Review article
Stimuli of Social Teaching of the Church in the Development of Democracy
Mile Marinčić
; Secondary school Ivan Švear, Ivanić Grad
Abstract
Due to the vagueness of the term democracy, it is necessary
to always explain again to “urbi et orbi” the relationship between
democracy, Church and politics. In the first part of this paper, the
author deals with the term democracy itself. Using the documents
of French bishops For the rehabilitation of politics from 1999 as
a basis, and deliberations and contributions of the late John Paul
II and Pope Benedict XVI, the author attempts to consider several
important issues related to democracy: what is democracy, what
are the signposts for politicians, which are the requirements and
the traps of democracy, and which are important factors within
the scope of discussions regarding education for democracy. In the
second part of this paper, the author speaks about the possible
role of the Church in democratic processes, with special reference
to the Croatian society. The author, along with already mentioned
sources, uses national sources to additionally corroborate his
reflections, and warns about numerous traps and the vagueness
that the Church encounters within democratic processes in Croatia.
The third part of the paper is dedicated to the role and significance
of laymen believers in politics and the democratic society. It is
obvious from the Church’s Documents that church officials cannot
actively engage in politics (be members of parties, hold political
positions, etc.), but when it comes to laymen believers, nobody can
prevent them from engaging in politics, in the narrower or wider
sense. Of course, in such political engagement the devoted life and
political activity should be harmonized, always for the purpose
of aiming at the greater good. Based on everything stated, the
author concludes that it is in the interest of the Church, and that
the Church has the right and duty to work on true development
of democracy. In that direction, as the author concludes, there
is much more room (than there presently is) for the cooperation
between the Church and the government (government institutions)
of the Republic of Croatia for promoting democracy and realizing
a healthy civil society.
Keywords
democracy; social teachings of the Church; politics; education; traps; perspectives
Hrčak ID:
100030
URI
Publication date:
12.4.2013.
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