<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?><article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
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<journal-meta>
<journal-id>1015-8758</journal-id>
<journal-title><![CDATA[Acta Theologica]]></journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title><![CDATA[Acta theol.]]></abbrev-journal-title>
<issn>1015-8758</issn>
<publisher>
<publisher-name><![CDATA[University of the Free State]]></publisher-name>
</publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id>S1015-87582012000100003</article-id>
<title-group>
<article-title xml:lang="en"><![CDATA[Can christian ethics be used to engage business? A (South) African consideration]]></article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname><![CDATA[Fourie]]></surname>
<given-names><![CDATA[Willem]]></given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="A01"/>
</contrib>
</contrib-group>
<aff id="A01">
<institution><![CDATA[,University of Pretoria Department of Dogmatics and Christian Ethics ]]></institution>
<addr-line><![CDATA[Pretoria ]]></addr-line>
<country>South Africa</country>
</aff>
<pub-date pub-type="pub">
<day>00</day>
<month>00</month>
<year>2012</year>
</pub-date>
<pub-date pub-type="epub">
<day>00</day>
<month>00</month>
<year>2012</year>
</pub-date>
<volume>32</volume>
<numero>1</numero>
<fpage>46</fpage>
<lpage>60</lpage>
<copyright-statement/>
<copyright-year/>
<self-uri xlink:href="http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&amp;pid=S1015-87582012000100003&amp;lng=en&amp;nrm=iso&amp;tlng=en"></self-uri><self-uri xlink:href="http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&amp;pid=S1015-87582012000100003&amp;lng=en&amp;nrm=iso&amp;tlng=en"></self-uri><self-uri xlink:href="http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_pdf&amp;pid=S1015-87582012000100003&amp;lng=en&amp;nrm=iso&amp;tlng=en"></self-uri><abstract abstract-type="short" xml:lang="en"><p><![CDATA[Business enterprises are in a position to exert a significant influence on society - particularly in the context of developing countries. Businesses no longer simply influence shareholders, employees and customers, but also play a role in strengthening (or weakening) political institutions and contributing to the wellbeing of other stakeholders. The result is that business enterprises are increasingly accountable to a growing number of stakeholders. In this article the possibility of utilising Christian ethics to engage business is investigated. The question is whether it is at all possible for the church to address the business world by applying its particular ethical resources, and - should this be possible - what form such engagements could take.]]></p></abstract>
<kwd-group>
<kwd lng="en"><![CDATA[Christian ethics]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="en"><![CDATA[Business ethics]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="en"><![CDATA[Developing countries]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="en"><![CDATA[Africa]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="af"><![CDATA[Christelike etiek]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="af"><![CDATA[Besigheidsetiek]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="af"><![CDATA[Ontwikkelende lande]]></kwd>
<kwd lng="af"><![CDATA[Afrika]]></kwd>
</kwd-group>
</article-meta>
</front><body><![CDATA[ <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4"><b>Can christian    ethics be used to engage business? A (South) African consideration</b></font></p>     <p>&nbsp;</p>     <p>&nbsp;</p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b>Willem Fourie</b></font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> Department of    Dogmatics and Christian Ethics, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria,    Private bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa. Email: <a href="http://willem.fourie@up.ac.za">willem.fourie@up.ac.za</a></font></p>     <p>&nbsp;</p>     <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr noshade size="1">     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b>ABSTRACT</b></font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Business enterprises    are in a position to exert a significant influence on society - particularly    in the context of developing countries. Businesses no longer simply influence    shareholders, employees and customers, but also play a role in strengthening    (or weakening) political institutions and contributing to the wellbeing of other    stakeholders. The result is that business enterprises are increasingly accountable    to a growing number of stakeholders. In this article the possibility of utilising    Christian ethics to engage business is investigated. The question is whether    it is at all possible for the church to address the business world by applying    its particular ethical resources, and - should this be possible - what form    such engagements could take.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b>Keywords:</b>      Christian ethics; Business ethics; Developing countries; Africa</font></p> <hr noshade size="1">     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b>Sleutelwoorde:</b>      Christelike etiek; Besigheidsetiek; Ontwikkelende lande; Afrika</font></p> <hr noshade size="1">     <p>&nbsp;</p>     <p>&nbsp;</p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3"><b>1. INTRODUCTION</b></font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Christian ethics    in its literal sense can be viewed from at least two perspectives. From one    perspective the qualifier "Christian" can refer to ethics practised by Christians.    From another perspective it can be understood as ethics meant to be applicable    to Christians, in this sense referring to ethics for Christians. These two perspectives    introduce questions about the audiences that may legitimately be addressed by    Christian ethics. This article is based on the interplay between the two perspectives.    It will be argued that it is possible to use the ethics practised by Christians    to address the business world.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The context in    which this question is asked - a post-colonial developing country with democratic    institutions still in the process of maturing - it is not simply of academic    importance. Businesses have a significant role to play in the development of    developing countries as they have an impact on more people than simply their    shareholders, employees and customers (Institute of Directors of Southern Africa    2009:11), and they have opportunities to exert political leverage - both in    strengthening (Moon, Crane &amp; Matten 2005) and undermining democracy (Koenig-Archibugi    2004). Intuitively it seems as if the church ought to be able to engage these    important societal actors. This article will examine the ethical role of this    particular intuition more closely.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">We start by asking    who actually practises Christian ethics, and consequently whether Christian    ethics are meant only for the church. The article does not intend to provide    exhaustive theological arguments on these two issues. They are rather regarded    as giving descriptive and historical hints on how to view the practitioners    of, and audiences for, Christian ethics. The two sections dealing with these    issues will provide us with working definitions of the practitioners and audiences    of Christian ethics and will form the basis for considering how the practitioners    of Christian ethics can engage the business world by examining documents formulated    by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches in Kitwe and Accra and the Institute    of Directors of Southern Africa.</font></p>     <p>&nbsp;</p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3"><b>2. TOWARDS WORKING    DEFINITIONS</b></font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b>2.1 The practitioners    of Christian ethics</b></font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Key moments in    the history of Christianity can assist us to a significant extent in formulating    a working definition of the practitioners of Christian ethics.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The early church    was faced with the challenge of applying its particular theological resources    to reach an understanding of what constitutes acceptable behaviour within the    Christian community (Wogaman 1993:23-36). Ethics and identity were intertwined    as the early church increasingly positioned itself as distinct from Judaism.    As the church outgrew its sectarian origins, the perceived ethics of its members    were increasingly experienced as being at odds with what was accepted in society    (Ferguson 1993:556-562). For the early Christians, not worshipping the emperor    and practising syncretism were not simply theologically-based choices, but deeply    ethical decisions (Gonzalez 1984:14-15). Internally the Christian community    was also faced with serious challenges. The connectionbetween theology, ecclesiology    and ethics was translated in some groups to moral lethargy, whilst other developed    at times extreme forms of moral rigour (Evans 2008:29-34).</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Galerius' change    in policy towards Christians in the Roman Empire in 311 (A.D.), the Edict of    Milan of 313 (A.D.) and Constantine's increasing benevolence towards the Christian    community changed the mode in which the church applied its teachings (Evans    2008:36). The connection between religious and political identities became closer,    so much so that "official theologies" - addressed not only to the church but    also to broader society - started to develop (Gonzalez 1984:129-135).</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">As the church developed    into an important societal institution with its own standing before the law,    and consequently increasingly prescribing and legitimating Christian conduct,    the tension between public and church ethics intensified (cf. Ginther 2008:48).    The church began to find itself in a continuous process of applying its teachings    to the often rapidly changing architecture of societal power relations. The    German and Swiss Reformations of the sixteenth century signify both its influence    on and reaction to changing societal relations. Luther's emphatic defence of    the freedom of a Christian - and the related responsibility towards others -    is an important example of both a recommitment to theological sources and their    concrete and contextual application in a very specific socio-cultural and political    context (cf. J&uuml;ngel 1988). Calvin both strengthened the normative role    of the church in Christian ethics - by famously confirming that the church exists    where the Word is duly preached and the sacraments are duly administered - and    broadened its reach - by explicating God's law as also the basis for public    order (Mudge 2008:613-614).</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Since the key moments    outlined above, many changes have taken place within and around the church.    But even amidst a plurality of Christian churches, which are at times bitterly    divided and operative on a number of levels, it still seems to be the case that    the church understands itself as the primary practitioner of Christian ethics.    In our view this plurality does not contradict the fact that the church remains    the primary practitioner of Christian ethics, and continues to express this    deeply Christian conviction. The South African theologian Dirk Smit identifies    - descriptively - six forms of the church, which helps us to engage with this    plurality and to connect present-day experience with the hints described above.    Centuries of differentiation in society and the church have led to societal    institutions and indeed societies with much higher forms of coordination and    complexity than the case was centuries ago. This necessarily means that the    church now functions on a number of different levels. According to Smit, the    church exists as worshipping communities, local congregations,denominations,    ecumenical bodies, voluntary organisations and individual believers (Smit 1996:21-22).    In our view this differentiation helps us to understand the multiple sites of    expression of the church as the locations where the church continues to be the    primary practitioner of Christian ethics.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">But this raises    a second question. Does the church as primary practitioner of Christian ethics,    even in a plurality of ways, imply that Christian ethics are also meant to be    addressed exclusively to the church?</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b>2.2 The audience(s)    for Christian ethics</b></font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">For some the distinction    between the practitioners and audiences of Christian ethics may seem artificial.    It may seem as if it is impossible to think of an audience of Christian ethics    other than the church. In this article some significant - some might feel dissenting    - traditions within the church are identified as reminders that another view    is possible. These traditions may assist us in formulating a working definition    of the audience(s) for Christian ethics. It is indeed the case that some traditions    within Christianity have consistently maintained the conviction that any understanding    of what constitutes meaningful human existence should be addressed to society    as a whole and not simply the church. Indeed, our discussion of the church's    role in the practice of Christian ethics has already alluded to subtle changes    that have taken place in the perception of the addressees of Christian ethics.    Possibly two of the clearest examples are the (related) traditions of Roman    Catholic social teaching and Protestant social ethics.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The origins of    modern Roman Catholic social teaching can be found in an explicit church document:    Pope Leo XIII's encyclical <i>Rerum Novarum,</i> promulgated in 1891 (Barrera    1999:287). In this encyclical the issue of a just society - and not simply a    just church - is addressed in order to search for an "opportune remedy" for    "the misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working    class" <i>(Rerum Novarum,</i> Article 3). It is fairly clear that the audience    of this document - in a primary sense those who are called on to respond and    in a secondary sense those whose lives are meant to be influenced - is not necessarily    the same as the community within which the document was written. A number of    documents followed, including <i>Quadragesimo Anno</i> to commemorate the 40<sup>th</sup>    anniversary of <i>Rerum Novarum</i> and responding to the economic crisis of    1929; <i>Mit brennender Sorge</i> in 1937 to respond to the political situation    in Germany at the time; Pope John XXIII's <i>Pacem in Terris</i> on the challenge    of peace in a time of nuclear proliferation; and the significant pastoral constitution    <i>Gaudium et Spes</i> of the Second Vatican Council covering a range of themes.    This differentiation between practitioner and audiences is present in all of    these documents. Pope Benedict XVI promulgated the most recent encyclical, entitled    <i>Caritas in Veritate,</i> in 2009. This document continues to express    Roman Catholic social teaching for the perceived benefit of the whole of society.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The situation of    the working-class poor at the end of the nineteenth century that gave rise to    Roman Catholic social teaching is generally viewed as also the genesis of Protestant    social ethics (J&aacute;ger 1981:20). New forms of societal and personal uncertainty,    poverty and changed power relations brought about by industrialisation created    the need for new forms of ethical reflection. Especially socialist Protestant    theologians in Germany responded to this challenge, with Leonhard Ragaz and    Hermann Kutter being amongst the better known among them (J&aacute;ger 1981:19).    These theorists were united in their rejection of the implicit independence    and <i>Eigengesetzlichkeit</i> of societal spheres - especially of the economic    sphere (Huber 1985:57). In the German context - where arguably the most important    initial work in social ethics was done - the critique of the supposed independence    of societal spheres was supplemented by detecting the legitimate (God-willed)    orders <i>(Ordnungen)</i> present in society. Social structures such as the    state, marriage and society became the theme of social ethics (Wendland 1961:19),    and continued a tradition of addressing groups (and the wellbeing of these groups)    outside the church.</font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In recent years    the practitioners of social ethics and the social locations of their implementation    have expanded immensely. Social ethics is now practised within the different    forms of the church in developed and developing contexts for a range of non-church    audiences. Reihs <i>et al.</i> develop ten theses that characterise Protestant    social ethics (Reihs <i>et al.</i> 2007:11). Together these ten theses illustrate    the social ethical conviction that Christian ethics is not always addressed    only to the church. Indeed, the identity of Christian social ethics is formed    by God's gracious justification (thesis 1), making Christians God's custodians    (thesis 7), who are to advocate for a just society (thesis 4) in which all people    have the same opportunities (thesis 6).</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">When viewed from    the perspective of Christian social ethics, it is clear that Christian ethics    may well be practised exclusively by the church, but they are certainly not    meant exclusively for the church. In terms of our argument this means that Christian    ethics theoretically can be used to engage the business world. However, the    theoretical possibility that Christian ethics can be used to engage business    does not address the somewhat more concrete question of how this may be done.    The following section will investigate two ways in which Christian ethics may    be used to engage the business world. We start by considering a reactive engagement    with business and conclude the article by considering the possibility of constructive    engagement. The aim of the next section is mostly to describe, rather than to    prescribe, and therefore these categories are treated in a descriptive and not    in a normative way.</font></p>     <p>&nbsp;</p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3"><b>3. CHRISTIAN    ETHICS AND BUSINESS</b> </font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b>3.1 Responding    to business?</b></font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In his seminal    1987 Stob lectures James Gustafson recognises prophetic discourse as an important    form of Christian moral discourse. In terms of Gustafson's characterisation,    this reactive mode consists of two dimensions. It communicates in the form of    moral indictments, such as "the word of the Lord proclaimed against the moral    evil and apostasy of the world and societies" (Gustafson 1988:8). It is a passionate    message aimed at uncovering what it perceives to be the root of evil and courageously    denounces this evil. It does not simply make analytical statements, but uses    complex and emotive language (Gustafson 1988:12). However, this reactive mode    does not only denounce. In reaction to the situation it also</font></p>     <blockquote>        <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">portrays an alluring      vision of the future, of possibilities for life in the world in which the      forms of strife and suffering we all experience are overcome (Gustafson 1988:13).</font></p> </blockquote>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">This mode clearly    has both reactive as well as proactive - or visionary - dimensions.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In our understanding,    prophetic reactions seem more often than not to emphasise its reactive dimension.    The Kitwe Declaration (1995) and Accra Confession (2004) of the World Alliance    of Reformed Churches are important examples of such a reactive engagement with    business and may be used to distil some shared characteristics of such a reactive    engagement.</font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In Kitwe the experience    of economic injustice - particularly the "systematic exclusion of Africa from    the world economy" (WARC 1995: "Seeing", Article 2) - led to the drafting of    the Kitwe Declaration (Smit 2008). The church is accordingly compelled to engage    with business enterprises, systems and even governments in a unilateral and    passionate manner. The freedom the church has in determining the form of the    engagement is balanced by the role of business enterprises and systems in determining    the subject of the engagement. Concrete realities such as "the almost untouchable    structures of production, distribution and consumption of material goods and    services" (WARC 1995, "Seeing", Article 4) and multinational corporations that</font></p>     <blockquote>        <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">usurp the democratic      will of most of the people in Africa by coercing our governments to remove      desperately needed protection from fragile enterprises (WARC 1995, "Seeing",      Article 6) </font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">play      a determining role in the subject of the engagement.</font></p> </blockquote>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Of course, already    identifying the concrete realities that need to be addressed gives those that    initiate an engagement some interpretative influence. This is further made clear    when the "global market economy" is deemed "sacralized" and "elevated to an    imperial throne" (WARC 1995, "Judging", Article 2). It is "idolatrous and dehumanizing"    (WARC 1995, "Judging", Article 3) and "usurps the sovereignty of God" (WARC    1995, "Judging", Article 2). The current situation should consequently be addressed    by "alternative economic practice", which is guided by "the needs of human beings    in the form of the preferential protection of the poor, and respect for nature"    (WARC 1995, "Acting", Article 2).</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The substance -    or in this case judgment - of the engagement cannot be understood without taking    note of the location from which it is initiated. The economic exploitation and    the resultant powerlessness of Africans (WARC 1995, "Seeing", Articles 4 and    7) and the appropriation of political power (WARC 1995, "Seeing", Article 6)    and cultural impoverishment (WARC 1995, "Seeing", Article 5) brought about by    multinational companies serve to describe the context of this engagement. The    experience of powerlessness is central to the form and substance of this reactive    engagement</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Nearly a decade    and a few declarations later the Accra Confession was drafted in a similarly    reactive mode. The confession understands itself as a response to the unjust    global economic system as the root cause of massive threats to human life and    non-human forms of life on earth:</font></p>     <blockquote>        <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The root causes      of massive threats to life are above all the product of an unjust economic      system defended and protected by political and military might. Economic systems      are a matter of life or death (WARC 2004, Article 6).</font></p> </blockquote>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The concrete starting    point of the confession is the "neo-liberal ideology" (WARC 2004, Article 14)    that claims sovereignty over life and is therefore idolatry (WARC 2004, Article    10). This system promotes policies of limitless growth (WARC 2004, Articles    8 and 23), rampant consumerism and competitive greed and selfishness (WARC 2004,    Article 29). The church - and implicitly the majority of the world's inhabitants    - is located in a position of powerlessness in relation to the agents driving    this unjust system. These agents are identified as "&#91;t&#93;he United States    of America and its allies, together with international finance and trade institutions    (International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organization)" who use    "political, economic, or military alliances to protect and advance the interest    of capital owners" (WARC 2004, Article 13). The confession addresses churches'    perceived position of powerlessness by also confessing the "complicity and guilt"    of those who initiate interaction, particularly those who "consciously or unconsciously    benefit from the current neoliberal economic global system", those who have    "become captivated by the culture of consumerism" and those who misuse creation    and fail to play a role as "stewards and companions" (WARC 2004, Article 34).</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Articles 17 to    36 of the Accra Confession continue the rather reactive tone of the engagement    by consistently connecting articles of faith with descriptions and judgments    of realities. Because God is "sovereign over all creation" (WARC 2004, Article    18), for example, the "current world economic order imposed by global neoliberal    capitalism" and indeed all economic systems "which defy God's covenant by excluding    the poor, the vulnerable and the whole of creation from the fullness of life"    are rejected (WARC 2004, Article 19). Or God's covenant with "all of creation"    (WARC 2004, Article 20) </font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">forms the basis    for the rejection of </font></p>     <blockquote>        <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">the culture of      rampant consumerism and the competitive greed and selfishness of the neoliberal      global market system, or any other system, which claims there is no alternative      (WARC 2004, Article 21).</font></p> </blockquote>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">A particular interplay    between three elements characterises a reactive application of prophetic discourse.    Firstly, practitioners of Christian ethics initiate the engagement. Christian    ethics therefore determine the form of this mode of engagement as a certain    state of affairs usually compels the church to engage the business world in    a decidedly unilateral manner. The subject of the engagement, secondly, is to    a large extent formed by business itself. The church reacts to a situation brought    about by business, which means that the church's reaction is materially dependent    on business. Thirdly, the perceived location of the different parties is significant.    A reactive engagement is typically possible where the church perceives itself    as located outside the spheres of influence of the respective business or even    economic systems. A reactive engagement is based on the assumption that the    church is a spectator much more than a participant.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Some observers    may feel that the above characterisation of the Kitwe Declaration and the Accra    Confession seems somewhat one-sided. To be sure, both documents also contain    visionary dimensions. In its last section Kitwe declares that life is affirmed    against death and that it refuses to let go of "a dream of a just society" as    God is "the God of life, of creation, of care, of hope" (WARC 1995, "Acting",    Article 6). In the Accra Declaration statements of faith that precede the rejection    clauses similarly have a visionary component to them, as does the concluding    section on the process of "covenanting for justice" (WARC 2004, Articles 37-42).    However, one cannot help but notice that visionary sections are much shorter,    much less specific, particularly on the actors and actions that can assist in    rectifying the situation.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b>3.2 Constructive    engagement with business?</b></font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In our understanding,    a reactive engagement with the business world is certainly of great importance,    but not the only option available to the church. It should also be possible    for the church to engage constructively, in the sense of co-creating solutions.    This way of engaging business is directly linked to a shift in the influence    of business enterprises and consequently how they view their surrounding communities.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The past decades    have seen significant changes in the influence of business enterprises, to the    extent that some even speak of the "new constitution of commerce" (Institute    of Directors of Southern Africa 2009:8). Already in the 1950s corporations were    no longer large and professionally managed with shares widely held (Vogel 2005:20).    Companies were not necessarily owned any longer by individuals or families,    but rather by mostly institutional shareholders and managed by professional    managers (Vogel 2005:22). These companies in which ownership and control have    become separated have in a sense become the drivers of economic globalisation.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The changes in    governance structure are closely related to a substantial increase in financial    resources and political leverage that has put business in a new position of    power with regard to political institutions and societies. Business is no longer    solely dependent on decisions made by democratically elected political leaders    and their bureaucracies. Business enterprises - in particular those operative    in many different countries - have the power to make decisions - even when understood    as purely financial, practical or organisational - that impact on not simply    employees, customers or shareholders, but also the general public of a certain    territory. Advances and applications in information technology and biological    sciences add to the influence of business.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">This changed influence    of business enterprises seems to have shifted their view of their responsibility    towards society, and has created new opportunities for churches to engage business.    One of the most important recent global examples of this shift is the document    <i>Vision 2050: The new agenda for business</i> released by the    World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD 2011). <i>Vision 2050</i>    is meant to address three questions: what a sustainable world should look like,    how such a world can be realised and the role business can play in realising    a sustainable world.</font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><i>Vision 2050</i>    consists of two sections. The first brief section is a description of the characteristics    of a world in 2050 where all 9 billion inhabitants "live well, and within the    limits of the planet" (WBCSD 2011:6). The second, and more extensive section    outlines the path necessary to reach the vision formulated in the first section.    The "pathway to 2050" consists of nine elements. What makes this pathway significant    for Christian ethicists is the fact that the first element that needs to be    addressed, according to <i>Vision 2050,</i> is "people's values". The document    recognises that unsustainable patterns of consumption are driven by destructive    values in business and society. This is all the more significant when one takes    into consideration that the document was initiated and written solely by multinational    companies. These companies view <i>Vision 2050</i> - and particularly the discussion    on values - as an invitation to "all stakeholders - business, government and    civil society" to "join the exploration and effort" to contribute to a more    humane world (WBCSD &#91;s.a.&#93;). Even though one might question the motives    behind this document, it is clear that it expresses a fundamental flow in global    power relations and a new openness to a broad range of participants to engage    in constructive dialogue.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In South Africa    the third King Report on corporate governance (2009) (King III), published by    the Institute of Directors of Southern Africa, similarly describes these shifting    power relations and openness to constructive engagement (Institute of Directors    of Southern Africa 2011:11). According to King III, business enterprises should    not only take into account the interests of shareholders assumed to be in touch    with societal realities, but also the "legitimate interests and expectations    of stakeholders other than shareholders" (Institute of Directors of Southern    Africa 2011:12). This document forms part of a broader shift in corporate governance,    which acknowledges that all business enterprises have responsibilities towards    all </font></p>     <blockquote>        <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">entities and      individuals that can reasonably be expected to be significantly affected by      the organization's activities, products and/ or services (GRI 2006:10).</font></p> </blockquote>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">It further acknowledges    that stakeholders other than shareholders, customers and employees can often    be expected to "affect the ability of the organization to successfully implement    its strategies and achieve its objectives" (GRI 2006:10) and exert a significant    influence on the medium- and long-term sustainability of a business enterprise.    Although the interests of the societies within which business enterprises operate    are taken seriously only to the extent that they serve the best interests of    the company (Institute of Directors of Southern Africa 2011:12), this shift    is at least an indication of a change in the perception of the stakeholders    toward whom business enterprises should be accountable.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In King III business    enterprises are viewed as corporate citizens that do not simply have the responsibility    of building "sustainable business", but should do business "ethically" by considering    "the short- and long-term impacts of the strategy on the economy, society    and the natural environment" by taking into account "the company's impact on    internal and external stakeholders" (Institute of Directors of Southern Africa    2011:19). The report therefore recommends that businesses establish "mechanisms    and processes that support stakeholders in constructive engagement with the    company" (Institute of Directors of Southern Africa 2011:47) and communicate    in a "transparent and effective" manner in order to build and maintain their    "trust and confidence" (Institute of Directors of Southern </font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Africa    2011:48).</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">This shift seems    to provide increased opportunities to practitioners of Christian ethics - in    our understanding, the different forms of the church - to explore constructive    modes of engaging with business. As the shift to a stakeholder inclusive approach    is still relatively recent, the form and subject of these engagements still    need to be refined and in many cases even established. This may well be one    of the reasons why it is still virtually impossible to find church documents    that engage business in a cooperative manner. Churches may even cooperate in    setting up structures that will allow inclusive access to discussions and the    relevant information, and promote responsiveness to the concerns of stakeholders    (Steffek &amp; Kissling 2008:10-12). In addition, the church has a extremely    important role to play in defining issues that businesses need to take into    account, but about which they do not have the expertise. This includes complex    issues such as morality, constructive values and dialogue between different    religious and cultural groups. Here the church has an extremely important potential    role to play.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">These developments    locate the church not as a powerless adversary but as a competent dialogue partner.    Even though the form and subject of possible constructive interactions may eventually    be the prerogative of business enterprises, the church would theoretically be    placed in a position to significantly influence the substance of these interactions.    Engaging in constructive engagements does, of course, not mean that the church    should give legitimacy to destructive business practices. It much rather means    that the church has the opportunity to critically engage in attempts aimed at    addressing the issues that documents such as the Kitwe Declaration and the Accra    Confession are able to recognise.</font></p>     <p>&nbsp;</p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3"><b>4. CONCLUSION:    BETWEEN BEING IGNORED AND CO-OPTED</b></font></p>     ]]></body>
<body><![CDATA[<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">This article investigated    the possibility of engaging with business by using Christian ethics. By investigating    some resources within the history of the church in a descriptive way, we found    that - although the church can certainly be understood as the primary practitioner    of Christian ethics - the church need not be understood as its only addressee.    As the important traditions of social teaching and social ethics direct Christian    ethics to audiences much broader than the church, we concluded that, theoretically,    business could also be engaged. We subsequently developed two ways in which    this engagement can take place, namely in reactive and cooperative modes.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Both these modes    have their own dangers. Possibly the greatest danger of a reactive mode of engagement    is that it may be to simply ignore such a contribution. Even if the analysis    of a specific problem is exceptionally insightful, and delivered with passion,    there is little guarantee that the addressees will be listening. Its potential    irrelevance can be attributed to a number of factors. The form in which such    an engagement takes place, for example, can estrange rather than engage business.    It can be expressed in a way that is inaccessible to the intended addressees.    And even when the form and content of the engagement are accessible, it may    happen that the platforms where they are articulated are not open to those they    mean to engage.</font></p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In our view a constructive    engagement runs the risk of the church being co-opted by businesses and used    to protect their interests. As we have indicated, this mode puts business in    the position of both determining the subject and the form of the cooperative    engagement. The practitioners of Christian ethics are therefore faced with the    challenge to use their status as partners - and not simply adversaries - to    make a contribution that is at the same time distinctive and constructive. This    is no uncomplicated task, as it requires of the church to strike a balance between    its particular sources, their application in a specific situation and the possibility    of faithful compromise.</font></p>     <p>&nbsp;</p>     <p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3"><b>BIBLIOGRAPHY</b></font></p>     <!-- ref --><p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">BARRERA, A. 1999.    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