Woodstock Report | Challenge and Hope in Padua

Spending three days talking about the ethical challenges facing the world could easily be a depressing experience. War, corruption, violence against women, environmental degradation, massive poverty, AIDS, abortion, discrimination, ethnic conflict, exploitation of the poor, Christian-Islamic conflicts, and other horrors do not make for light-hearted table conversations. But when Catholic ethicists from around the world met in Padua in early July, they confronted these issues not only with Christian realism but also with Christian hope.

The conference, organized by James Keenan, S.J., of Boston College, was the first of its kind to bring together over 400 Catholic ethicists from more than 60 nations to talk about Catholic theological ethics in the world church. The plan was to encourage a multi-cultural conversation among Catholic ethicists so that they could help the church, and the world, confront the horrendous challenges of our time (see their website, catholicethics.com). And conversation there was: four intercontinental panels, five continental panels and 40 panels on applied ethics, which looked at specific issues in greater detail.

Many ethicists talked of a climate of fear and censorship in the church.

Although the conference participants came from diverse cultures and nations, key challenges kept coming up in discussions.

Violence. Violent conflict was a concern on every continent: war in the Middle East, ethnic conflict in the old Yugoslavia, tribal divisions in Africa, religious tensions in Asia, gang violence in El Salvador, and terrorism. Leading people to be more tolerant and accepting of others is seen as an essential responsibility of Christian ethics.

Poverty. Unemployment and structural poverty, lack of access to education and other opportunities keep the poor in poverty from generation to generation. Breaking out of that cycle is an ethical imperative.

Healthcare. Lack of basic healthcare for the poor, AIDS, abortion and bioethical technologies raise a host of ethical issues around the world.

Globalization. Although not seen as a totally negative phenomenon, globalization has made some people very rich while leaving most in poverty. Large-scale migration has resulted not only in North America but also in Asia.

Environment. Environmental degradation is apparent on all continents, especially in developing nations trying to compete in a global economy. Portraying this as a choice between helping the poor and protecting the environment was seen as a false choice since it is the poor who are most hit by the pollution of their environment.

Corruption. While the legacy of colonialism weighs heavy in the Third World, corrupt local and national leaders who ignore the common good are making it impossible for many countries to develop. That some of these elites were educated in Catholic schools is a scandal.

Identity. Cultural diversity, globalization, mass communications, secularism, and weakened family ties are all destabilizing personal, religious and cultural identities, leading to dysfunctional fear and uncertainty. As Christians this identity must involve both the mind and the heart and flow into actions for solidarity and justice.

The Ethicists. Although it was not the topic of any panel, many ethicists talked of a climate of fear and censorship in the church that limits their ability to speak and publish. The relationship between the teachings of the hierarchy and ethics was debated, with a variety of views expressed. Some felt that this foundational issue needed to be faced before moving on to practical issues; others felt that the question was too divisive to touch.

Dealing with all these challenges is made more complex in the pluralistic environment of a world church. But there is also a richness in this pluralism that must be mined through dialogue and respect for local cultures. Whether it is the tradition of African wisdom, Confucianism or contemporary sciences, the ethicist has to listen before he or she speaks to the world. Otherwise preaching will not be understood, let alone lead to a conversion of heart.

The riches of pluralism were apparent during this meeting. People coming from a variety of settings had diverse views and perspectives. This mix was a result of Keenan's raising money from a variety of sources to enable Third World ethicists and students to attend. Even so, some 20 ethicists were unable to get visas to attend the conference in Italy, one of the more open countries of Europe. Those who made it to Padua exchanged horror stories of how they have been treated by embassies and border control personnel, while traveling to conferences in the First World.

It is no longer enough to educate the elites. Hope and power must be given to those at the edges of society.

While dialogue and learning from each other was a predominant theme, there were also disagreements and even a cross-cultural critique. The African and Latin panels were criticized for not mentioning the condition of women in their societies (one panelist dug himself deeper by distinguishing between American feminists and the more feminine feminists of his continent). The European panel was faulted for only focusing on internal European issues without touching on their responsibilities in the global community. Some First World ethicists were faulted for not having a sufficiently "theological" ethics.

Where to go from here was also on the minds of the participants. The need for scholarships for students of ethics and fellowships for scholars was noted. The desire to keep the conversation and dialogue going led to talk of websites, e-newsletters, blogs, and other technologies. The Asian and African ethicists each caucused and formed the first continent-wide Catholic ethics organizations for Africa and Asia. Women ethicists also met to support one another and further communications.

But on a wider front, participants recognized the need to bring Christian ethics to the masses so that people can be empowered to take ownership of their place in civil society and the global economy. It is no longer enough to educate the elites. Hope and power must be given to those at the edges of society.

Hope was the concluding note of the conference. The cultural richness of the meeting pointed to resources that can be mined to enrich theological ethics through dialogue and cooperation. But more fundamentally, it is the core of the Christian message - the Father's love for us and the cross and resurrection - that gives hope to those who spend their lives analyzing the ethical challenges facing our world. It is this hope that they must also give to those who feel overwhelmed and depressed by the seemingly impossible challenges facing their lives and our world.

Father Reese is a senior fellow of Woodstock and former editor of America magazine.