Does Human Rights Need God?

Cover
Elizabeth M. Bucar, Barbra Barnett
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 31.08.2005 - 391 Seiten
When the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drafted in 1945, French Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain observed, "We agree on these rights, providing we are not asked why. With the 'why,' the dispute begins." The world since then has continued to agree to disagree, fearing that an open discussion of the divergent rationales for human rights would undermine the consensus of the Declaration. Is it possible, however, that current failures to protect human rights may stem from this tacit agreement to avoid addressing the underpinnings of human rights?

This consequential volume presents leading scholars, activists, and officials from four continents who dare to discuss the "why" behind human rights. Appraising the current situation from diverse religious perspectives -- Jewish, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Confucian, and secular humanist -- the contributors openly address the question whether God is a necessary part of human rights. Despite their widely varying commitments and approaches, the authors affirm that an investigation into the "why" of human rights need not devolve into irreconcilable conflict.

Contributors: Khaled Abou El Fadl
Barbra Barnett
Elizabeth M. Bucar
Jean Bethke Elshtain
Robert P. George
Vigen Guroian
Louis Henkin
Courtney W. Howland
David Novak
Sari Nusseibeh
Martin Palouš
Robert A. Seiple
Max L. Stackhouse
Charles Villa-Vicencio
Anthony C. Yu
 

Ausgewählte Seiten

Inhalt

Why Human Rights Needs God A Christian Perspective
21
Human Rights and Modern Western Faith An Orthodox Christian Assessment
37
God and Human Rights in a Secular Society A BiblicalTalmudic Perspective
44
Islam and the Challenge of Democratic Commitment
54
Enduring Change Confucianism and the Prospect of Human Rights
100
Secular Responses
129
Natural Law and Human Rights A Conversation
131
Religion Religions and Human Rights
140
Regional Experiences
195
The IsraeliPalestinian Conflict of Rights Is God the Only Problem?
197
God the Devil and Human Rights A South African Perspective
217
What Kind of God Does Human Rights Require?
235
Religious Freedom A Legacy to Reclaim
260
Afterword
282
Endnotes
285
Urheberrecht

The Challenge of Religious Fundamentalism to the Liberty and Equality Rights of Women An Analysis under the United Nations Charter
150

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Autoren-Profil (2005)

Elizabeth M. Bucar is assistant professor of religion at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has served as a research associate with the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Barbra Barnett is a doctoral candidate in ethics at the University of Chicago Divinity School and has served as research associate for the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

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