Eine moralische Geschichtsschreibung – ohne Moralismus. Kritische Bemerkungen zur modernen Kirchengeschichte
Author
Summary, in English
A moral Historiography without Moralism. Critical views on modern Church History
Efforts for realism without moral judgments have identified morals with present law. This leads to positivistic positions, where moral questions are being answered with references to historical legal situations only, without moral implications. With the political changes 1989–1990 a change in historiography followed. This became a problem to historians who saw their task not only in judgment, but in understanding and explaining history. A reverse danger is re-perspectivation and political instrumentalisation. Post-modern theories may not excuse historical relativism. To avoid moralism, we must understand the difference between theological and political discourses. Moralism may be regarded as a secular confessionalism. Moralism in historiography will lead to immoral consequences. In moral historiography without moralism I find a position between moralism and relativism. Moral principles may be found in Natural theology or in the Declaration of Human Rights. We may encounter moral dilemmas both in history and in future. While making moral judgments, we must understand history as a moral problem with several possibilities.
Efforts for realism without moral judgments have identified morals with present law. This leads to positivistic positions, where moral questions are being answered with references to historical legal situations only, without moral implications. With the political changes 1989–1990 a change in historiography followed. This became a problem to historians who saw their task not only in judgment, but in understanding and explaining history. A reverse danger is re-perspectivation and political instrumentalisation. Post-modern theories may not excuse historical relativism. To avoid moralism, we must understand the difference between theological and political discourses. Moralism may be regarded as a secular confessionalism. Moralism in historiography will lead to immoral consequences. In moral historiography without moralism I find a position between moralism and relativism. Moral principles may be found in Natural theology or in the Declaration of Human Rights. We may encounter moral dilemmas both in history and in future. While making moral judgments, we must understand history as a moral problem with several possibilities.
Department/s
Publishing year
2008
Language
German
Pages
79-91
Publication/Series
Religion - Staat - Gesellschaft. Zeitschrift für Glaubensformen und Weltanschauungen/Journal for the Study of Beliefs and Worldviews
Volume
7
Issue
1
Full text
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Document type
Journal article
Publisher
LIT Verlag
Topic
- Philosophy, Ethics and Religion
Keywords
- Historiography
- Church History
- moral
- moralism
- relativism
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1438-955X