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Wednesday, March 19, 2008
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They are endowed with reason and conscience
and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
+++www.AnglicanExaminer.com+++
A Christ-centered discussion of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
ARTICLE ONE
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience
and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
=The Anglican Examiner=
+++www.AnglicanExaminer.com+++
5 comments:
The idea that we are created by God in the image of the creator is the things that comes to mind when I consider Article One's assertion of the inherent dignity of human beings.
I think Jesus is talking about conscience when he talks about sinning in your heart.
Yes, I too have been thinking about the fact that in Genesis we are told that God created humanity in His own image, male and female, He created us. No matter who we are, at a very basic level of identity, all human beings share this: we are the result of a deliberate act of creation.
I don't know that we are born free. I simply don't know. If Original Sin exists, then we are not born free. We are born into a world of sin that has not universally claimed the salvific work of Jesus' incarnation, death and resurrection.
Then there is the Baptismal Covenant of the Book of Common Prayer of The Episcopal Church, USA where we vow to respect the dignity of all persons.
To me the above does not merely "suggest that we are equal in dignity and rights", it states this is so in no uncertain terms.
"Does Jesus ever appeal to reason or conscience?"
All the time, IMO. In the Beatitudes, in the parables. Telling us to judge not lest we be judged ourselves. Telling the person who is without sin to cast the first stone. Those examples are but the tip of the iceberg as far as I am concerned.
"In your view, does Article One of the Declaration:
—Emphasize rights but not duties?
—Value the individual above the community?"
I do not see an either/or in Article one. I see a both/and. Am I a good Anglican or what? :->
Maybe I am too much a product of the USA, but I recall being taught that with freedom comes great responsibility. If we are ourselves free, then it follows that we must then extend that freedom to others.
But this is not license to do whatever seems good to an individual. The Book of Judges, for example, shows us the anarchy that results from that. We need appropriate boundaries and limits.
While setting aside for the moment my issues with the gender exclusive word "brotherhood", the meaning of this clause is, I believe, community. Community is a delicate balance between the rights of individuals and the needs of the community.
Yet a community that does not respect the rights and freedoms of its members is not a community at all. For instance in refusing to dialog with people of differing opinions. Nor can an individual exert their freedoms and ignore the guidelines of the community. One can choose to cross the street in the middle of the block instead of the crosswalk, but there may be a high price to pay.
Sister Gloriamarie Amalfitano
Episcopal Solitary, San Diego, CA
I think these questions and comments are very thought-provoking. I will try to visit again soon.
To me, Christ as portrayed in the Gospels, the true light who gives light to everyone who comes into the world, embodies the potential for human freedom and dignity. It is an ongoing struggle to try to live our lives, and conduct our relationships, accordingly.
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