Volume 36, Issue 1

The paper of Hans Diejenbacher and Ulrich Ratschstrats from the thesis that although the eighties have been a lost decade for the developing countries, the structures of the conflict between the North and the South have changed drastically. Those changes are exemplified by six different problern areas: the danger of an irreversible global climate change, the deterioration of the terms of trade for the developing countries, the impoverishment of the least development countries, the relationship between foreign debts and inflation, the crisis of development policy, and the effects of the changing east-west-conflict. The description of those conflict areas Ieads to the question how it could be possible to overcome the discrepancy between the knowledge about these problems on the one hand and the willingness to initiate political change on the other band.

Raimund Bleischwitz and Martina Etzbach respond to the question how the global warming foracested by climate research will change the relations between the North and the South. After a description of ecological and socio-economic implication of the potential catastrophy of a global climate change the authors discuss possible instrument of an international climate policy. The considerations focus on institutional problems, especially on possible actors and borlies responsible for a global environmental policy.

Wolfgang Kessler gives a report on the latest developments ofthe GATT negociations. The failure ofthe Uiruguay round in the autumn of 1990 and the irksome attempts at reanimation are depicted as a result of the strategy ofthe industrialized countries to bargain for their interests by demanding an extension oftheir free trade policy on additional parts of the world market. Kessler contrasts this strategy with a model of an ecologically and socially regulated world trade founded on world-wide agreed upon treaties that focus on a sustainable world economy.

By explaining the ermergence of the international indebtedness of the developing countries, Tarnara Kunanayakam shows how the fate of indebted countries is entangled in the economic policy of the creditor countries. This entanglement has developed via the structures of the international finance and credit markets according to the wants of the rieb countries. The desaster of the export oriented development strategy has led to a new, in the meanwhile even financial dependency from the industrial countries ofthe North. A discussion of alternative strategies for solving the debt problern results in the thesis, that this crisis can only be approached politically, by promoting a development strategy that strives for social justice and that is accompanied by a democratization of political structures.

Joachim Gaertner discusses the tasks of the churches in the making of Europe. He outlines that the implementation and operation of common policies within the European Community will force the churches to Iook for common border-crossing Standpoints on socio-ethical and political issues. The task of forging common positions will certainly be difficult and at times even impossible. Nevertheless the churches must try to tackle this problem. According to Gaertner this requires an instrument of coordination which is authorized and qualified for joint action and is entitled to speak on behalf of the individual churches.

The article discusses the topic- based upon the confessional situation of Common Europe- under which political conditions the historical stability ofthe profile of confessions in Europe is changing. Further on this topic is beeing discussed with regard to the cultural consequences of Christianity refering to economy, democracy and >>multiculturalism« and it is more concretely explained refering to the speciallegal order of churches. This deals with perspectives and limits of Europe in future.

The concept of »multiculturality« is based both on mutual recognition and realized identity. The former implies respect and tolerance for each other's different cultural patterns on the basis of an overlapping consensus of »core values« like human rights. The latter implies an affirmation and development of each particular culture. This runs counter to any cultural or religious relativism. The recognition ofthe alien is not only a basic concept in the experience of Israel but is also implied by the Pauline concept of justification by faith. On this basis the churches in Europe should neither advocate »Europrovincialism« nor »Eurointegralism« but »Eurofederalism«: a democratic process in which regions and nations grow together from the grassroots Ievel while respecting each other's cultural traditions. The international ecumenical community of the churches can become an example of such a process.

The author reflects upon the present debate about the future development of the social shape of Europe and discusses possibilities and perspectives for the realization of a solidary social order in the process of European unification. In these recollections the pluralism of the social security systems is considered. Against the background of protestant traditions the author pleads for a critical orientation at the priciple of subsidiaries. In the frame of this principle people in need of help are to be enabled to active self-help.

There is no way of an alliance between economy and ecology without conflict. As in the relation between both a principle conflict is programmed, the ethical claim is only conflict-minimizing. This is the thesis of the study of Wilhelm Korff about the economy-ecology-problematic. Korff works out a set of moral criterions for economic acting, which put pretentious moral standards on responsible action. It is especially considered if people are able to act according to these claims. In this way Korff takes into consideration the anthropological assumptions, which underlie human action: the antagonism of limited and unlimited potentialities of human existing.

Friedrich Wilhelm Graf attends to questions of the role and function of theology and churches in the former DDR. Current and short-winded theological-political paradigms are in his opinion too little useful to reflect upon and clear up the meanwhile historical period of»Kirche im Sozialismus«. Graf discusses the remarkable affirmation of streams of theology towards socialism. Dealing with this topic from an historical point of view begins in the early nineteeth century, precicely: in the attitude of social-romantic anticapitalism. This view pointsout a surprising line of continuity, which Ieads to the theological approval of socialism in the former DDR-churches.

The article describes »structures ofresponsible life« in Tödt's theological thinking. (1) As a professor Tödt taught an ethos of matureself responsibility. (2) He was led from exegesis to social ethics by the task of interpreting the gospel in our present time. Tödt explores analogies and differences between options of our present time and the fundamental directions ofChristian faith, especially through such topics as peace and human rights. (3) In a world characterized by modern science and technology, human beings are themselves responsible for the norms of their actions in the sense of a cooperatio hominis cum deo that responds to God. (4) Tödt's ethical heory of moral reasoning tends to an ethic of action. (5) As an historian, the theologian is also accountable for hisfundamental world view. For Tödt, in his research of the Bonhoeffer-Dohnanyi circle's resistance, taking sides with the victims was central.

Tutz Rendtorff develops his ethical theory in tradition ofFriedrich Schleiermacherand Ernst Troeltsch as Ethical Theology. Ethics is understood not simply as catalogue of moral rules, but from the ethical perspective theological issues come into sight. This article's purpose is to demonstrate this. The three basic elements of the ethical realities of life according to Trutz Rendtorff: givenness of life, giving of life, reflection on life, can be interpreted referring to the three main issues of traditional dogmatics: creation, reconciliation, and redemption.

Karl-Wilhelm Dahm examines in his study a certain pattern of the theological criticism of marktet economy. In this pattern the market economy appears as in principal unethical. Dahm asks specifically about the theological arguments, which the criticism of market ecomomy underlie. The questions are put in a second part in an effort, to come to a constructive appreciation of the basic principles of »Soziale Marktwirtschaft«.

Two methods of dealing with the addiction to narcotics are being examined: the restrictive as well as the permissive approach. The former aims to set up a society which is totally free from drugs, while the latter is in favour of a more liberal solution. The restrictive approach appears to have failed, but the more sensible attitude towards these problems is rapidly gaining ground.