Prospects of a Christian ethics of responsibility (part 2) : an assessment of three German versions

Abstract

In the article three versions of a Christian ethics of responsibility, developed by three German theologians, Wolfgang Huber, Johannes Fischer and Ulrich Körtner, in response to the philosopher Hans Jonas's introduction of the ethics of responsibility as a completely new and much needed ethical approach in the technological age, are analysed and assessed. The purpose is to assess the prospects of a Christian ethics of responsibility. An analysis shows the disparate nature of the three versions, but also reveals a number of ways in which responsibility can and should fundamentally qualify contemporary Christian ethics. The conclusion is therefore that the prospects of a Christian ethics are much more promising than a superficial comparison of the three disparate versions of such an ethics would suggest.