Situationsanalyse und Zeitdiagnostik

Abstract

Abstract Since 1990 the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Germany (DBK) and the Evangelical Churches in Germany (EKD) - sometimes in cooperation with the »Council of Christian Churches in Germany« (ACK)- are constantly publishing so-called »joint Statements« (»Gemeinsame Texte«) concerning ethical issues. Statements are either concentrated on bioethical or on socialethical topics. It is clearly visible that documents discussing matters of bioethics refer to one basic argument when analysing present situations: »Life as gift and life endangered«, a thought first presented in the common 1989-document >>Gott ist ein Freund des Lebens. Herausforderungen und Aufgaben beim Schutz des Lebens« ( God- a friend of life. Challenges and tasks of life protection). In comparison common statements concerning matters of social ethics however do not show a criterion of a precisely similar kind. This is due to the wide range of subjects in discussion creating a wide range ofhighly differentiated descriptions analysing today's situation in question. Both types of Statements however fundamentally underline the Christian view of person as essential to ethical argument. Differentiation in analysis of present-day social situation Ieads to differentiation of ethical instruments. In consequence some suggestions are to be considered: clarification of who precisely is the addressee of future joint statements, clarification of how to use and create possibilities of mass media-communication, clarification of clearly Christian intentions within the realms in discussion.