Sociological Self-Knowledge, Critical Realism, and Christian Ethics

2020 ◽  
pp. 095394682098407
Author(s):  
David Cloutier
Keyword(s):  
Critical Realism ◽  
Social Ethics ◽  
Christian Ethics ◽  
Alasdair Macintyre ◽  
Historical Narrative ◽  
Narrative Approach ◽  
Christian Social Ethics ◽  
Critical Realist ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Self Knowledge

In his 2016 book, Ethics in the Conflicts of Modernity, Alasdair MacIntyre spends considerable time discussing how disputes between different moral theorists and different forms of practice might be adjudicated. A crucial addition to the tradition-constituted historical narrative approach of Whose Justice? Which Rationality? is his introduction of what he calls ‘sociological self-knowledge’. The present article outlines what MacIntyre means by this and suggests that his approach here dovetails well with Christian ethicists who have advocated the use of critical realist sociology in Christian ethics. MacIntyre’s account stresses the importance of ‘a grasp of the nature of the roles and relationships in which one is involved’, a grasp helpfully conceptualized by critical realists. Daniel Finn also notes that the use of critical realism to analyze structures must be paired with a basic typology, and MacIntyre’s sociological self-knowledge, I argue, rests on precisely such a typology between two different types of moral practices. The article concludes by suggesting much more attention be paid to these ‘moral-social’ analyses when addressing apparently intractable disagreements in Christian social ethics.

The Contribution of John Howard Yoder to Recent Discussions in Christian Social Ethics

1992 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-399
Author(s):  
Joel Zimbelman
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Social Ethics ◽  
Christian Ethics ◽  
Christian Community ◽  
John Howard Yoder ◽  
Christian Social Ethics ◽  
The North ◽  
Interpretive Method ◽  
John Howard ◽  
Theological Vision

The publication ofThe Politics of Jesusin 1972 established John Howard Voder as the most intellectually compelling, critical, and constructive Mennonite theologian of this generation. In that volume, Voder articulated an interpretive method and a substantive doctrinal position that affirmed his sectarian and ‘restoration’ theological vision but at the same time gained him a serious hearing in several corners of the North American Christian community. His recent tenure as President of the Society of Christian Ethics and appointment in the Department of Theology at Notre Dame University are only two examples of his standing among ecumenically-minded Christians.

scholarly journals Den kristna etikens dubbla utmaning

2021 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Åsberg
Keyword(s):  
Natural Law ◽  
Social Ethics ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Christian Ethics ◽  
Common Life ◽  
Christian Social Ethics ◽  
The Trinity

Christian social ethics has long endured a polarizing debate between a universal ethics based in creation, often framed in terms of reason or natural law, and an ecclesial ethics based in revelation. With no satisfactory conclusion to the debate in sight, and adding to it an exceedingly complex cultural situation in which to navigate, many seek to find new ways of framing the alternatives. The "twin challenge" of Christian social ethics in a pluralistic and post-secular setting is here identified as articulating a social ethics that acknowledges the tensions between the specificities of the Gospel and culture while simultaneously providing a framework and resources for building a common life across confessional borders. One way of addressing this challenge is to ground ethics in the Trinity. While creational ethics generally emphasize the first article of the creed, an ecclesial ethics tend to focus on the latter two. Grounding Christian ethics in the Trinity is an attempt at a holistic approach, tending to both particular and universal concerns. One such effort is found in Carl-Henric Grenholm's attempt at articulating a contemporary Lutheran social ethics grounded in a trinitarian framework. By way of identifying a number of tensions within Grenholm's proposal, this article offers some pointers on the requirements of a trinitarian ethics in a pluralistic and post-secular context. It argues for a more complex construal of secularity and the need for a robust Christology and eschatology to provide a critical lens on culture. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of on-going, complex negotiations beyond secular matrices and communities of virtuous actors capable of performing them.

scholarly journals In search of an appropriate contemporary approach in Christian ethics: Max Weber’s ethic of responsibility as resource

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Etienne De Villiers
Keyword(s):  
Social Ethics ◽  
Christian Ethics ◽  
The Core ◽  
Christian Social Ethics ◽  
Contemporary Approach

The article addresses the question: ‘To what extent can Max Weber’s ethic of responsibility be a helpful resource in the search of Christian Social Ethics for an appropriate contemporary approach’? This question is addressed by, first of all, providing a summary of Weber’s famous speech Politics as a Vocation in which he developed his view on the ethic of responsibility; secondly, providing an interpretation of his view; and, thirdly, critically discussing the extent to which this ethic can serve as a resource for Christian Social Ethics in its search for an appropriate contemporary approach. The conclusion is that although some aspects of Weber’s view on the ethic of responsibility are unacceptable to Christian Social Ethics, the core of it is commendable. Some of the implications of incorporating an ethic of responsibility approach in Christian Social Ethics are also briefly discussed.

Elements of a Decision Procedure for Christian Social Ethics

1972 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 509-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles H. Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Theory ◽  
Decision Procedure ◽  
Social Ethics ◽  
Christian Ethics ◽  
Ideal Observer ◽  
Moral Judgments ◽  
Christian Social Ethics ◽  
The Way

Several philosophers have observed an affinity between a role that an understanding of God has in Christian ethics and a role of an ideal observer in their own ethical theory. R. M. Hare has even gone so far as to assert that, “Since for many Christians God occupies the role of ‘ideal observer,’ the moral judgments which they make may be expected to coincide with those arrived at by the method of reasoning which I am advocating.” Now, Hare is correct in observing that God and an ideal observer have certain characteristics in common. But God is not simply an ideal observer. And some of the differences between God and an ideal observer may be as important as the similarities for the way in which Christians make moral judgments. It is therefore somewhat hasty of Hare to assume that his method of reasoning is identical to the method of reasoning appropriate in Christian ethics.

The Privatization of Good: An Inaugural Lecture

1990 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 344-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alasdair MacIntyre
Keyword(s):  
Continuing Education ◽  
Associate Professor ◽  
Christian Ethics ◽  
Alasdair Macintyre ◽  
Inaugural Address ◽  
Inaugural Lecture ◽  
University Of Notre Dame ◽  
The University

Alasdair MacIntyre was installed in 1989 as the first occupant of the McMahon/Hank Chair in Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. On April 18, 1990, he delivered his inaugural lecture, “The Privatization of Good,” before a large and appreciative audience in Notre Dame's Center for Continuing Education. He invited three Notre Dame colleagues to comment on his presentation: Donald P. Kommers, Professor of Law and Government, and Editor of The Review of Politics; William David Solomon, Associate Professor of Philosophy; and Richard McCormick, S.J., John A. O'Brien Professor of Christian Ethics. The following pages include the inaugural address, the remarks of two of the three commentators, and Professor Maclntyre's response. The editors wish to thank Professor MacIntyre for his cooperation in publishing his inaugural address.

THE BYZANTINE-ISLAMIC CONFLICT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN, ACCORDING TO PICARD'S OPINION IN HIS BOOK, THE SEA OF THE CALIPHS

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 234-243
Author(s):  
Om Alhana Muhammad Nasr MOHAMMED ◽  
Mabrouka Muhammad Al Ghanay HUSSEIN
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Basin ◽  
White Sea ◽  
Historical Narrative ◽  
Narrative Approach ◽  
The White Sea ◽  
The West ◽  
Comparison And Analysis ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Mediterranean Basin

Throughout the ages, the Mediterranean was considered a Roman lake, and historians and travelers have always considered it as such, and its name changed for them. Some of them called it the Roman Sea, while others called it the White Sea, and no one would have imagined that this Roman lake that Roman ships sailed in, and after that it was inherited by the Byzantines. It will become an Islamic lake, including Henry Perrin of England, followed by Christophe Picard, author of the book Bahr al-Khulafa '. The importance of this research lies in introducing the author of the book, Bahr al-Khulafa ', and highlighting the underlying reason for adhering to the theory that the Mediterranean is a Roman Sea, while the objectives of the research come to reveal the invalidity of the theory that historians adhere to the West, which says that trade in the Mediterranean will collapse with the entry of Muslims into it. The most prominent results of the research were the finding that Picard is only one of the Orientalists, who despite his presence in the countries of the East and his calls that he is an Arabist, not an Orientalist, was unable to deny the accusation of Muslims of piracy in the Mediterranean. The two researchers adopted the historical narrative approach with comparison and analysis whenever the need arises

scholarly journals Converting Consumerism: A Liturgical-Ethical Application of Critical Realism

Religions ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 338
Author(s):  
Benjamin Durheim
Keyword(s):  
Critical Realism ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Sacramental Theology ◽  
Liturgical Theology ◽  
Conceptual Frameworks ◽  
Christian Conversion ◽  
Critical Realist ◽  
Concrete Application

Critical realism as a lens of thought is not new to theological inquiry, but recently a growing number of theologians have been using its conceptual frameworks to guide their thought on how social structures function theologically, and how ethics might function in light of its insights. This article pulls these developments into the nexus of liturgy and ethics, applying critical realist categories to contemporary understandings of how liturgical celebration (and the structures thereof) form, inform, and/or malform Christian ethical imaginations and practices. The article begins with a brief survey of the main tenets of critical realism and their histories in theological inquiry, and argues that a main gift critical realism can offer liturgical and sacramental theology is a structural understanding of liturgical narrative- and value-building. Having described this gift, the article moves to a concrete application of this method in liturgical theology and its implications for ethics: addressing consumerism as a culture that can be both validated and challenged by liturgical and sacramental structures. The article ends with some brief suggestions for using and shifting liturgical structures to better facilitate the Christian conversion of consumerism.

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