The Importance of Theology, Especially Theological Ethics, within Higher Education in the Field of Social Work Study

Jindřich Šrajer

doi:10.32725/cetv.2018.012

Abstract

PĹedloĹženĂŠ pojednĂĄnĂ reflektuje vĂ˝znam studia teologie, a zvlĂĄĹĄtÄ teologickĂŠ etiky, v rĂĄmci vysokoĹĄkolskĂŠho vzdÄlĂĄvĂĄnĂ v oblasti sociĂĄlnĂ prĂĄce. ÄlĂĄnek objasĹuje podstatu teologie a teologickĂŠ etiky v jejich substancionalitÄ a promÄnĂĄch. Akcentuje pĹedevĹĄĂm pokoncilnĂ podobu tÄchto vÄd, zvlĂĄĹĄtÄ teologickĂŠ etiky a v nĂ obsaĹženĂŠ dĹŻrazy, ke kterĂ˝m patĹĂ dĹŻraz na osobnĂ odpovÄdnost, podmiĹovanou schopnostĂ etickĂŠho rozliĹĄovĂĄnĂ a rozhodovĂĄnĂ, tedy osvojenĂm si ctnosti moudrosti Äi prozĹetelnosti. PrĂĄvÄ v tÄchto dĹŻrazech lze pĹitom krom jinĂ˝ch pĹĂnosĹŻ (napĹ. komplexnĂho pohledu na realitu) spatĹovat aktuĂĄlnĂ vĂ˝znam studia teologie, resp. teologickĂŠ etiky, pro vysokoĹĄkolskĂŠ vzdÄlĂĄvĂĄnĂ v oblasti sociĂĄlnĂ prĂĄce a pro kvalitu jejĂ praxe.

Highlights

Looking at the minimum standards of social work studies compiled by the Association of Educators in Social Work, we find that their integral part is philosophy and ethics – they are even mentioned in the first place – but there is no mention of theology, respectively of theological ethics
In the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports documents, we find only a note stating that in the 1990s when the study of social work was newly conceived in the Czech environment, those studies were done in the form of so-called supplementary studies to the basic programme of the universities
It is possible to offer a brief answer to the question solved here about the importance of theology, especially theological ethics within the university study of social work and, its practice, and respectively its justification

Summary

The Absence or Weakening of Individual Ethical Motivation

The fundamental question of theological ethics in its post-conciliar form (which reflects the newly discovered responsive structure of the biblical ethos) is the question of the importance and level of individual ethical motivations, of their stimulation. That is why practical reason has always been placed in a great interrelation of the experience and verification of complex ethical-religious visions.[10] The decisive role in this ‘experiment’ is (according to Ratzinger) attributed to Christian faith, respectively to its moral vision, which is nothing Christian, but ‘a synthesis of the great intuition of mankind’,11 and as such does not represent a restriction or paralysis of reason, but its full development In its essence, it represents the guardian of moral duty, which is the very content of human dignity and human freedom.[12] In principle, the abovementioned considerations indirectly go back to the question of the justness of studying the relationship of reason and faith, that is, theology or even social work within university studies. Even if we give to Christian theology the necessary exclusivity at this level, this does not exclude the constant requirement for the deepening and purification of its knowledge, respectively there being a duty ‘which is natural to it and values shaping the mind of man which need to be newly formulated and justified’.13

The Nature of Theology

The Nature of Theological Ethics and its Importance in Social Work

Conclusion