Christian Ethics Research Articles

Moral Imagination and the Future of Ethics

The 2023 theme for the Society of Christian Ethics invites us to consider what fuels our collective imagination in the United States today, its impact, and implications for the future of the field of ethics. American exceptionalism, racial anxieties and fear help feed influential myths that prevent the nation from “making real the promises of democracy,” much less approaching the Beloved Community (King). Whereas ethics often focuses upon critique, its scholars and practitioners are also invited to undertake the work of repair, which entails attention to affect, art, and activism—particularly given the malformation of moral imagination. Such shifts have implications for pedagogy and the framing and terrain of the field of Christian ethics, as well.

“CHRISTISM”—A New Theory for Christian Ethics against Legalism, Antinomianism, and Situationism

“CHRISTISM”—A New Theory for Christian Ethics against Legalism, Antinomianism, and Situationism

Biblical Foundations for Business Ethics

The article explores biblical sources of ethics principles of business. It demonstrates that in the contemporary pluralistic world, principles of biblical business ethics can be valuable in the communication and interaction among representatives of different countries and cultures, as they encompass fundamental foundations for building business relationships. Due to the influence of Christian morality on the culture of many nations, biblical values have the potential to significantly impact individuals and their economic behavior, contributing to the dissemination of important economic categories in society. The study reveals that important anthropological foundations for fruitful economic relations have been formed within the framework of biblical theocentrism, including considerations of human dignity, honesty, diligence, responsibility, and charity. The biblical perspective on property as a temporary stewardship has significant implications for awareness and education about responsibility not only towards other people but also towards the environment, holding crucial relevance in the context of corporate social responsibility in the modern world.

Islamism and Jihad: The Problem With Western Taxonomies

Explaining the confusing classification of 'political Islam' as Islamism/Jihad, I argue that this classification is epistemologically grounded in 1) Christian morality, 2) political secularism, and 3) modern ideologism. I contrast this epistemology to an Islamic-friendly epistemology, framed by a specific theory of meaning, a priority of historical cases over abstract principles in determining the correct action, and a priority of the apparent action in deciding its rule legally over any internal intention or implied subjectivity. Following this discussion, I propose and introduce four legal concepts that traditionally articulate Muslims’ political protest: 1) jihad, 2) khurūj, 3) qitāl al-fitnah, and 4) naṣīḥah. Contrasting this legal classification against the conventional Islamism/Jihad classification, I explain the advantages of using Islamic-friendly concepts to understand and frame Muslims’ political protest. I also explain that these four concepts are essentially neither good nor evil, neither true nor false. They are rooted neither in ideology nor in morality. They are legal concepts where each one of them can be ruled, depending on a specific historical situation, as wājib, mustaḥab, mubāḥ, makrūh, or ḥarām.

Jak kochać Polskę w „świecie nieładu”? Pedagogika narodowa zmartwychwstańców oraz ich kręgu

The article presents an overview of the analysis of the principles of national pedagogy formulated by members of the Congregation of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the circle of people close to it (“external brothers”). The pedagogy was based on the conviction that since the Partitions, the Polish territories have been the site of “moral and spiritual battle” (Walerian Kalin¬ka). The captivity of the partition period was not only a political enslavement, but also carried se¬rious dangers for the Poles to preserve their national identity based on the Christian cultural code. The partitions – as claimed by the Resurrectionists and the “external brothers” – were a revolution of their own, but also encouraged the emergence of a revolutionary situation in the lands of divided Poland, either through the simplified reception of “Western-revolutionary currents” (Hieronim Kajsiewicz), or by revolutionizing Polish society through the destruction of its organic social ties. As a basic remedy for such a state of affairs, the Resurrectionists and “external brothers” indicated that the Poles needed to preserve the Catholic faith and the morality that flows from it. This is a ba¬sic condition for the Polish nation to maintain its prospects for political revival. This, in turn, also requires “forethought patriotism” and nurturing “organic works” ( Jan Koźmian). According to the author of the article, the national pedagogy formulated that way, indicating life in accordance with the Christian faith and morality as a basic condition for the Polish nation to regain its freedom, was taken up and developed by the great teaching and pastoral programs of the Blessed Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński and St. John Paul II.

The religious origins of state capacity in Europe and China

As conduits for the transmission of cultural values, networks of religion and state originating in premodern Europe and China contributed to the institutional roots of their respective development and continue to forge different economic trajectories. In Europe, a universalistic religious doctrine, ideologically and institutionally distinct from the state, led to important underlying differences in market structures and informal constraints. Legal protocols and innovations in social governance emerged whose origins lay in Church doctrine and Christian ethics. In China, Confucian teaching and an examination-based recruitment of officials strengthened centralized authority; but without a systemwide transmission of unifying prosocial bonds and values as a foundation for contract law, this cheap system of social control left the state encumbered with fiscally anemic finances. These differences preceded the Great Divergence and persisted long after it to produce in Europe greater civic and fiscal capacity, and in the end more state building.

Ethno-Apophasis: An Ethnographic Theology of Thinness and Refusal

Abstract The critical onboarding of ethnography evinced by scholars in theology, religious studies and Christian ethics compellingly generates ecclesiologies and other theologies inclusive of non-academic life. Yet, in a critical reflection on methodologies in ecclesiological research, this paper questions the growing predominance of ethnography, specifically ethnographic thickness. Drawing upon the work of anthropologist Audra Simpson, this paper argues that the ethnographic turn in religious ethics and theology and religious studies misses (at best) or ignores (at worst) the epistemological violence lurking at the root of this method. By looking into practices of ethnographic thinness and refusal, this paper highlights apophasis as the best theological grounding for scholars engaging with ethnography. Ethnographic apophasis requires practitioners to heed the colonial and settler colonial realities inherent in the method of ethnography itself; ethically pushing notions of solidarity into anticolonial practice.

HISTORICAL RETROSPECTIVE OF THE FORMATION OF ETHICS CULTURE IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION

The article explores the historical path of forming a culture of integrity within the legal profession. The national revival of our state sets the task of restoring historical roots, studying the formation of high moral values among officials and representatives of the legal profession to ensure justice and legality in society. It is proven that the characteristics of contemporary understanding of integrity differ from those that existed in historical epochs of other countries and societies. In ancient times, the integrity of officials was characterized by traits such as obedience, dedication, patriotism, and submission to authority. In the Middle Ages and during the formation of Christian ethics, mandatory virtues for officials were established, including loyalty to the monarch, strict adherence to commandments, readiness to defend the kingdom, and other qualities such as compassion, dignity, respect for others, love for one's neighbor, and adherence to Christian principles. In modern times, new values were formed, including rationality, individualism, and freedom of thought. The historical development of the Ukrainian state made it possible to reveal the influence of the moral norms of the Ukrainian people on the formation of a culture of integrity. Special attention is paid to the monument of the Kyivan Rus, "Povchannya" by Volodymyr Monomakh, which emphasizes the importance of adhering to the law and the principles of justice and mercy. Furthermore, it is noted that a prince should be just and merciful and should demand this from his subordinates. The ethics and military virtues of Ukrainian Cossacks are explored, which influenced the moral norms of the Ukrainian people and included loyalty to Ukraine, the Christian faith, and brotherly values that remain relevant in modern society. In conclusion, the culture of integrity in contemporary legal profession contributes to maintaining clients' trust, making fair and objective decisions, preventing corruption and abuse of power, and, most importantly, establishing society's trust in constitutionalism, justice, human rights protection, and the functioning of the legal system as a whole.

‘Ethics Of Values’ and Its Significance in Society: A Christian Perspective

The ethics of values is a specialized area of meta-ethics that emphasizes the concept of good in society. It is often contrasted with the ethics of duty, and it is an area that has been neglected in recent times due to a poor index of awareness and application. This underscores the significance of this work. Values are central to human lives and civilization. Consequently, the question: “What values should I seek or apply to a situation?” is more relevant than “What is it that is right for me to do?” in contemporary society. The researcher was motivated by these differences and also the need to place the ethics of values in its proper perspective. Therefore, the paper roots its thesis on the works of Hartmann, Perry, and Peschke including the ethical insights from John Paul II. The study approaches the subject from its theories, nature, types, and significance in society. The paper is based on Christian ethics, and it also applies phenomenology to analyze and discuss the subject. The analysis reveals that some persons are more interested in the rationalization of duty than the actual application of ethics and values to society. The latter, unarguably, is germane to fostering societal moral rectitude.

Examples of conceptualisation of morality in emerging Christianity

Against the background of current interdisciplinary discussions in philosophical and theological ethics and discourses on morality, this interdisciplinary essay explored the conceptualisation of morality in emerging Christianity. It illustrated how the early Sayings Source Q and the Gospel according to Mark recollect Jesus of Nazareth’s reception of the Jewish Torah. Then it sketched how Paul’s understanding of God’s and Christ’s compassion serves as guide to integrate basic notions from Hellenistic ethic in his moral exhortation.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Taking cognisance of modern discussions on ethics and morality, the essay placed Early Christian morality within the context of the Law (Jewish Studies) and highlighted Christian reception of virtues in the Graeco-Roman world as studied by ancient philosophy. In conceptualising morality, emerging Christianity borrowed cardinal moral guidelines from its social environment. This foundational procedure studied by the History of the Early Church (within its Jewish and Graeco-Roman context) can serve as a model for Systematic Theology and Ethics to guide contemporary Christianity in their adaptation of moral principles from their cultural environment.

ОРГАНІЗАЦІЙНА КУЛЬТУРА КЕРІВНИКА ЯК ВАЖЛИВИЙ ЧИННИК УПРАВЛІННЯ ЗЗСО (НА ПРИКЛАДІ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ ЕКСДИРЕКТОРКИ ДОВЖОЦЬКОГО ЛІЦЕЮ КАМ’ЯНЕЦЬ-ПОДІЛЬСЬКОЇ МІСЬКОЇ РАДИ МАДИЧ ГАЛИНИ ГРИГОРІВНИ)

The article highlights the characteristic features of the management activity of the ex-director of the Dovzhok Lyceum of the Kamianets-Podilskyi City Council – Galina Hryhorivna Madych, a Methodist teacher, an excellent student of education in Ukraine. Attention is focused on the features of Halyna Madych’s interaction with pedagogical, student and parent groups.During the management of the educational institution, Halyna Madych ensured systematic intra-school control over the productivity of teaching activities and the me-thodical level of teachers. The School of Mentors was operating in the Dovzhok NEC, a branch of the Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine was organized, and the “Peace Corps” program was implemented within the framework of the agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the United States.In 1999, the Dovzhok school was reorganized into a collegium, and later – into the GSE «secondary school of I-III degrees, collegium» with a philological and cul-tural-aesthetic direction. Also, on the basis of the school, the Dovzhok educational association was created – a school educational district, aimed to ensure equal access to specialized education for children in rural educational institutions.Due attention was paid to the spiritual education of students. The teaching of the optional course «Christian ethics» was introduced, the «Ukrainian spiritual music» circle was active. Every year, the students of the school took an active part in all-school folklore holidays, charity fairs, and excursions to spiritual centers of Ukraine.Halyna Madych enabled teachers to develop new approaches to the organization of the educational process, develop original programs, conduct pedagogical experi-ments on the basis of the educational institution. She created conditions for the unity of the pedagogical, student and parent team. She regularly held school-wide parent meetings, concerts of amateur artists.Characteristic features of Galina Madych’s managerial activity were democracy, demandingness, honesty, frankness, diplomacy, openness to new things, creative and humanistic orientation, innovative potential.The director of the Dovzhok secondary school of I-III degrees, collegium aimed her work at achieving compliance of the school’s activities with the requirements of the education standard, reforming the school, introducing advanced innovative tech-nologies, meeting the teachers’ need for self-expression, creating a favorable social and psychological climate in the teaching staff .The head teacher assigned an important role to work with parents, extracurricular work, education of students, creation of appropriate conditions for the development of student self-government.

A Critical Response to ‘Race, Caste and Christian Ethics: A Decolonial Proposal’

The colonial period of Christian expansion was plagued by practices and systems that exploited non-European indigenous populations for the endgame interests of enriching the treasuries of European imperial powers and promoting Eurocentrism. Anderson Jeremiah has written an important paper that explains how the concepts of race and the caste system in South Asia functioned in the context of colonial Christian expansion, and argues that postcolonial Christian actors should prioritise intentionally replacing dehumanising forms of missional activity with the four ethically decolonising paradigms of radical resistance, solidarity, hospitality, and joy in service of promoting racial justice in future global society. My response focuses on Jeremiah's ethical paradigm of hospitality, and engages with the challenge of applying this paradigm. In order for this hospitality paradigm to be applied in ways that lead to optimal missional outcomes, it must answer several questions, especially those linked to the existence of contesting hospitality-focussed frameworks and sociocultural attitudes endorsed by contemporary Christian agents and communities whose norms of hospitality appear radically different.

„Bądź aniołem piastunem narodowego ducha…” Cnoty niewieście rekomendowane w XIX‑wiecznych poradnikach obyczajowych

“Be Guardian Angel of the National Spirit…” Women’s Virtues Recommended in Nineteenth‑Century Programmes of Education Throughout the nineteenth century, Poland was deprived of an independent state, and the primary goal of Poles at that time, regardless of gender, was to regain independence. The specific historical conditions in which Polish society had to modernize in the period under discussion also left their mark on the process of women’s education, which is visible in contemporary curricula. In them, a special aura surrounded moral education and work for the oppressed homeland, in which women were to perform a unique function. The role that the family played in the process of shaping national awareness and defending Polishness against Germanization and Russification assigned to Polish women special tasks in society and additional fields of activity, increasing their prestige in the family and beyond. The situation in which Poles found themselves in the period in question largely influenced the model of educating the young generation of women. In it, moral, religious and patriotic education took a prominent place. In the comfort of the home, in boarding schools, and in schools, girls were supposed to learn the principles of faith, to learn to read and write in Polish, to count, to acquire a knowledge of the main points of geography, native history, and nature, to master the art of playing an instrument, to become familiar with household duties, to learn to sew, embroider and knit, etc. The direction of girls’ education was in a sense imposed by the tasks that the pupils had to fulfill in the future in the life of their family and in the life of society. An educated woman was to become a defender of Christian faith and wisdom, a guardian of patriotism, a promoter of history, the purity of the Polish language and Polish customs, and above all, a good wife and mother. Moral values, based mainly on Christian ethics, were always to accompany her both in the home and in public. Specific Polish conditions permanently bound her to tradition and to the prevailing ideal of the Polish Mother, a symbolic model of the ideal wife and mother. In the name of the good of the homeland and in support of a man in the struggle for freedom, she was to renounce her own aspirations and desires, so that nothing distracted from the main goal – Poland’s regaining independence.

Adevelop the Concept of Suicide in a Philosophical Context

Suicide-related issues are among those that have been the focus of philosophers of all time. The attitude to the problem of suicide as a social phenomenon from biblical times to the present should also be talked about by today's students, so the research work with gifted students will be effective, because today's children wonder who they are, what their mission is and the meaning of life and death raises the question of the social meaning of suicide. Philosophy and religion, law and duty, social and public are intertwined here. Christianity considers suicide a sin. Although there are examples in the Old Testament where cases of voluntary death look like heroic deeds. Suicide becomes an absolutely sinful act at a certain historical time, when it has become too frequent. Adjustments to Christian ethics with its prohibitions were made by the Enlightenment and the right to shorten one’s life became one’s personal choice. The article presents the research of gifted students on the question of attitudes towards suicide from ancient times to the Middle Ages (group 1); attitudes towards suicide from the Middle Ages to the present (group 2); attitudes towards suicide from the New Age to the present (group 3). The research work is carried out for the purpose of condemning any manifestations of suicidal behavior, deep understanding of this problem from the most ancient times to the present.

What Should Be? Navigating Moral Exemplarity and Its Categorical Imperative

This essay explores the notion of moral exemplarity, positing that our morality is underpinned by moral exemplars – paradigmatic examples of virtuous individuals or actions. Theoretical precepts of moral exemplarity are explored across historical and contemporary contexts, including the philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, Stoic and Christian ethics, and recent works of Alexandro Ferrara and Linda Zagzebski. This essay debates the necessity of moral exemplars, the intrinsic moral and epistemic exemplarity, and the distinction between categorical and hypothetical exemplarity, as well as referencing the paradoxical Kantian dismissals of moral exemplarity. It critiques current accounts of moral exemplarity and proposes a transcendental explanation, culminating in an examination of the “exemplarist categorical imperative.”

Swami Vivekananda, Hindu Dharma and ‘Social Ethics’ in the Nineteenth Century

In nineteenth-century colonial India, Hindu Dharma was attacked by colonial machinery and Christian missionaries for lacking social ethics and morality, with an understanding that Christianity had an ‘inherent and timeless’ social ethic and was concerned with the social upliftment of the poor. This paradigm to criticise Hinduism was also extended to criticise those Hindu intellectuals, especially Swami Vivekananda, who were deliberating over the question of ethics and morality, intending to make Hindu Dharma an agent of social change. These developments in Hindu Dharma were criticised as an outcome of or reaction to Christian social ethics and thereby were declared inauthentic in both colonial and post-colonial periods. By historicising and contextualising the concept of Christian social ethics and morality, this paper debunks the propaganda that concern for the poor and the marginalised was an ‘inherent and timeless’ feature of Christianity.

Lessons of liberation struggles and legal ideas of Ukrainians in the 19th century for today

Purpose. The purpose of the study is to characterize the main ideological currents and legal doctrines of the 19th century, as well as to identify positive practices for improving the legal awareness and legal culture of Ukrainians in today's conditions. In view of the fact that in the 19th century the ideas of sobornost - the unity of ethnic Ukrainian lands were formed, the ideas of republicanism and people's rule were developed, some of these ideas should be included in the basis of the legal ideology of today. Methods. The methodological basis of the research was the principles of historicism, objectivity, complexity, a problem-chronological approach, as well as a complex of general scientific, special scientific and philosophical methods. Results. It has been established that for Ukrainians, a combination of various worldviews and state legal ideas is traditional, in particular liberalism, conservatism, social democracy, and nationalism itself (it took shape as a separate movement only in the 1920s and 1930s). The historically formed pluralism of views regarding the solution of social, economic and political issues has always been characterized by the dominance of a single idea - the unity of ethnic Ukrainian lands and the establishment of a sovereign state on their territory. Therefore, the idea of ethnic unity, a single state Ukrainian language, preservation of historical memory should not be a condition, but an obligation in the conditions of existence of the modern state of Ukraine. Freedom of speech, people's rule, as well as Christian ethics and morality are the main and traditional values characteristic of the Ukrainian state-legal opinion. The protection of these values takes place in today's conditions. Originality. Historically determined conceptual approaches to the understanding of the state, which were formed in the 19th century, have been identified. and can be included in the modern legal ideology of Ukraine. Practical significance. The results of the research can be used in further historical and legal studies, preparation of special courses.

PREPARATION OF FUTURE TEACHERS FOR BENEVOLENCE AND VOLUNTEERISM IN TIMES OF WAR

The Ukrainian education system today faces extremely complex challenges, including a full-scale war that has been ongoing since 2014. Despite Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian education system continues to actively develop. The purpose of this article is to analyze certain aspects of preparing future teachers for benevolence and volunteerism in times of war. Emphasis is placed on the need to address the challenges of professional preparation in the face of modern challenges, focusing on shaping future teachers as nationally conscious patriots and citizens of Ukraine. To cultivate such individuals, it is necessary to draw upon Christian morality, as Christianity serves as a formative factor that enriches and strengthens one's spirit. Benevolence and charity are principles rooted in Christianity, qualities that have been intrinsic to Ukrainian culture throughout history, and values that should be particularly pronounced in professionals. These qualities are nurtured through students' participation in various charitable activities, diverse forms of philanthropy, and volunteer work. The results of active volunteer activities by students of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University and Ivan-Frankivsk College of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University lead to the conclusion that benevolence is being cultivated in them during their professional training in higher education institutions during wartime. This benevolent activity by students and teachers holds special significance in terms of support and assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), working with temporarily displaced persons' children, volunteer activities at the Gifted Child University, organizing master classes and sessions aimed at comprehensive personal development. Continuous support from the teaching staff and students in various forms of charitable activities, diverse forms of philanthropy, and active participation in volunteer organizations, among other efforts, attests to the widespread charitable movement in Ukraine, with educators and students at the forefront as volunteers and benefactors.

The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society

The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society

The Christian Trilateral Situation Ethics – An Attempt to Delineate a New Christian Ethics

The article builds on the author’s previous research into characteristics of a new Christian ethics, the Christian Trilateral Situation Ethics (CTSE). Hitherto, these papers have dealt with the CTSE secondarily and only in relation to the various topics associated with it, such as J. Fletcher’s situation ethics and sobornost. This article is focused solely on the CTSE and its main attributes, which may constitute the CTSE as a new type of ethics within Christian ethics. In that respect, the article proposes answers to the questions whether such ethics deviates from the valid Catholic magisterial teaching and whether it entails elements of antinomianism. Furthermore, it also aims to demonstrate the application of some of the CTSE’s principles in hypothetical situations. The main objective of the article is thus to bring the CTSE closer to its final validation as a new system of ethics whilst keeping in mind the many questions that still need to be answered before the final characterization of the CTSE is given.