Jain and Judaeo-Christian Respect for Life

A comparison of Jain with biblical ethics suggests that the latter subordinates the sanctity of life to the sovereignty of God. But if God may ethically destroy innocent human life, the ethical question in the Judaeo-Christian tradition can only be, Who speaks for God? American democracy's latter-day, secular version of that question is answered: the majority. But now, in the abortion controversy, a large minority rejects a significant majority decision; and as a result, faith in the moral reliability of majority rule itself is weakened. That faith may be rebuilt but perhaps not without some recognition that the moral issue to be resolved is less what than it is who.

Abortion · Democracy · Faith · Political science · Politics · Sovereignty · Theology · Indian History and Philosophy · Law · Philosophy · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Religious studies