Christian · Social · Worldwide

Good Work as a Key Topic of Christian Social Ethics

David Cloutier, Professor of Moral Theology at the Catholic University of America and a new member of our Scientific Advisory Board, delivered a keynote address to the Catholic Theological Society of America on one of the central questions of Catholic Social Teaching. He argues for a new anthropology and social ethics of good work.

Tribute to the 65th birthday of Obiora Ike

The priest, theologian and cosmopolitan Obiora Ike has reached the age of 65. A Festschrift reflects his many areas of interest.

Religious Grammar of the Welfare State in Poland

Poland is a homogeneous country in terms of religion. Poland is a homogeneous country in terms of religion. Despite increasing secularisation, over 90 per cent of the Polish people are still Catholic and the country remains one of the most religious countries in Europe. Stanislaw Fel and Kamil Michaluk explore which impact this has on the Polish welfare state.

The ethical dilemma of lethal autonomous weapon systems

Prof. Dr. Elmar Nass published an article on the ethical evaluation of lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS). Since humanity will not be able to avoid wars in the future, he emphasizes every nation’s right to defend itself against the attacks of aggressors.

OS-Working Paper on Social Challenges in Korea

The Working Paper contains a collection of essays by young Koreans reflecting on the social and political problems in their homeland. This highlights issues where Christian social ethics can provide normative guidance for shaping a more just Korean society.

New OS Working Paper on Ecotheology

Markus Vogt, Professor of Christian Social Ethics at LMU Munich and spokesman for the Scientific Advisory Board of Ordo socialis, discusses the competence of theology in environmental discourse.

Engaging politically with books: Yeong Seo Lee from South Korea

Yeong Seo Lee is research assistant at the Faculty of Theology of the Jesuit Sogang University in the South Korean capital Seoul. He is also committed in politics and society and has founded Society 451, an association for open debate. We spoke with him about his many activities, Korean society and what Christian ethics means to him.

Obiora Ike on Ethics and Education

Obiora Ike is a Nigerian Priest and Social Ethicist. A special volume of the new Journal of Ethics in Higher Education honors him and his lifelong efforts in the field of reflection and action on education and  development, particularly in Africa.

Ordo socialis counts on the future of the Ukraine

Eight months ago Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, Ukrainians have been fighting with great courage for their freedom and their European future. Ordo socialis believes in this European future of Ukraine and has therefore appointed two young Ukrainian theologians to its advisory board: Ihor Tril and Michael Fetko.

Lack of clean water and school attendance

Recently we have read a lot about the lack of water worldwide. In many respects, access to clean water is a prerequisite for social participation. There are correlations that you don’t immediately think of: for example, children’s school attendance.

The key idea of ordoliberalism

Nils Goldschmidt, Roland Fritz and Matthias Störring on the key idea of ordoliberalism: the free market has to be embedded into a social and moral order to deliver public benefits.

Churches Confront War in Ukraine

Ukraine is a country with many different Christian denominations, including two Orthodox churches (Kyiv and Moscow Patriarchates). How do these churches react to the Russian war of aggression?

Socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19-pandemic in Latin America

Six months after its first report about the socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19-pandemic the Centre for Science Management of the Latin American Bishops’ Council CELAM has now presented an updated version with new data and projections.

The War over Ukraine and the Future of Christian Peace Ethics

The chairman of the scientific advisory board of Ordo socialis, the Munich theologian Prof. Dr. Markus Vogt, calls for a revision of Christian peace ethics after the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

Qualitative Freedom

Freedom is not a license for self-centered behavior, but has as an ethical concept to integrate the principles of the common good and responsibility.  

An African view on the climate challenge

Professor Obiora Ike, Executive Director of the Global Ethics Centre in Geneva, presented a paper on the climate crisis from the perspective of African cultural, ethical and theological traditions.  

Human Dignity and the Business of Business

Noble prize laureate Milton Friedman once said:“The business of business is business. But this conviction has become fragile, at the latest in the international financial crisis. Since then, we see a revival of business ethics. Claus Dierksmeier unfolds the discussion with regard to human-dignity-oriented approaches.  

The Social Question in Latin America in the Context of the Corona Pandemic

In the Corona pandemic, Latin America is one of the hardest hit regions in the world. The Latin American Bishops’ Council CELAM has now presented an expert text that places the pandemic in the context of the socio-economic, political and ecological challenges of the subcontinent.

Ten commandments for soil protection

Markus Vogt, Chairman of our Scientific Advisory Board, has written an essay on an important but often neglected topic of environmental ethics: soil protection.

Social Market Economy for the 21st century: An International Peace Project

Christopher Gohl, Nils Goldschmidt, Ulrich Hemel and Jeffrey Sachs write that the economic order of Germany, the Social Market Economy, might be best suited for securing social peace and sustainable development in the 21st century – not only in Germany but everywhere in the world.

Catholic Social Doctrine and Social Market Economy

Ursula Nothelle-Wildfeuer, Professor for Christian Social Ethics at the University of Freiburg, writes about the criticism of capitalism in the Catholic Social Teaching and the alternative of an Social Market Economy.

Globalization and disruptive technology as ethical challenges

On June 25th the former President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, Peter Cardinal Turkson and Nobel Prizing winning economist Professor James Heckman gathered for a digital panel discussion on “A New Humanism in Church, Politics, and Science challenged by globalization and disruptive technology”. 

Social ethics in a Time of Pandemic

Dennis Gonzales from the St. Vincent School of Theology Quezon City (Metro-Manila) and Thomas Kohler from the Boston College Law School report on the COVID-19-pandemic in the Philippines and the USA.

Social Market Economy – renewing ecologically

Due to climate change an ecological renewal of the economic system is necessary. Arnd Küppers thinks that the German Social Market Economy could offer a blueprint.

Christian Leadership Ethics

Is there a specific kind of Christian leadership ethics in business? An essay by Elmar Nass and Ellen Kreuer

The different dimensions of sustainability

An article by Prof. Dr. Markus Vogt

Sustainability is a key concept in the project of ecological transformation of economy and society. A short introduction in the concept and the current main challenges.

Peacemaking in East Asia

An article by Ms. Dr. HyunJu Shim

Ms. Dr. HyunJu Shim, senior researcher at the Institute for Life and Culture at the Sogang University in Seoul (South Korea) has published an essay on Ahn Junggeun’s vision for peace and parallels with peace ethics in Catholic social teaching.