Preliminary communication
Theological Qualification and Critique of Contemporary Croatian Mentality
Jure Perišić
Abstract
The theme of this paper is theological evaluation of contemporary Croatian mentality, which can be understood by talking about some of the most striking manifestations in Croatian society. To make foundation for that qualification, we must put it in a broader context. So primarily is explored the definition of mentality and its features in postmodern world. This mentality is defined as a narrow worldview and the rest of the failed ideology, whose ultimate product is the indifference and the meaninglessness, which is realised as a political mentality, consumerism and technicistic mentality. Paper then presents some basic characteristics of Croatian mentality, such as crony capitalism, insisting on kinship, community and political ties, not forgetting to indicate important features of mentality in Croatian Church either. Particularly important is the fact that these characteristics can be found in historical phenomena of hajduk and jatak (brigands and accomplice). Precisely the way of realization their relationship will form the basic paradigm of most current relations in Croatian society. The last chapter deals with critique of presented phenomena in our society, where some guidelines will be presented that can help in the transformation of this reality. Based on the Councilʹs undrestanding of the Church, and theologies resulting from such news – those political in the first place – this paper indicates a necessity of abandoning adjustments that mentality, and uncompromisingly adherence to Gospel, which in this case primarily insists on the realization of the Christians prophetic mission in the world, as well as his service to mankind. It can be, therefore, concluded that the aim of this paper is analysis of contemporary Croatian mentality, as well as in pointing out the essential incompatibility of such a mentality with Christian calling and what it implies. For that to come Author used series of texts of contemporary Christian authors such as Guttierez, Volf, Marasović, Moltmann, Ančić, Bono Z. Šagi, Küng, Franić, Metz etc., and through them analyzed and evaluated the subject of his observation. Consequently, one of his most important results is postulat that Christianity must become the corrective of society which is constructed in such a mentality, as soon as possible.
Keywords
mentality; materialism; crony capitalism; sacramental essence of the Church; power and authority in the society and in the Church
Hrčak ID:
137028
URI
Publication date:
30.3.2015.
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