Izlaganje sa skupa
Democratic Expectations from the Church in Croatia between Minimalism and Maximalism
Špiro Marasović
; Split
Sažetak
With the gaining of its independence and with its choice of the democratic model of political life, the Republic of Croatia and the whole Croation society has found itself before specific challenges. The lack of democratic experience, bad economic situation, consequences of the Croatian War of Independence with vorious
international preisures as well as a relatively big difference in mentality within the political body, are the reason why the declarative choice of the Republic of Croatia of democratic system is having difficulties in making its way through to the set aim.
In such a contex, the eyes are fixed upon the Catholic Church, representing a basic moral strength in Croatia, since over 86% of the population belongs to it and since in the cours of the long history of the Croatian people it has won indelible merits in the process of its national homogenisation.
This paper tries, in an inductive (i.e. starting front the results of the sociological researches) as well as in a deductive way (i. e. starting from the normative tenets of Catholic social doctrine), to answer the question: what does the modern Croatian society, in its democratic option, expect from the Church, that is, which of these expectations are minimal, and which are maximal? In order to arrive at the answer,
the author divided the paper in three parts. In the first part the author outlines the anatomy of democratic awareness in Croatia, drawing attention to the three basic models of this awareness: ethnic, social and civil. In the second part he describes the anatomy of ecclesiastical awareness in Croatia in correlation with the social one, i.e. ethnic, welfare and council ecclesiostical awareness.
In the third part the author outlines and describes what the Croatian democratic society, on the basis of these circumstances, is currently expecting from the Church as a minimum, and as a maximum. Thus, the following expectations are explained and stated as minimal: a) a more intensive study and the acquisition of the Catholic social doctrine, b) education of the congregation for the Christian personalism, c) work on the politicisation of laity and on the depoliticisation of the clergy, d) endeavouring of the Church to be the subject of its speaking, instead of the transmitter of non-ecclesiastical groupings' views, and e) the Church should be the primary addressee of its own message. The current maximal expectations from the Church are stated as following: a) a finalistic concept of the social life and development, b) moral rationalisation of society, c) cooperation of the Church in forming the third sector, and d) preferential option for the poor.
Ključne riječi
Church; society; state; politics
Hrčak ID:
40231
URI
Datum izdavanja:
27.5.2002.
Posjeta: 1.911 *