8 research outputs found
Evolution and emergence : a paradigm shift for theology
Peer reviewedSince the time of Darwin the conception of evolution has devel-oped beyond the boundaries of science to include
philosophy and now theology in its scope. After noting the positive reception of the evolutionary idea by theologians
even in Darwinâs time, the article traces its philosophical development from Hegel to the work of Karl Rahner. It
then uses the philosophical anthropology developed by Rahner to reformulate the essentials of Christian faith
(âChristology within an evolutionary view of the worldâ) in a way that is consonant with a scientific and secular
world view. It is the authorâs view that secularityâunderstood as in the recent work of Charles Taylorâis the result
of an evolution in the sphere of culture and provides both a standard for truth in religion and a basis for dialogue
between the religions of the world.Research Institute for Theology and Religio
The Possibility of Religion in a Scientific and Secular Culture
In this article religion is defined in terms of our concern for the fulfilment of our most fundamental natural desires, especially those that seem beyond all human power to fulfil, such as the achievement of death-transcending life or a complete and enduring community between free beings such as human persons are. A god is always seen as the source of power sufficient to achieve this in us. Our conceptions of our god and of human nature are therefore always linked. The arguments for the existence of a god in the history of European philosophy show this. From the cosmological arguments of pre-modern times, through arguments from design and anthropological arguments in the modern period, to a contemporary argument from interpersonal relationships, a deepening insight into human nature produces an evermore comprehensive conception of a god, one that is not incompatible with a scientific worldview, or the secular rejection of the supernatural in the name of human freedom.
S. Afr. J. Philos. Vol.24(4) 2005: 289-30
Reflection in practice as source of values: the cross-cultural creation of a health-care ethic in post-Apartheid South Africa
As a starting-point, in his well-known definition of a âpracticeâ, Alasdair MacIntyre argues that the âreflectionâ involved in âpracticeâ, is best understood as a dialogue between different partners, whether individuals or groups. Such reflection, aimed as it is at the achievement of excellence in the practice concerned, can (if pursued with rigour and commitment), uncover values embedded in the practice which, however limited the practice (rugby, gardening), have a wider, even universal, scope. When the partners in dialogue have general recognition of one another (religions, countries, professional bodies, political parties), these values can provide materials for a Global Ethic (Parliament of the Worldâs Religions), that is constructed from the bottom up (the Oregon Plan), rather than by some public authority (the United Nations). This article provides grounds for this view by examining the practice of health-care in post-apartheid South Africa, and the co-reflection of scientific health-care professionals and traditional healers, that are part of constructing a new model for health-care that better serves the needs of all South Africans. This dialogue may uncover values whose scope is wider than that of health-care and which could provide a really humane foundation for a society containing different cultures.Keywords: practice, Alisdair MacIntyre, reflection, values, culture/s, ethic, health-care professionals, traditional healer