ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

Towards the fulfilment of three generations of rights: A theological contribution by Koos Vorster

 

Aangaande die vervulling van drie generasies van regte: 'n Teologiese bydrae deur Koos Vorster

 

 

Nico N. Koopman

Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Correspondence

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

In this article the theological contribution of Koos Vorster to human rights discourses was discussed. It was shown how he focused upon all three generations rights, namely the first generation civil and political rights, second generation social, economic and cultural rights, and third generation developmental and ecological rights. He appreciates the importance of nurturing citizens and leaders of public and civic virtue and character for the implementation of rights and the creation of a human rights culture. He also gives special attention to the implementation of ecological rights and therefore discussed various forms of ecocide. Ultimately, Vorster stimulates systematic theological discourses on ecological rights by viewing the implementation of ecological rights as a theological matter. It had to do with the heart of Christian faith.

---

OPSOMMING

In hierdie artikel was die teologiese bydrae van Koos Vorster tot menseregte-diskoerse bespreek. Dit dui aan dat hy op al drie generasies van menseregte gefokus het, naamlik eerste generasie burgerlike en politieke regte, tweede generasie sosiale, ekonomiese en kulturele regte en derde generasie ontwikkelings- en ekologiese regte. Hy waardeer die belangrikheid van die vorming van burgers en leiers van burgerlike en openbare deug en karakter vir die implementering van regte en die bou van 'n menseregtekultuur. Hy het spesiale aandag gegee aan die implementering van ekologiese regte en hy het derhalwe die verskillende vorme van die vernietiging van die natuurlike omgewing bespreek. Hy stimuleer sistematies-teologiese denke oor ekologiese regte. Hy het die implementering van ekologiese beskou as 'n teologiese saak. Dit het met die hart van die Christelike geloof te make gehad.

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

References

Berkhof, H., 1979, Christelijk Geloof, Een inleiding tot de geloofsleer, 4th edn., G.F. Callenbach B.V., Nijkerk.         [ Links ]

Boxx, T.W. & Quinlivan, G.M. (eds.), 2000, Public morality, civic virtue, and the problem of modern liberalism, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids.         [ Links ]

Conradie, E.M., 2000, Hope for the earth, Vistas on a new century, University of the Western Cape, Bellville.         [ Links ]

Conradie, E.M., 2005, An ecological Christian anthropology: At home on earth?, Ashgate Publishing Limited, Aldershot.         [ Links ]

Galston, W., 1991, Liberal purposes: Goods, virtues, and duties in the liberal state, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.         [ Links ]

Gewirth, A., 1984, 'Are there any absolute rights?', in J. Waldron (ed.), Theories of rights, Oxford readings in philosophy, pp. , University of Oxford Press, Oxford.         [ Links ]

Putnam, R., 1993, Making democracy work: Civic traditions in modern Italy, Princeton University Press, Princeton.         [ Links ]

Republic of South Africa, 1996, 'Bill of Rights', in Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,         [ Links ]

South African Congress Alliance, 1955, Freedom Charter,         [ Links ]

Van de Beek, A., 1996, Schepping, De wereld als voorspel voor de eeuwigheid, Callenbach, Baarn.         [ Links ]

Vorster, J.M., 2004, Ethical perspectives on human rights, Potchefstroom Theological Publications, Potchefstroom.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Nico Koopman
Faculty of Theology Theology
Stellenbosch University, 171
Dorp Street, Stellenbosch
7600, South Africa
Email: nkoopman@sun.ac.za

Received: 22 Mar. 2011
Accepted: 20 June 2011
Published: 25 Oct. 2012