Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 84 No. 2, 2014.
Pregledni rad
Contemporary Challenges of the Globalised World. Anthropological-ecological Crisis
Ante Bekavac
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Franjo Podgorelec
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Our time is marked by globalised awareness of vulnerability of every form of life on Earth. We are confronted by the great challenges of being human. This is certainly something that we can all agree on, though we often part our ways in how we understand the causes of and the ways to deal with this anthropological-ecological crisis or vulnerability. We all feel that there is something deeply wrong in our lifestyle and in our relation towards the created world. The face of the Earth is drastically changed due to the influence of the human being, who has become his/her own experiment (J. B. Metz). This drama of metamorphosis does not happen on its own. It is fundamentally affected by the human being and his/her behaviour and action in relation to every form of life. Today, the power of technique surpasses the boundaries of reason and, thus, makes the human being a mute servant, who is not able to control the boundaries of life anymore. Globalised activity coupled with technical achievements is establishing its domination over the human life. Ecology has become today eminently anthropological issue and the answer to that issue can only come from going back to the truth of createdness, which has been inscribed in every human heart by the Creator. Only the human being possesses the consciousness and power of reason and responsibility as the image of God. S/he is called to responsible life and conduct towards the created reality. This article tries to capture some moments and to enlighten the dynamics of the processes of globalisation, anthropology, and ecology that are responsible for our feeling of vulnerability and fear, powerlessness and misery. Contemporary theology is called to recognise the signs of times and in that sense the issue of ecology is revealed as a sign of the time, that is, as an anthropological issue. Hence, theologians are called to discover, in these contemporary circumstances, the truth that must remain clear. The human being is the image of God and her/his action reveals that similarity through the gift of freedom and reason, so that the human being would not sink into the abyss of her/his freedom as a consequence of her/his alienation from the Creator. It is of utmost importance to work on creating new awareness, mentality, and spirit that will reflect transcendent values and recapture the feeling that the Earth belongs to the human being only through the gift of the Creator and that this means s/he does not possess the right to manipulate and exploit it in the way that endangers life itself and its very survival.
Ključne riječi
globalization; human being; ecology/environment; technique; responsi- bility; crisis
Hrčak ID:
124983
URI
Datum izdavanja:
11.7.2014.
Posjeta: 2.454 *