A Critical Study of Leonard Swidler’s Ideas of Global Ethics

Global ethics is a need reminded to different researchers by the phenomenon of globalization. Meanwhile some scholars like the Catholic theologian Leonard Swidler seek to present the principles of the global ethics based on the common grounds of the religions (ecumenism). The current study has been conducted using a library-based analytic method in order to evaluate Swidler’s project of global ethics. To this end, the idea of the unity of religions is outlined and then Swidler’s theoretical foundations in his global ethics project as well as the principles presented by him in his second declaration are discussed. Finally, his project is criticized in the light of the presented principles and foundations and the following results are drawn: Swidler’s project of global ethics is of such advantages as paying attention to the responsibilities along with the rights, and the principles of human relations with the environment. Moreover, Swidler’s idea is significant in view of its being grounded in the effective interreligious dialogue as well as highlighting the role of religion in the global ethics. But his focus on the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and his failure of explication of its relation with the common ethics of religions have caused him to get distanced from the ideal of unity of religions in his second declaration.