Can we live a good life? Engaging Kretzschmar’s social ethics

Abstract

Louise Kretzschmar has served society, the church and academia as a person who has shaped minds in the fields of Christian spirituality, leadership and ethics. This article seeks to celebrate Kretzschmar’s work as she retires from full-time academia. This article describes Kretzschmar’s notion of a good life, asks why Christians fail in following this good life and concludes by outlining the social-ethical contribution Kretzschmar’s approach can make in society. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article addresses the question of social ethics and its relationship with the processes of spiritual formation and leadership. The argument is based in the Christian faith conviction, with specific reference to the theological position argued by Prof. Louise Kretzschmar.