14. From the Local to the Universal: Henry Odera Oruka’s Vision of a Just World as Stimulus for an Intercultural Theological Ethics

Is the idea of global justice realistic? How can a fairer world be shaped in the face of serious challenges such as poverty, climate change, global injustices, and wars? These questions are at the center of Henry Odera Oruka’s ethics and stimulate valuable approaches to intercultural theological ethics and its examination of a more just world. Oruka (1944–1995), a thought leader in the debate on global justice, argues in favor of a “human minimum”—a minimum subsistence level for all people worldwide. He bases his argument on his Parental Earth Ethics model, which emphasizes the complex interdependencies of all life on earth by describing it as a “complex web of being.” By engaging with traditional African wisdom philosophy, he makes a significant contribution to intercultural discussions within the framework of a world philosophy. His thinking makes it clear that the big questions and problems of this world require a critical approach that takes both global and local traditions into account. To eliminate injustice, it is important for thinkers from all regions and cultures to engage in dialogue, exchange ideas, and seek answers together, either collaboratively or in ways that complement each other.