The Common Good and Christian Ethics

Abstract

The Common Good and Christian Ethics rethinks the ancient tradition of the common good in a way that addresses contemporary social divisions, both urban and global. David Hollenbach draws on social analysis, moral philosophy, and theological ethics to chart new directions in both urban life and global society. He argues that the division between the middle class and the poor in major cities and the challenges of globalisation require a new commitment to the common good and that both believers and secular people must move towards new forms of solidarity if they are to live good lives together. Hollenbach proposes a positive vision of how a reconstructed understanding of the common good can lead to better lives for all today, both in cities and globally. This interdisciplinary study makes both practical and theoretical contributions to the developing shape of social, cultural, and religious life today.

Development of the drought tolerant variety Sahbhagi Dhan: exploring the concepts commons and community building

“…Hollenbach (2002) states that commons are realised in the mutual relationship through a community. However, they are not merely the outcome of a collective action, since the important issue is that of a shared enterprise; we can say that commons and community come into being through that enterprise.…”

“…Without this community mediation, sharing of breeding material would have been much more difficult, as Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) would have been required. Thus, we can speak of the sharing of breeding material as one of the main ways through which a shared enterprise (Hollenbach 2002) of drought research was created.…”

“…This research community evolved as a dynamic process that was (has been) constructed in several ways, such as through different projects, funding agencies and geographical locations. Through this multifaceted layering, as it may be characterised, this community creates a semi-institutional space within the institutionalised research systems such as ICAR and CGIAR, enabling it to maintain its operational autonomy in working towards maintaining its established research and development trajectory (regarding rice variety development) (Hollenbach 2002;Deneulin and Townsend 2007;Caffentzis 2008). The autonomy of the community is also reflected within the policies of this community, which is non-hierarchical, horizontal, and inclusive in nature, a striking feature of commons in general and commons-based production in particular (Harvey 2012).…”

Sources of bioethics: <i>Lex Naturae</i> versus <i>Sola Scriptura</i> and <i>Sola Gratia</i>? A response to Vorster

“…This more teleological approach to natural law has been explored (and criticised) by various Christian theologians (Hauerwas & Pinches 1997;Hollenbach 2002;Ramsey 1950 Secondly, Aristotle's teleological approach to ethics challenges the Calvinistic concept of natural law (as the engraved inclination for justice) in terms of the eschatological. In Christian eschatology, emphasis is placed on the aim of Christians' ethical conduct, the realisation of concrete justice in society, the expectation of the kingdom of God and the role of God's spirit in all of this.…”

The Courage to Lead

“…Some leaders recommend the practice of tolerance when faced with a multitude of differences. In his most recent book, Jesuit social ethicist Hollenbach (2002) writes:…”