Who Are We?

Staff

James E. Read, Executive Director
Direct line: 204-924-5628
james_read@can.salvationarmy.org

Ethics Centre: What is our Mission/Vision?

Vision
The vision of the Salvation Army Ethics Centre is to be a resource attuned to the needs of the times for those who choose to decide, act and speak with moral clarity and conviction.

Mission
The Salvation Army Ethics Centre is an institution, Christian in perspective, in which ethics is studies, proclaimed and practiced, with the highest possible degree of expertise and contemporary relevance.

While the Ethics Centre serves as a resource for The Salvation Army worldwide, it will actively seek to serve other individuals, groups and communities.

Values
The Salvation Army Ethics Centre respects the ethical dimension of all human endeavors. The Centre shall study, teach and practice moral integrity.

The Salvation Army Ethics Centre aims to exemplify the classic moral virtues of love, hope, faith, courage, temperateness, justice, and practical wisdom.

Where Are We Located?
290 Vaughan Street, Suite 203
Winnipeg, MB CANADA
R3B 2N8

How Can You Contact Us?
For information contact: Maria Ducharme
Ph: 204-957-2412 Fax: 204-957-2418
Email: ethics_centre@can.salvationarmy.org
www.salvationarmyethics.org

What Do Our Services Cost? (How Are We Funded?)
The operations of the Ethics Centre are primarily funded from central funds of The Salvation Army for Canada and Bermuda, and so individuals and institutions that are part of this organization have priority access to the services of the Ethics Centre at nominal or no direct cost.

Others who make use of the Centre’s professional services for teaching or consultations are charged according to a schedule approved annually by the Ethics Centre Board. For further information, contact Sharon Jones-Ryan.

What is Ethics?
Ethics is about doing the right thing.

But, ethics is more than that too. Ethics is about doing the right thing for the right reason. Ethics is about being able to explain one’s intentions and motivations to others (who may disagree or be mystified). Ethics is about making decisions in difficult circumstances in which all options seem flawed-and about determining what should be done in response to wrongs that have been done or suffered.

Besides right actions, ethics is concerned with the character of persons and the organizations and communities they create. Ethics asks, “How can a person be good? How can a society be caring and just? What models are worth emulating?”

In other words, ethics takes articulate thought. When people search their own hearts about the values that matter most to human existence and engage in conversations with others in which they try to be clear, coherent and truthful about such matters, they are doing ethics.

In large part, then, our Ethics Centre exists in order to encourage and enable clear thinking. We identify, research, advise and teach about ethical issues that are of contemporary, practical importance.

We do not assume the responsibility for solving others’ ethical dilemmas, but we are available to assist them in their decision-making.

We do not enforce compliance with ethical standards, but we are available to assist with the development of ethics policies and codes, and with assessments of organizational integrity.

When we see important ethical issues being ignored, people’s conscience being silenced or wrong parading as righteousness, we have a responsibility to speak up.

Our ultimate vision is that every individual and every group would care about being ethical, and would have the resources to follow through.

The Salvation Army Ethics Centre is a Christian organization. Our understanding of ethics is shaped by, and intends to be faithful to the person and teaching of Jesus. This does not mean that we think we already have the answer to every ethical challenge. We most definitely do not! Nor does it mean that the Ethics Centre proselytizes. The word “gospel” means “good news” and we believe that when we are faithful to Jesus, those who come into contact with the Ethics Centre-especially those who are wronged, oppressed or ethically perplexed-will hear good news.

What Do We Do? (Any Specialties?)
A sampling of recent (2004/5)Ethics Centre activities:

• • Conducting continuing education/professional development ethics workshops (especially in health care ethics, and in clergy ethics)


• • Teaching university-credit courses (e.g., ethics in film; religion and social issues)


• • Writing published articles on ethics issues (e.g., organizational ethics, aboriginal Christian ethics)


• • Assisting with the development of ethics policies and organizational position statements (e.g., on international human trafficking, gambling, end-of-life health care)


• • Developing tools and implementing processes for the assessment of organizational values congruence (as part of quality management)


• • Consulting with, and advising, individuals and organizations on particular ethical dilemmas


• • Supporting the work of local and national ethics committees (e.g., Manitoba Healthcare Ethics Network, The Salvation Army Social Issues Committee)

The professional staff have competence and interest in a wide range of ethics topics. They also have areas of specific expertise. Dr. Read has special interests in health care ethics, clergy ethics and organizational ethics. Dr. Buller is currently working in the areas of community development, ethical character, Wesleyan ethics, and ethics and art. And, Ms Jones-Ryan has experience in management ethics and organizational values congruency.

The Ethics Centre also keeps a collection of books, periodicals, audio/visual and internet-accessible materials whose operations are maintained by Maria Ducharme. The book collection catalogue is accessible on-line at www.boothcollege.ca/library/

Affiliations?
American Philosophical Association
Association of Practical & Professional Ethics
Canadian Bioethics Society
Canadian Christian Bioethicists Network
Ethics Practitioners Association of Canada
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
North American Institute of Indigenous Theological Studies
Society for Christian Ethics
Society of Christian Philosophers