On the Proper Essence of Christian Economic Ethics**

Zusammenfassung

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In recent times, the question about the proper essence of a Christian economic ethics has rarely been asked explicitly. However, the concept of a post-secular society, as presented by Jürgen Habermas, offers renewed access. The necessary foundation for this approach involves the relationship between belief and reason as the basis for communication, the concept of 'being made in God's own likeness' as regulating factor and the association with the Christian way of life as a prerequisite for responsible economic activity. One possible consequence hereof is to see the social market economy as a third way, situated between socialism and capitalism, with its extra-economic prerequisites and its particular relationship between market and state. After all, the aim is also to consider the role of the Church as a global player and an intermediary of values for a civil society.

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Auszug

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On the Proper Essence of Christian Economic Ethics**

Definition of the problem

The question on the proper essence of Christian economic ethics has hardly been asked explicitly any more in recent times (Wilhelms 2007: 494). Why did it not happen? In the past, for Christian social ethics - which also includes economic ethics - such foundations were part of the standard (Brinkmann 1978: 461 ff.; Kerber 1978: 547 ff.). Did we lose sight of this question in the secular societies because religious positions were pushed aside into private life; and what does the social philosopher Jürgen Habermas mean when he speaks, in this context, of a "post-secular society" mat should conserve the moral potentials of religions (Habermas 2001)? We should continue by dealing with these questions if laying the foundations for Christian economic ethics is to be successful in today's conditions.

1. Post-secular society

If we ask for the meaning of the term post-secular society, first of all two distinctions can be made. On the one hand, the concept of post-secular society presupposes a secularization process, and on the other hand, the assumption that mis process has come to its end does not mean that, as a result, a closed, for example Christian, society would be the consequence. But rather, post-secular society can only mean that secular patterns of interpretation - just like all other ones - must justify themselves in the discourse and that, besides religious ones, they subsist, but cannot enjoy any automatic preference.

However, with the religion sociologist José Casanova, we have to question the presuppositions of this position advocated by Habermas. For instance, in his Eurocentric view, Habermas assumes that religious groups continue to exist within an en...

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