The term GLOBAL ETHIC refers to a set of common moral values and ethical standards which are shared by the different faiths and cultures on Earth.
These common moral values and ethical standards constitute a humane ethic, or, the ethic of humanity. In view of the process of globalization this ethic of humanity has been termed by the famous Roman Catholic theologian and philosopher Professor Hans Küng as the “GLOBAL ETHIC”.
Although the concept of a GLOBAL ETHIC was at first introduced by Professor Hans Küng in 1989 it is, in his own words, “not a new invention but only a new discovery” of common principles which are as old as humankind.
There can be no doubt that a globalizing world with its tremendous social, ecological and moral problems needs a globalization of moral values and ethical standards, in short: a GLOBAL ETHIC, in order to survive as a place where our grandchildren and great-grandchildren can live a decent life.
In fact, already now and in the past quite a big number of fellow human beings all over the world have not been able to live a life in dignity, exactly because human beings have been unable to follow the most basic rules of humane coexistence which our religious and non-religious traditions have provided for since thousands of years.
The GLOBAL ETHIC is not a new religion but a set of common moral values and ethical standards which are shared by all faiths and belief systems. Without a basic consensus over ethics any society is threatened sooner or later by chaos or a dictatorship. Therefore, there can be no sustainable world order without a GLOBAL ETHIC.
In the words of Professor Hans Küng “the GLOBAL ETHIC means neither a global ideology, nor a single unified global religion transcending all existing religions, nor a mixture of all religions. Humanity is weary of unified ideologies, and in any case the religions of the world are so different in their views of faith and ‘dogmas’, their symbols and rites, that a ‘unification’ of them would be meaningless, a distasteful syncretistic cocktail.”
Instead, according to Hans Küng, “the GLOBAL ETHIC seeks to work out what is already common to the religions of the world now despite their differences over human conduct, moral values and basic moral convictions. In other words, the GLOBAL ETHIC does not reduce the religions to an ethical minimalism but represents the minimum of what the religions of the world already have in common now in the ethical sphere. The GLOBAL ETHIC is not directed against anyone, but invites all, believers and non-believers, to make this ethic their own and act in accordance with it.”
As Professor Küng has stressed again and again, the GLOBAL ETHIC “is no substitute for the Torah, the Sermon on the Mount, the Qur’an, the Bhagavadgita, the Discourses of the Buddha or the Analects of Confucius”. Instead, “the GLOBAL ETHIC is nothing but the necessary minimum of common values, standards and basic attitudes. In other words: a minimal basic consensus relating to binding values, irrevocable standards and moral attitudes, which can be affirmed by all religions despite their ‘dogmatic’ differences and which can also be supported by non-believers.”
The GLOBAL ETHIC was adopted in form of the “Declaration Toward A Global Ethic” by the Parliament of the World’s Religions on 4 September 1993. Thereby, for the first time in human history, representatives of the different religions and faiths agreed on a set of common moral values and ethical standards which are shared by all of them. Never before in the history of religions had this happened! Herein lies the tremendous significance of the “Declaration Toward A Global Ethic” for the future of humankind.
What are the basic contents of the GLOBAL ETHIC?
In fact, at the root of this fundamental consensus of values, standards and attitudes is a simple but very profound principle: “Treat others as you would like to be treated” or “Do not treat others as you would not like to be treated”. That is the so-called GOLDEN RULE of life which is found in the scriptures of all major faiths – in different words but with the same divine meaning.
The GOLDEN RULE is the most fundamental common ethical denominator of all religious and non-religious belief systems on Earth. It is the basic law of peaceful human coexistence and can, therefore, be characterized as the mother of ethics of humankind.
The GOLDEN RULE is not only laid down in the basic texts of all world religions but also in the main non-religious philosophical theories where it is often referred to as the principle of reciprocity. The famous German philosopher Immanuel Kant once called the GOLDEN RULE “the categorical imperative” of humane coexistence on Earth.
As the GOLDEN RULE is found in virtually every important religious and non-religious belief system throughout human history all over the Earth it seems to be the basic law or constitution for humankind. And, all other common precepts shared by our different faiths derive from this basic law of humane coexistence of humanity:
- Have respect for all life, or “You shall not kill”
(As you do not want others to kill you, therefore you should not kill others.)
- Deal honestly and fairly, or “You shall not steal”
(As you do not want others to steal your belongings, therefore you should not steal their belongings.)
- Speak and act truthfully, or “You shall not lie”
(As you do not want others to lie to you, therefore you should not lie to others.)
- Respect and love one another, or “You shall not commit sexual immorality”
(As you do not want others to take your wife / husband, therefore you should not take the wives / husbands of others.)
What needs to be done?
Let us try to make the GOLDEN RULE and the many other common ethical standards and shared moral values to be accepted as the GLOBAL ETHIC of humankind by as many people as possible!
Obviously, if the great majority of people would practise the GOLDEN RULE and follow the directives of the GLOBAL ETHIC we would definitively live in a better and much more peaceful and just world.
Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we start to educate our children about the GOLDEN RULE and other common ethical standards.
We should do this not only in our families but also in the public school system.
This means that education about the GOLDEN RULE, shared moral values and common ethical standards should become an integral part of the curricula of kindergardens and primary and secondary schools all over the world.
In fact, such an education would be an education for peace – peace in the family, peace in the community, peace in the country and peace among nations.
Such an education would be a peaceful but forceful weapon against the spread of extremism on all sides.
Peter Schier
Representative to Malaysia
Konrad Adenauer Foundation