Original scientific paper

Christianity Meeting Political Theories

Nenad Malović orcid.org/0000-0001-6986-3582 ; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

In as much as human religiousness encompasses the whole of man, it has a certain effect on his relations towards other people. Man's interpersonality is not just a matter of feeling or pure spiritual-personal relations of one man towards another but is brought to reality in society and becomes tangible in space and time. Christianity becomes concrete in the community - the Church and Christians are also members of society and political communities and are obliged to participate in its development for the well being of all members of society.
Political theories endeavour to offer a theoretical foundation for the form of rule that would best respond to human nature. In addition to having a descriptive component they set standards too. The authors of political theories start from actual experience in social-political life. Development of society always incites observation and critical insight into the structure of society that affects changes in political practise that once again acts on changes in society and then once again provokes theoretical reflection.
After decades of crisis, political philosophy experiences its come back on the intellectual scene but brings with it questions of the possibility of founding political values in the context of modem democracy that respects the autonomy for communal, plural and individual nature. Political values are necessary for society to create, identify or preserve its homogeneity required to function as a political subject. Difficulties arise with the question of founded political values because modem political philosophy does not accept supratemporal, metaphysical truths and principles from which political values and objectives can be deducted instead it needs to search for these principles in a concrete society. However, concrete society is not homogenom in itself and is burdened with deep conflicts in the system of values and interests that are mutually irreconcilable which results in finding adequate and firm common foundations. Seeing that politics cannot ensure objective values (they are the result of agreement) we are faced with conflict as a fundamental principle of social form.
It seems that the communitaristic attempted resolution which includes moral dialogue on a local level is an acceptable manner of organising the political community and for the Christian community. The Church, respecting the achievements and structure of modern democracy has an irreplaceable role in the spiritual and cultural formation of society. The quality of society is a pre-condition to the success of democratic procedure. The Church cannot make its contribution to building political culture: unofficially for its members as well as officially with conscious inclusion in public discussion through its official representatives. The Church as a mediator of values in that way becomes active in secular society. As an institution it does not have any political power or authority and we cannot expect any quantitative leaps in changes in society. It is necessary to motivate the faithful to be included in political structures at all levels - regardless of how incapable they may seem so that they can make any improvement at all. It is just as important that the faithful participate in the work of organisations in civil society. The logic is simple — only where sincere and mature believers are present can it make its contribution to building society. The Church must not allow that someone else is always guilty for that which is not acceptable to the Church. On the other hand there is insufficient engagement of citizens in Church structures. It is a fact that the Church as an institution has a hierarchy and is largely politically incapable without reason for pessimism. On the other hand that inability does not free it of its responsibility. Seeing that the State guarantees the Church its freedom to act, it is obliged to rightly utilise its position and present itself in the political sphere, i. e. inpublic. Apart from that the Church in various fields of its actions motivates the State towards common good. With regard to opportunities for positive involvement of the Church in forming society, the State cannot afford the luxury of ignoring the Church just as it is unacceptable for any instrumentalisation of the Church by the State or - even worse - individual political parties.

Keywords

Church and democracy; values; communitarism; believer in politics; homogeneity of society

Hrčak ID:

23217

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/23217

Publication date:

29.11.2007.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 2.234 *