Global Responsibility: In Search of a New World Ethic (Projekt Weltethos) was published by R. Piper & Co. Verlag in 1990 (English translation published by Crossroad in 1991), and it marks Küng’s turn from specifically Christian theology to the project that would occupy the last three decades of his life: the search for a global ethic shared across religious and cultural boundaries.
Küng’s argument is that the modern world — interconnected economically, ecologically, and politically — requires shared moral principles that transcend the boundaries of any single religion or culture. No single religion can claim universal validity, but all the major religions share certain fundamental moral commitments: the Golden Rule (treat others as you wish to be treated), respect for life, commitment to justice, truthfulness, and the equality of men and women.
These shared principles, Küng argues, could form the basis of a “world ethic” (Weltethos) that provides moral guidance for a globalized world without requiring religious uniformity or secular homogenization. The project eventually bore institutional fruit: the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions adopted a “Declaration Toward a Global Ethic” based on Küng’s work.
Collecting Global Responsibility
First English edition (Crossroad, New York, 1991): Cloth binding, dust jacket.
Market values:
- First English edition in dust jacket: $10–$25
- First German edition (Piper, 1990): $15–$35