Preliminary communication
New Pentecost or new spirituality?
Stipe Odak
orcid.org/0000-0002-2975-723X
Abstract
The paper presents contemplations about the role of Christianity in renewing modern culture. The central point of the research is the event of the Pentecost, described in the Acts of the Apostles, that represents the union of the sacred and secular in the renewal of mutual understanding and experience. The revelation of God disseminated by the original Church is juxtaposed to the broken unity described in the building of the tower of Babylon. The Pentecost, as a model of renewal of unity of mankind, represents a prototype of any Christian announcement, and the Second Vatican Council leans on it to a great extent. Special attention is paid to the vision of »Council Christianity« in the writings of Željko Mardešić that offer a first-rate theological corpus in keeping with the Council renewal. Christianity as seen by Mardešić is far from any project of ideologisation, politicisation or secularisation. The crises of faith in modern times have greatly been promoted by an inappropriate response to the challenges. As a symptom of the crisis there also emerge new spiritual movements, a form of the eclectic and informal spirituality that is beginning to compete with institutionalised religions. The last section of the paper makes suggestions for renewing the evangelisation and dialogue with the world that should neither be judgemental nor mimicric, but mature, authentic, inspired, optimistic and filled with deep confidence in personalism and freedom.
Keywords
Pentecost; tower of Babylon; Council Christianity; new spiritual movements; linguistic theories; hermeneutics
Hrčak ID:
74611
URI
Publication date:
25.11.2011.
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