Review article
NEW ATTITUDES OF THE CATHOLlC CHURCH IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE
Bono Zvonimir Šagi
; The Capuchin Monastery, Varaždin
Abstract
As the origins of today's attitudes of the Catholic Church towards
the state, the author designates three theological notions that were
expressed most clearly in the teachings of the Second Vatican Council:
recognition of religious pluralism in society, affirmative attitude
towards religious freedom in every society, autonomy of temporal
realities, societies with regard to religion and the Church. The result
of these teachings was a new practice which was not quite the same
in all parts of the world. Therefore, in order to fully comprehend this
practice, one must also take into account the cultural and historical
circumstances. The differences can best be observed in the understanding
of Catholicism, how "alive" it is in the culture, tradition of a
nation. One must distinguish between personal faith from the faith
existant in culture. It is important to bear in mind the degree of secularization
of Christian culture which has retained within it Christian
religious elements, but without a true personal relation towards
God. The situation is such that dialogue has become the necessary
key to this relationship. With regard to that, the author attempts to
describe more clearly the concept of laicism and the lay state as positive
values and concludes that in a country with different confessions
and views upon life, laicism, understood as secularity acting
by its own laws and finality, becomes the guarantee of free social
life, and thus of the free life of religion. According to the Catholic learning,
a confessional state is no longer possible, and neither is a state
religion (Church). This means that even where Catholicism would
be dominant in a socio-cultural way, the societa I should be discerned
from the religious, the authority of the state from the authority
of the Church. The author also states the most important Christian
principles the Catholic Church abides by in regulating the relationship
between the Church and state.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
32287
URI
Publication date:
1.11.1995.
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