Original scientific paper
Socio-ethical Remarks on Spiritual Renewal and the Restitution of the Church in Central Europe
Helmut Renöckl
; Faculty of Theology, University of Češke Budejovice
Abstract
The article brings a brief analysis of the circumstances of the Church in the Central European countries, mainly based on previously published researches. The analysis shows that there are not many true atheists in these countries, regardless the fact that they have experienced a long lasting communist regime. However, the example of the Czech Republic and Slovakia show how weak and marginal the influence of Christians in these countries is, in spite of the fact that the faithful make a vast majority there. The reason for this can be found in the fact that among those who claim to be the faithful there are more elderly than young people. So an essential question arises here: Will the Church stay in a ghetto, or it will become a major factor of the spiritual renewal in these parts of Europe? Namely, Christians do not appear in public as much as others do. So this article emphasises the importance of credibility and vigour of the Church, and points to social and ethical challenges in new Europe, especially in the process of globalisation. It concludes that the Church cannot give up its Christian inspiration and its socio-ethical orientation. The role of the Church is a true living according to the biblical reminiscence and promises, hence the article ends with the biblical caution according to which no man, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is good enough for the Kingdom of God.
Keywords
Ethics; social ethics; globalisation; Catholic Church; post-communist countries; Central Europe
Hrčak ID:
40140
URI
Publication date:
15.9.2005.
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