Review article
MEDIA (SELF)PRESENTATION OF THE CHURCH IN THE CROATIAN PUBLIC
Anton Šuljić
; Kršćanska sadašnjost, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
It is usually said that the most efficient manner for a successful ecclesiastical presentation in the public is the consistency of the
members of the Church on all levels, and the transparency of the internal incidences. That is true, because the Church can hardly be persuasive when advocating the democratic principles of the social justice in the society if these principles are not applied internally in the proper activity. The Church and the religious communities are unquestionably needed in the media today. The Church is the part of the society, at least nominally it constitutes its majority, and its moral authority, message and authenticity of life, participation in the scientific, cultural and especially in the social-work field of the society, make the Church eligible and interesting for the media of mass communication. Even if in its medial presentation makes not a very agile impression, (“the sons of this world are more shrewd toward their own”) the Church is not only a frequent theme, but also a challenge, a demand and a constant inspiration for the integrity of the media activity, just as the media are important for the realisation of the Church and its evangelic mission. Therefore, it would be bad if important information came out from the Church hardly, or if the information would be hidden or delayed. This would open a great space for assumptions, fictions, and a free reaching for information from a “well informed source”. Therefore, the church officials should be better acquainted with the media, their principles and the ways of dealing with them. If we do not occupy ourselves with the media, they are certainly occupying themselves with us. Everything that happens, everything that is of the interest of the people the media will present and process, expressing their opinion, praise or con-demn, divulge or hold back. By doing this, at least in the long run, media will affect the society, opinions and reasoning of the people. Therefore, it is in the interest of the Church to understand the media, to participate in their work and to use them so that it might present in the world of media in the best possible manner its key message: the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Keywords
Church; media; presentation; public
Hrčak ID:
121843
URI
Publication date:
21.1.2011.
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