Summaries / Resúmenes - Studia Moralia

480 REVIEWS / RECENSIONESHans-Joachim Höhn explores further the theme the loss of a unifiedreason, and the emergence of de-centered reason. He raises theinteresting question of how this new form of reason would relate tofaith. Martin Honecker widens the discussion of reason, to includeaffectivity and experience. The second chapter turns to questions ofphilosophy and fundamental theology. Ludger Honnefelder raisesthe old question of whether good means what God wills, in a newform. How should we construe the ethical as such? Is it to be understoodprimarily as a matter of obligation, and should it be widened,as Paul Ricoeur thinks, to include the moment of hope? Jean-ClaudWolf, against the background of contemporary endeavours to establisha purely secular ethic, and the consequent banning of religiousconsiderations from public ethical discussion, considers whetherthere can be an ethic which is developed from Christian sources. Inthe course of his considerations he introduces an informative analysisof theories of punishment and forgiveness. It seems that in therealm of secular ethics, the only role for scriptural texts is purely asliterary allusions; they are no longer given any normative significance.Yet precisely as literary, they may be found to be unavoidablewhen ethical debate goes beyond the superficial and seeks for depth.Hansjürgen Verweyen poses a very precise question: what foundationalfunction can historical revelation have in relation to ethics? Heinvestigates briefly a number of authors who have made a significantcontribution to the question, beginning with Anselm of Canterbury.Thomas Pröpper gives himself what would seem to a difficult task,namely to work from the principle of autonomy to universal solidarity,which he regards as an unavoidable ethical demand in our contemporarysituation.The third chapter is dedicated to the meaning and basis of“autonome Moral” a notion which is very difficulty to translate accuratelyinto English. Hermann Ringeling takes up the issue in the contextof contemporary evangelical ethics. Denis Müller again dealswith evangelical ethics, focusing on its development in debates withmodernity. A Catholic perspective, from outside the German culturalcontext, is presented by Salvatore Privitera This article manifests thewell neigh insuperable difficulties which the “autonomy” questionproduces when it is approached from a cultural and theologicalmilieu different from that in which it emerged. Privitera interpretsthe notion of autonomy in the standard terms of Catholic moral theology,and finds it, in this translation, acceptable but not particular-