Core Curriculum is intended to accommodate both decrees by promoting their ideas and propaganda through public education.

God, of course, has already given us a set of "global ethics" as part of His created order. These commandments for living are clearly laid out in the Bible. (Exodus 20:1-17 and Mark 12:28-31) Unfortunately, as evidenced by the Parliament of World Religions, man would rather create his own set of rules catering to his personal wants and desires than submit to God's authority.

The United Nations and the World Counsel of Churches LIKE this book; --enough said.

Global Responsibility: In Search of a New World Ethic
We often blame religions for wars and dissent in the world. In this book, Hans Kung is recognizing both the new opportunities and potential dangers in this time of geopolitical change. Kung is a renowned expert on world-religions and their impact on society. His knowledge of the Abrahamic faith - Christianity, Judaism and Islam - is probably one of the most comprehensive. In this book, he calls for a minimum of shared ethical principles on which we should all agree, bringing believers and non-believers closer together.
With a billion Catholics in the world, a billion Protestants and a billion Muslims - not to speak of several million Jews - half of the planet claims to belong to one of these religions. Kung is inviting these representatives of the great religions to encourage reconciliation and peace. The world faiths must provide foundations for ethical values and norms which could be universally binding.
This book was published in the early nineties but its problematic remains very actual and current at a time when the United Nations are working on bringing religious leaders into their midst, to fight corruption and self-serving politics.
Our global responsibility is clear: inter-religious dialogue is absolutely necessary since there is no possible survival without a common world ethic.
Beyond democracy, we need to rediscover the common creteria for truth and to promote reconciliation worldwide.
This scholarly contribution will stimulate the social, business and political leaders of the world to accept the challenge of dialogue and peace.

This is one of the best ever books about the issue