This dissertation is a study about Stanley Hauerwas' Christian social ethics on violence, and its relevance and contribution to the Korean Protestant church in overcoming its social ethical problems, its compromised and distorted teaching on violence, and misunderstanding of Christian pacifism; as well as rediscovering its own identity and distinctiveness. The primary reason for adopting and applying Hauerwas' social ethics in the Korean church is that his account of violence is not simply a portrayal of an ethic of war, but rather an attempt to create a new paradigm of Christian ethics, a rediscovery of the church's identity and social ethical task, of Christians' primary loyalty, and a community's practices and discipleship for peacemaking. The weakness in the Korean church's distinctive theological teaching on social ethics and war involves secular ethics, and has resulted in its becoming compromised and distorted with secularism, humanism, anticommunist ideology and survivalist nuclear pacifism. The Korean church's perspective on violence is based on a sociopolitical and geopolitical situation rather than Christian convictions and practices. As a result the church has failed to build up a distinctive moral community to witness to the peaceable kingdom. Hauerwas' account of Christian pacifism can help the Korean church 'to be the church' for peacemaking in a violent world. The thesis consists of nine chapters divided into three parts. Part One is to examine and analyse critically the social ethical problems of the Korean church in the theological, historical, socio-political and military context. Part Two discusses Hauerwas' understanding of ethics, of character, Christian social ethics, the Christian community's practices and life of nonviolence, and Christian pacifism. Also considered are his theological politics, the church as a social ethic, a Christian challenge to conventional decision-making ethics, the social responsibility of the church, and the controversial argument regarding just war and pacifism. Part Three deals with how Hauerwas' social ethics could be relevant to the Korean Christian context. In spite of the limitation of his overemphasis on the distinctiveness of the Christian community, and probable difficulty with such a concept within this Third World culture, his account of nonviolence could constructively contribute in overcoming the social ethical dilemmas as to evangelism or social responsibility, and just war or nuclear pacifism, as well as leading the Korean church to rediscover the focus of the Christian community's task for peacemaking in our violent world.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The central problem of this dissertation is to test some aspects of the hypothesis that a modified version of Edgar Sheffield Brightman's Moral Laws constitutes a fundamental theoretical framework for social ethics. A test case is considered which compares the implicit assumptions made qy certain religious social ethicists with those characteristic of moral law social etlncs. It is hypothesized that if social ethics based on moral laws do represent fundamental principles, then evidence of dependence on them will be found in the writinr,s of those who hold to other systems. These investigations allow six propositions to be made on the proper components of a viable social ethic. These are derived from the investigation of the presuppositions of moral laws and the consequences of the types of appeals made to moral law social ethics by Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Ramsey. Two methodological procedures are used. The first is an analytic and synthetic exposition of the central theoretical problem of outlining particular aspects of moral law foundations for social ethics. This exposition includes contributions of philosophy and social science. These data are incorporated into a fourfold re-classification of Brightman's Noral Laws as amended to include a law of the ideal of community. The second methodological procedure involves the use of content analysis of selected works of Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Ramsey. The analysis is made by examining the arguments in specific ethical considerations in terms of the adequacy of their theoretical framework. It is noted that the authors rely on arguments analogous to the principles of moral law social ethics where their theory seems inadequate, and that the theoretical framework often makes no improvement on moral law social ethics. The limitations of this study are uncerstood in terms of the use of the data. In the work on the expansion of Edgar S. Brightman's Horal Laws, contributions by other philosophers and by social scientists are limited to the areas where their thinking is consonant with that of Brightman, although new insights of these thinkers are incorporated. The thought of neither Reinhold Niebuhr nor Paul Ramsey has been exhaustively analyzed. This dissertation is not primarily concerned with this problem but rather, only with their thought as illustrative material. The limits of the conclusions regarding this illustrative material are that some forms of Christian social ethics may be subsumed in moral law social ethics without doing violence to the ethical efficacy of Christian theory. This excludes, however, accepting the exclusiveness of revelatory data as a presupposition. It is concluded that at least six aspects of moral law foundations for social ethics are universally valid. First, that the term "normative system" must be understood as capable of development; second, that any valid social ethics must be adequately grounded in an empirical approach; third, that empiricism must be broadly understood in terms of a theory of reality which is organic and pluralistic; fourth, that ethics must always find its locus in the category of personality which, in social ethics, is integral to the concept of community; fifth, that ethical terms and their validity may only be understood in the light of one's understanaing of the nature and function of culture; sixth, that religious ethics should be included as part of the data of moral experience. / 2031-01-01

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / Statement of the Problem The problem of the dissertation is to analyze the implicit and explicit ethical principles and moral norms in the social thought of Norman Mattoon Thomas, six-time Socialist Party candidate for President of the United States and a former Presbyterian clergyman. Method The method is two-fold, historical and analytical. In chapters and sections dealing with formative influences and developments in Thomas' thought it is historical. In searching for norms and principles it is analytical. Procedure Chapter II traces the formative influence in the development of Thomas' thought down to the time when he rejected absolute pacifism in the early 1920's. Other changes in his thought are handled in the following appropriate chapters. Chapter III discusses Thomas' views on human nature, human freedom, the place of ethics and the role of religion in social ethics. Chapters IV through VII analyze the principles and norms in Thomas' positions respectively on human rights and civil liberties, the economic order, the state, and war and peace. Chapter VIII attempts to place the norms emerging from the previous chapters into a conceptual scheme. Moreover, it demonstrates that Thomas' social ethics is decidedly American and bears the firm imprint of Christian ethics. Chapter IX outlines the broad framework of Thomas' social strategy and discusses the problem of compromise as it relates to it. This chapter is used to illustrate points previously made and to suggest that Thomas' contribution to American life must be seen in his impact upon the social and cultural ethos. Chapter X outlines the conclusions of the dissertation. Conclusions 1. This analysis of the thought of Norman Thomas has revealed an ethical system composed of two fundamental principles and a composite of six norms which exist in a nexus of tension and interpenetration. The two fundamental principles are: (a) each person ought to be treated as an end in himself, and (b) means ought to be consistent with the ends chosen. The cooperative commonwealth is an ethical composite made up of the norms of peace, plenty, freedom, justice, equality, and cooperation-fraternity. 2. This ethical system is found throughout Thomas' views on civil liberties, the economic order, the state, and war and peace. Moreover, the system is a coherent one for a moral approach to social issues. 3. The social ethics of Norman Thomas is central in his thinking and is the major determinative factor in his views. Moreover, his posture as a "moral man" rather than a "political man" is his major contribution to American life. 4. Basic changes in the thought of Norman Thomas are closely related to his religious and ethical views. This is shown in his becoming a socialist and an absolute pacifist. It is equally demonstrated in his later rejection of absolute pacifism and his views on Russia. 5. Thomas is emphatically American as an advocate of the American democratic faith. 6. Thomas' social thought reflects the firm imprint of Christian ethics although he is no longer able to accept the Christian God. 7. The lasting contribution of Norman Thomas to social ethics is not in creative thought, but in himself. His is not a seminal mind, but for more than fifty years he has been the conscience of America, questioning her certainties, her goals, and her means for achieving them. He has placed before her people the vision of the cooperative commonwealth, of a new day of peace, plenty, and freedom which will end the darkness of exploitation, war, and want. / 2031-01-01

Thesis (M.A.)--Southern California College, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-167).

Thesis (Theol. licenciate)--Albertus-Universität zu Königsberg in Pr., 1935. / Vita. " ... wird ... im Nachstehenden nur das erste Kapitel des ersten Abschnittes [Die sittliche Gemainschaft, ihr Ursprung und ihr Wesen] zum Abdruck gebracht"--T.p. verso. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Southern California College, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-167).

Habilitationsschrift-Bern. / Bibliography: p. 189-200.

Habilitationsschrift-Bern. / Bibliography: p. 189-200.

Thesis (Th. M.)--Calvin Theological Seminary, 1994. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-92).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Santa Cruz, 1988. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.