FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY? SOME THOUGHTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND CHURCH LAW

Churches have a record of neglecting human rights in their internal lives, in spite of their history of advocating human rights in political life, and in spite of the theological value of human rights as such. How is this possible? Some major arguments in literature and church life against the indiscriminate acceptance of human rights in the church are listed, analysed and evaluated, including the understanding of : Law, Enlightenment, culture, world, tradition and ministry.