Dignity, Care, Compassion: The Role of Religious Values for Development

Transcription

1 Dignity, Care, Compassion: The Role of Religious Values for Development International Conference Religions and Development, Nanjing/China, Dec 2016 Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Christoph Stückelberger, Prof of Ethics Executive Director Geneva Agape Foundation, Geneva Switzerland, President and Founder Globethics.net Foundation, 16/12/12

2 Content 1. Enable Identity, Restore Dignity 1.1 The Enabling Role of Religions 1.2 The Destructive Role of Religions 2. Care and Compassion 2.1 Common Values Accross Religions 2.2 Differencies betw. Abrahamic and Dharmaic Religions 3. Three Types of State-Religions Relations: Instrumentalisation, Exclusion, Partnership 4.1 Ethical Criteria for Transformative, Life-enhancing Religious Values for Sustainable Development 4.1 Recommendations for Partnerships 4.2 Ten Examples of Partnerships on Religious Values RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 2

3 Summary (Abstract) Religions strengthen identity and dignity of individuals and communities - and can destroy them. Care and Compassion are values in all world religions - but there are also differencies between Abrahamic and Dharmaic religions which influence development. In order to overcome restaurative, backward-oriented and extremist religious positions, the author develops ethical criteria for a transformative, future-oriented, innovative and balanced role of religions through transformative dignity, care and compassion. RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 3

4 1. Enable Identity, Restore Dignity 1.1 The Enabling Role of Religions 1. Basic human needs: food, water, clothing, shelter, education, community, identity (what I am, culture, religion, gender, language, race, world view, values, orientation, security). 2. Identity is key part of dignity: To be somebody, to be respected as we are. Inalienable dignity of each human being as a human being. 3. Religions are key to enable identity and dignity and to heal, restore lost and endangered identity and violated dignity: I am loved by GOD. I found the SELF. I have dignity even as a stateless man or a violated woman. RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 4

5 1. Enable Identity, Restore Dignity 1.2 The Destructive Role of Religions 1. Identity and dignity are recomposed by religions (e.g. to be first a Buddhist and only second a Thai or a German) and sometimes destroyed by violent religious individuals or institutions (intolerance, destruction of religious values/cultures) 2. Religions are instrumentalised by powers of politics, economics, ethnic groups, nationalism, gender, race etc. They tolerate to be instrumentalised because of fear of power or gains, gifts and benefit they get. RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 5

6 2. Care and Compassion 2.1 Common Values: From Ego to SELF For Dharmaic Religions (e.g. Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Jainism) caring and compassion are rooted in the inner way from the Ego to the SELF as practised e.g. in Yoga (e.g. Patanjali: Yoga Sutras): The yoga way of transformation means liberation from the Ego in order to find/be united with the SELF. This liberation through life-long exercises means overcoming material and bodily desirousness and dependency. RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 6

7 2. Care and Compassion 2.1 Common Values: Triple Love For Monotheist Religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), care and compassion are rooted in the love of God: Not mine, but your (God s) will shall be done (Jesus) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39). The Golden Rule of mutual respect exists in all World religions and philosophies. But in Judaism and Christianity, the first of the double commandment is the basis to be able to live the Golden Rule. RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 7

8 2. Care and Compassion 2.2 Care for Common Good: Global Value 1 Common Good West Christianity 2 Ubuntu Africa Traditional 3 Kyosei Japan Shintoism 4 Da Tong China Confucianism 5 Jew + Yi China Taoism 6 Lokasangraha India Hinduism 7 Cidadania Latin America Political 16/12/12 RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 8

9 2.2 Caring for whom? Differencies betw. Abrahamic and Dharmaic Religions White: 1 Myself 2 Inner Family: partner, children Yellow 3 Broader Family: Clan 4 Professional Community: team Red 5 Neighbourhood: village, quarter 6 Religious Community: parish/temple Green 7 Peers: sport, ethnic, interest groups 8 Professional Community: company Brown 9 Nation: state, peoples, 10 Regions: EU, Asean Blue 11 All Religions: world spirituality 12 Humankind: all human beings Dark Blue 13 Biosphere: all living beings RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 9

10 3. Three Types of State-Religions Relations: Instrumentalisation, Exclusion, Partnership In Perspective of States/Governmental Institutions 1. Instrumentalisation by subordination: Let us use and streamline religions for our political goals. 2. Exclusion by oppression: We need to oppress and destroy religions since they do harm to and oppose our political goals. 3. Partnership by respect: Politics and Religions have their respective function in society. We serve best our people and the world if we respect each other and support each other in our respective roles and tasks. RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 10

11 3. Three Types of Religions-State Relations: Instrumentalisation, Exclusion, Partnership In Perspective of Religious Organisations 1. Instrumentalisation by subordination: Let us use and streamline politics for our religious goals. 2. Exclusion by separation: We have nothing to do with the state and keep distance. Or we oppose and try to destroy it as the evil. 3. Partnership by respect: Politics and Religions have their respective function in society. We serve best our people and the world if we respect each other and support each other in our respective roles and tasks. RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 11

12 4.1 Ethical Criteria for Transformative, Lifeenhancing Religious Values for Sustainable Development 1. Transformative Dignity/Identity is based on a) spiritual roots in faith/dharma-orientation and in b) caring community and global citizenship, not dignity based on historical, nationalist, ethnic or racist ideologies. 2. Transformative Care and Compassion is based on a) true love for the other b) love for everybody in need independent of faith and political background not for conversion and proselytism, not selective only for own faith group, not for the own salvation/kharma. RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 12

13 4.1 Recommendations for Partnerships 1. Strenghten partnership between governmental actors and faith-based organisations/religions on international (PaRD) national, provincial, local level. 2. Develop new cooperation with faith-based Entrepreneurs (Protestant Entrepreneurs in China, Orthodox in Russia, Christian in Africa and Latin America, Buddhist, Daoist, Muslim entrepreneurs etc.) 3. Strengthen theological work of religious institutions fundamentalist, nationalist, racist abuse of religions and religious values (see above: destructive role of religions). 4. Support theol. Scientific work by governments for same goal to overcome abuse of religion. RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 13

14 4.2.2 Ten Examples of Partnerships around the globe from Globethics.net and Geneva Agape Foundation 1. DRC: Programme «Trainings for a Culture of Integrity and Responsible Elections». Prayer with the president of the High Court 2. China: Church, Elderly Home in the seafood factory, the committment to «holy healthy food» and the peoples congress. 3. Indonesia: «Construction of moral Nationality»: times downloaded from Globethics.net RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 14

15 4. India: Jain Circular Economy and Vegetarianism 5. Russia: Association of Russian Orthodox Entrepreneurs 6. Global/South Africa: Global Ethics Forum on Principles of Equality 7. Mexico: Training of High Court Judges on their Code of Ethics RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 15

16 8. UN: Interreligious Statements on Climate Justice blications 9. India: Sri Ramanusha Mission on Ethics Trainings for Youth 10. ACAMS: Association of Certified Anti Money Laundering Specialists RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 16

17 4.3 Values-orientation across Religions What is common in these examples? A new strong search for value-orientation and integrity, especially in professional life A new emphasis of the religious foundation of business ethics/economic ethics: Jain, Hindu, protestant, orthodox, catholic entrepreneurs A pragmatic cooperation accross religions in social and ethical issues (climate change, food, mining, codes of professional ethics, anti-corruption etc.) The thirst for strengthening moderate positions to counter fundamentalism and extremism. RelValues+Dev Stueckelberger 16/12/12 17

18 Shokran Gidan merci ขอบค ณคร บ/ค ะ thank you teşekkürler ngiyabonga baie dankie kealeboga diolch yn fawr धन यव द (Danyavad) 謝謝 (xiexie) asante sana gracias Спасибо (spacibo) danke grazie adube oshe dankjewel obrigado/a 16/12/12