Abstract:
The article addresses the question: ‘To what extent can Max Weber’s ethic of responsibility
be a helpful resource in the search of Christian Social Ethics for an appropriate contemporary
approach’? This question is addressed by, first of all, providing a summary of Weber’s famous
speech Politics as a Vocation in which he developed his view on the ethic of responsibility;
secondly, providing an interpretation of his view; and, thirdly, critically discussing the extent
to which this ethic can serve as a resource for Christian Social Ethics in its search for an
appropriate contemporary approach. The conclusion is that although some aspects of Weber’s
view on the ethic of responsibility are unacceptable to Christian Social Ethics, the core of it is
commendable. Some of the implications of incorporating an ethic of responsibility approach
in Christian Social Ethics are also briefly discussed.
