This book is a primary resource in the new and growing field of Christian Ethnography. In response to a variety of critical intellectual currents (post-colonial, post-modern, and post-liberal), scholars in Christian theology and ethics are increasingly taking up the tools of ethnography as a means to ask fundamental moral questions and to make more compelling and credible moral claims. Privileging particularity, rather than the more traditional effort to achieve universal or at least generalizable norms in making claims regarding the Christian life, echoes the most fundamental insight of the Christian tradition - that God is known most fully in Jesus of Nazareth. Echoing this 'scandal of particularity' at the heart of the Christian tradition, theologians and ethicists involved in ethnographic research draw on the particular to seek out answers to core questions of their discipline: who God is and how we become the people we are, how to conceptualize moral agency in relation to God and the world, and how to flesh out the content of conceptual categories such as justice that help direct us in our daily decisions and guiding institutions.

This bold work asks whether traditional Christian sexual morality, with its emphasis on sexual abstinence outside of heterosexual marriage, is harmful. Appealing to sociological studies, anthropological theories, and contemporary theological ethics, Hartwig develops a model of sexual virtue around the concept of a poetics of intimacy and applies this model to particular challenges faced by the divorced, married couples, gay men and lesbians, single adults, and people with mental and developmental disabilities. He concludes that mandated long-term and lifelong sexual abstinence for those outside heterosexual marriage is not only harmful, but compromises many features of Christian morality.

Religion is one of the most powerful forces running through human history, and although often presented as a force for good, its impact is frequently violent and divisive. This provocative work brings together cutting-edge research from both evolutionary and cognitive psychology to help readers understand the psychological structure of religious morality and the origins of religious violence. Introduces a fundamentally new approach to the analysis of religion in a style accessible to the general reader Applies insights from evolutionary and cognitive psychology to both Judaism and Christianity, and their texts, to help understand the origins of religious violence Argues that religious violence is grounded in the moral psychology of religion Illustrates its controversial argument with reference to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the response to the attacks from both the terrorists and the President. Suggests strategies for beginning to counter the divisive aspects of religionDiscusses the role of religion and religious criticism in the contemporary world. Argues for a position sceptical of the moral authority of religion, while also critiquing the excesses of the "new atheists" for failing to appreciate the moral contributions of religionAwarded Honourable Mention, 2010 Prose Awards

One of the most lamentable aspects of Christendom's history has been the long-standing antipathy of some of its members toward persons of the Jewish faith. However, the writer of Mark's gospel did not intend to promulgate such antipathy. Parker's groundbreaking re-assessment of how the evangelist applies Jewish scriptures serves to establish the true nature of Mark's unfavourable depiction of Judaism's custodians as a theological construct. The overriding purpose behind Mark's caricature of Jesus' compatriots was to explain the presence of "faulty" belief, or even unbelief, among a Gentile readership. Subsequent generations have mistakenly given historical credence to Mark's account of Jesus's ministry. Regrettably, this has resulted in the erroneous theological legitimization of atrocities against the Jews.

The magnitude of the current ecological crisis demands a fundamental redefinition of human identity. It is no longer viable to regard human beings as the apex of creation; rather, humans must be recognized as existing within an intricate web of cosmic relations. For Christian sacramental theology, this redefinition requires that the horizon of theological reflection be shifted from a redemption-centered focus to a cosmocentric one. In this book, Dorothy C. McDougall elaborates the construction of an ecological sacramental theology based on the metaphor of the cosmos as the primary sacrament. McDougall draws on the work of Thomas Berry, with its foundation in a new and emergent scientific perspective, as well as the social critique of ecofeminism as two significant resources.

Ethische Fragen humangenetischer Beratung und Diagnostik sind Gegenstand zahlreicher nationaler und internationaler Diskussionen. Deutschland steht aktuell vor der Verabschiedung eines Gendiagnostik-Gesetzes, in OEsterreich ist dies bereits erfolgt. In der Schweiz und anderen Landern gibt es gleichermassen intensive Debatten, und auch der Europarat hat vor kurzem fur Gentests zu gesundheitlichen Zwecken ein Zusatzprotokoll zur Konvention fur Menschenrechte und Biomedizin vorgeschlagen. Fachleute aus Wissenschaft und Politik, Enquete-Kommissionen und Ethikrate analysieren Probleme genetischer Forschung und individueller Beratung. Die Kernfrage fur Betroffene, die Medizinethik und die Gesellschaft lautet: Wie kann genetische Beratung moeglichst gut ablaufen? In diesem Band nehmen erfahrene Kliniker und Experten aus verschiedenen Disziplinen Stellung zu medizinischen Grundlagen, moralischen Grenzfragen und gesellschaftlichen Konsequenzen.

Mehr als in anderen Teilen Europas haben sich die grossen christlichen Kirchen Jugoslawiens eng mit dem Nationalismus verbunden. Der jugoslawische Staat litt unter diesem Bundnis, fur das er gleichzeitig mit verantwortlich war. Der Autor verfolgt die Entwicklung des religioesen Nationalismus bei Serben und Kroaten von der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts bis in die Gegenwart. Dabei kommt er auch auf Themen, die bislang wenig beachtet worden sind: den russischen Einfluss auf die serbische Orthodoxie, die Beziehungen zwischen der katholischen Kirche und der kroatischen Diaspora und das Verhaltnis des Klerus zu Globalisierung und Menschenrechten.

In diesem Buch geht es zunachst um eine detaillierte Darstellung der anthropologischen Aspekte, unter denen die Philanthropen die geschlechtliche Aufklarung initiiert haben, um ihr Selbstverstandnis, ihre Erziehungsziele und Methoden sowie um die Einordnung des Konzepts in die gesellschaftlichen Verhaltnisse des ausgehenden 18. Jahrhunderts. Im zweiten Teil wird gezeigt, dass sich die Struktur der fruhen Geschlechtserziehung und auch konkrete inhaltliche Bereiche bis in die jungste Vergangenheit gehalten haben. Am Ende der Untersuchung werden Modelle vorgestellt, die in den letzten Jahrzehnten an Bedeutung gewonnen haben. Die meisten Chancen fur die Bewaltigung der individuellen und sozialen Probleme sieht der Verfasser in einer Sexualpadagogik, die auf Mundigkeit und Emanzipation setzt.

Das Buch beschaftigt sich mit der Problematik der Mensch-Tier-Beziehung. Da der Mensch in unwahrscheinlich vielen Bereichen Tiere nutzt - sei es im Bereich der Ernahrung, der Forschung, zur Belustigung, zur Erziehung von Kindern oder zu therapeutischen Zwecken - ist es wichtig, sich fur einen angemessenen und respektvollen Umgang mit ihnen einzusetzen. In einer Zeit der wachsenden gesellschaftlichen Katastrophen wie BSE und MKS ist es fur die Sicherung einer lebenswerten Zukunft von Tier und Mensch umso wichtiger, bereits fruhzeitig Kindern und Jugendlichen einen mitgeschoepflichen Umgang mit Tieren zu vermitteln. Moeglichkeiten dieser wertvollen Erziehung zur Mitgeschoepflichkeit werden in dieser Arbeit sowohl unter ethischen, religioesen, allgemeindidaktischen als auch fachdidaktischen Gesichtspunkten untersucht.

This study examines the influence of John Calvin in ethics eschatology and education, as well as those influences that affected him. It examines his writings to determine if his vision made him an innovator. The research searched for reforms in the areas of ethics, curriculum, understanding of the teaching office, and universal education. It also looked at philosophy, economics, and labor. A belief in the after life and end times was an ethical motivation for Calvin and education was a means by which the people that he worked with and wrote to could understand how they should live and why they should live like that. Thus, there is an important connection among ethics, eschatology and education. All people were to work to their potential at their job because in doing their job they would honor God. Teachers were especially important. Those who taught would affect the quality of education. Calvin worked to provide teacher training and support. He believed that all occupations could be a special calling from God and education was a means to prepare the young person for his or her calling. Schools existed in Geneva before Calvin arrived in 1536; however, they did not function in the way that Calvin would have liked. Calvin provided the elementary students with a needed text when he prepared a catechism. The students had written material that they could read and study and a systematic presentation of the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Calvin also wanted more appropriate facilities in which the students could learn. Although his organization of the schools improved the atmosphere for learning, the building of the Academy was his dream and became his major educational achievement in the city of Geneva. Because16th century students needed to be prepared for the new world, there was a need for curriculum change. The students were required to read many of the prominent Greek and Roman authors in the ancient languages but the student learned theology, Hebrew, poetry, dialectic and rhetoric, physics, and mathematics as well. Calvin wished to graduate a well rounded scholar who could take his or her place in society. In this way the citizens of Geneva and all those of the Reformed belief would be better prepared for life on earth and the after life.