Abstract

Human rights and theology: An essential debate Human rights form an essential element of the new Constitution of South Africa. Can Christians take part in the debate on human rights? A model will be proposed called 'Analogy and difference’, which indeed makes it possible and desirable to do so. Although not founded essentially on Scripture or theology, analogies for the three basic principles of human rights — freedom, equality and participation — can be found in the Christian tradition. However, the difference between the Christian tradition and the tradition of the Enlightenment has to be taken into account. Thus, the Christian can critically enter the debate on human rights, not to fill the concepts with Christian meaning, but to achieve a new ethical consensus.