Review article
https://doi.org/10.34075/cs.61.3.1
From the Act of Faith to the Living Out of Faith: The Effectiveness of Faith in Croatian Society after the Second Vatican Council
Darko Rapić
orcid.org/0000-0002-3026-8804
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Split, Split, Croatia
Abstract
This paper examines the concept of effective faith as a transition from the “act of faith” – personal, intellectual assent – to the “doing of faith,” i.e., its concrete realization in love, solidarity, and responsibility for our neighbour. The first part offers a synthesis of biblical theology of faith: from the Old Testament (Abraham, prophets, the Law) to the New Testament (Jesus Christ, Apostle Paul, James) – demonstrating that faith is not mere acceptance but an existential response that leads to action. The second part discusses how the Second Vatican Council redefined faith as a collective calling – no longer merely private belonging, but a public mission for laity, the Church, and every believer. The third part analyses concrete conditions in which faith in Croatia from 1965 to the present day – through periods of communism, war, and transition – has either manifested or often failed to manifest in real deeds. Examples of institutional charity, volunteer initiatives, and Catholic cultural engagement show that in many cases faith has indeed been alive and active. However, the limits of political regimes, social transitions, and rising individualism point to the dangers of “faith without works”. The conclusion asserts that effective faith – faith that is enacted – is the criterion of the Church’s credibility in contemporary society: it is not proven by the number of declared believers, but by concrete deeds of love, solidarity, and commitment to the common good.
Keywords
effective faith; Second Vatican Council; laity; Catholic Church in Croatia; charitable action; Catholic
Hrčak ID:
352335
URI
Publication date:
21.10.2026.
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