A significant part of the crisis of our
contemporary European societies can be attributed to misplaced and abused religious
zeal in various forms of religious fundamentalism, both domestically grown ...as well as imported and shared
by the immigrants to Europe from third-world countries. To deal with this complex
phenomenon in the European environment, it is necessary to conceive the
analysis of the presented issue into a sociological scheme based on three
premises: (1) diagnosis of migration processes in the context of growing
population movements in Europe, (2) identification of determinants and factors
that cause these movements, as well as (3) a proposal to solve the current
situation in the spirit of social teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. Our paper is an attempt to interpret and compare
the opinions of selected experts on this sensitive issue and, with the help of
their opinions, to present some guiding ideas on the path to possible solutions
to the current situation. We begin by
describing the
ideological deconstruction of the moral and cultural world as
evidenced in the postmodern
society, accompanied by processes
of subjectivization and individualization, which acquired a societal context in
Europe and North America in the 1960s. We then turn to
exploring the context of religious change (from a theological-sociological
perspective). The religiosity of
postmodern man becomes a
mixture
of various
correct
, albeit often
contradictory, discontinuous elements , involving a small dose of love for one's neighbor, often taking
the form of friendly affection and showing emotions towards animals and the
external environment, ideologically correct psychology as well as
parapsychology, supplemented by esoteric, occult and astrological notions,
while staying open to the
possibility for Eastern philosophies and the sects.
Islamic fundamentalism is seen as a reaction to this religious-cultural context
that is perceived (by conservative Muslims and Christians alike) as hostile to
traditional values, ideas about the world, and ideals. The context of
contemporary Islam’s influence on the European religious landscape and culture
is scrutinized in the next section of our paper. In Europe, the number of Christians will fall from
74.5% to 65.2% between 2010 and 2050, while the number of non-believers (nones)
will increase from 18.8% to 23.3%, and the number of Muslims will also almost
double from 5.9% to 10.2%. The growth of Muslims in Europe will be affected by
both birth rates and migration. A part of our critical analysis
points to the self-destructive tendencies of some European elites and cultural
influencers/policy makers. After
outlining some forecasts and developments, and offering initial
critical views on the transpiring phenomena, we move on to delineating possible solutions to this situation. Due
to the complexity of the problem, there is no ready-made, simple way to handle this situation.
While immigrants have always played in important role in the European history,
a growing number of political
scientists talk in particular about the internal protection of Europe, that is,
the inevitability of protecting
its constitutive,
fundamental values
and rights.
If Europe is not to lose its
face and cultural/moral fiber, it is important to uphold its constitutive
values. This will not be possible without an intentional struggle to reinvent
its moral and spiritual heritage with every new generation without forfeiting
the fundamentals upon which our culture and civilization has been built.
The concluding section of our paper focuses
on the Catholic Church's position on this issue and its recent proposals for
resolving the migration crisis. The Church’s teaching that state officials and others who profess Christianity but
reject refugees are hypocrites because Jesus would accept these people
should be balanced by a critical call to be aware that our obligation to love and care for our neighbor
extends not only to the immigrants and their families but also to the families
and individuals of the European host countries. Our fear of Islamization of Christian Europe
may be an indication that we
Europeans have very little confidence in our own faith. Accordingly, we will
not be able to preserve the Christian faith by living it secluded in our
churches, but by presenting our Christian spirit - by accepting these refugees
and by helping them in their concrete circumstances,
and by engaging them (as well as our secular counterparts) publicly with due
respect in an open-ended discourse of metanarratives.
Značajan se dio krize naših suvremenih europskih društava može pripisati deplasiranom i zloupotrijebljenom vjerskom žaru u različitim oblicima religijskog fundamentalizma, kako domaćeg tako i uvezenog i dijeljenog od strane imigranta u Europu iz zemalja Trećeg svijeta. Za rješavanje ovog složenog fenomena u europskom okruženju potrebno je analizu prikazane problematike koncipirati u sociološku shemu temeljenu na tri premise: (1) dijagnozi migracijskih procesa u kontekstu rastućih kretanja stanovništva u Europi, (2) ) utvrđivanju odrednica i čimbenika koji uzrokuju ova kretanja, kao i (3) prijedlogu rješavanja postojećeg stanja u duhu socijalnog nauka Rimokatoličke crkve. Naš je rad pokušaj da se protumače i usporede mišljenja odabranih stručnjaka o ovoj osjetljivoj problematici te da uz pomoć njihovih mišljenja iznesemo neke ideje vodilje na putu do mogućih rješenja postojećeg stanja. Počinjemo s opisom ideološke dekonstrukcije moralnog i kulturnog svijeta koja se očituje u postmodernom društvu, praćenog procesima subjektivizacije i individualizacije, koji su u Europi i Sjevernoj Americi 1960–ih dobili društveni kontekst. Potom se okrećemo istraživanju konteksta vjerskih promjena (iz teološko-sociološke perspektive). Religioznost postmodernog čovjeka postaje mješavina raznih ispravnih, premda često kontradiktornih, diskontinuiranih elemenata, koji uključuju malu dozu ljubavi prema bližnjemu, često poprimajući oblik prijateljske naklonosti i ispoljavanja emocija prema životinjama i vanjskom okruženju, ideološki ispravne psihologije kao i parapsihologije, nadopunjene ezoterijskim, okultnim i astrološkim pojmovima, dok ona ostaje otvorena za mogućnosti istočnjačkih filozofija i sekti. Islamski se fundamentalizam doživljava kao reakcija na ovaj vjersko-kulturni kontekst koji se (i od strane konzervativnih muslimana i kršćana) percipira kao neprijateljski prema tradicionalnim vrijednostima, idejama o svijetu i idealima. Kontekst utjecaja suvremenog islama na europski vjerski krajolik i kulturu pomno se razmatraju u sljedećem odjeljku našeg članka. U Europi će broj kršćana pasti sa 74,5 posto na 65,2 posto između 2010. i 2050. godine, dok će se broj nevjerujućih (nedeklariranih) povećati sa 18,8 posto na 23,3 posto, a broj muslimana također će se gotovo udvostručiti s 5,9 posto na 10,2 posto. Na rast muslimana u Europi utjecat će i natalitet i migracije. Dio naše kritičke analize ukazuje na autodestruktivne tendencije nekih europskih elita i kulturnih utjecaja/ kreatora politike. Nakon što iznesemo neke prognoze i razvoje, te ponudimo početne kritičke poglede na događaje koji se događaju, prelazimo na ocrtavanje mogućih rješenja za ovu situaciju. Zbog složenosti problema ne postoji gotov, jednostavan način rješavanja ove situacije. Dok su imigranti oduvijek igrali važnu ulogu u europskoj povijesti, sve veći broj politologa posebno govori o unutarnjoj zaštiti Europe, odnosno o neizbježnosti zaštite njezinih konstitutivnih, temeljnih vrijednosti i prava. Da Europa ne izgubi svoj obraz i kulturno/moralno tkivo, važno je podržati svoje konstitutivne i fundamentalne vrijednosti. To neće biti moguće bez namjerne borbe da se sa svakom novom generacijom iznova osmisli svoje moralno i duhovno naslijeđe, a da se pritom ne izgube temelji na kojima je izgrađena naša kultura i civilizacija. Završni dio našeg članka usredotočuje se na stav Katoličke crkve o ovom pitanju i njezine nedavne prijedloge za rješavanje migracijske krize. Crkva uči da su državni dužnosnici i drugi koji ispovijedaju kršćanstvo ali odbacuju izbjeglice licemjeri jer bi Isus prihvatio te ljude, no taj stav valja uravnotežiti kritičkim pozivom da budemo svjesni da se naša obveza ljubavi i brige za bližnjega ne proteže samo na useljenike i njihove obitelji, veći i na obitelji i pojedince iz europskih zemalja domaćina. Naš strah od islamizacije kršćanske Europe može biti pokazatelj da mi Europljani imamo vrlo malo povjerenja u vlastitu vjeru. Sukladno tome, kršćansku vjeru nećemo moći sačuvati živeći je povučeno u svojim crkvama, nego predstavljanjem našeg kršćanskog duha – javnim prihvaćanjem tih izbjeglica i pomažući im u njihovim konkretnim okolnostima, te njihovim angažmanom (kao i naših svjetovnih parnjaka) uz dužno poštovanje u otvorenom diskursu metanarativa.
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD) is a new spiritual trend that is increasingly changing the religious landscape of in the Euro-American cultural provenience. Though appealing to the generation of ...'emerging adults' (age 18-25), MTD results in undesirable life-outcomes that prompt religious scholars, theologians, and sociologists to carefully study its roots, expressions, and possible alternatives. Using S. Kierkegaard's religious existentialism as a case study, the authors argue that religious existentialism has the potential to face the detrimental effects of MTD and to reinvigorate stagnating religious communities.
Kierkegaard rejects the modern concept of objective knowledge and focuses instead on subjectivity, defined as ‘inwardness’ and ‘passion’ in determining what might be called ‘relevant’ or ...‘existential’ truth. Truth should thus be understood as an objective uncertainty appropriated passionately by the inward reflective experience of love and faith of the self. Such ‘Kierkegaardian’ primacy of epistemology implies that one must first discover the truth about morality and life, in order to try to live out that truth. The proud pursuit of objectivity without a recognition of human limitations, and the dimension of subjectivity in the process, has proved to be a dead end that emits the stench of manipulation, loss of human dignity, and finally nihilism. Understanding the limits of reason will help us avoid the pitfall of ‘scientism’.
In the wake of increasing secularization and religious pluralism, the Slovak-Canadian community offers a compelling case study on the role of religion and religious institutions in shaping immigrant ...identities and contributing to broad-er societal cohesion. Drawing upon an interdisciplinary array of scholarly works, historical documents, and statistical data, this paper aims to explore the multifaceted relationship between the Slovak diaspora in Canada and their religious affiliations. It delves into the historical background of Slovak immigration to Canada, the social and cultural impacts of religious practices, and the complex interactions between religious identity and modern secular Canadian society. Our approach reveals that religious institutions serve not merely as spiritual sanctuaries but also as vital agents in preserving cultural heritage, fostering social integration, and contributing to the moral fabric of Canadian society at large. Our findings suggest that religiosity among Slovak-Canadians serves as a microcosm that reflects broader themes in the dialogue between faith and multiculturalism in contemporary Canada.
Luther's theology of the worship service was, first of all, developed on the basis of the relationship to the conflict between theolatry and idolatry. The basic presupposition of all of Luther's ...theology is the question: Who is your God? Luther's theology of the worship service rests first of all on the correct understanding of God and His actions and also on the faith as the integral part of humanity which is naturally connected to the true worship of God. The understanding of the mass as good deed flows, according to Luther, from the human attempts to cleanse themselves in front of God and the sacrifice of mass is one of many attempts to influence God by offering the good deeds. This leads to the understanding of the mass as idolatry tainted by legalism.
: This article analyzes the thought legacy of Samuel Štefan Osuský (1888–1975), a famous Slovak philosopher and theologian, pertaining to his fight against totalitarianism and war. Having lived ...during arguably the most difficult period of (Czecho-)Slovak history, which included the two world wars, the emergence of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918, its fateful, forceful split by Nazi Germany in 1939, followed by its reestablishment after WWII in 1945, only to be afflicted again by a new kind of totalitarianism on the left, it is no surprise that Osuský aimed his philosophical and theological criticism especially at the two great human ideologies of the 20th century – Fascism (including its German, racial version, Nazism, which he preferred to call ›Hitlerism‹), and Communism (above all in its historical shape of Stalinist Bolshevism). After exploring the human predicament in ›boundary situations,‹ i.e. situations of ultimate anxiety, despair but also hope and trust, religious motives seemed to gain the upper hand, according to Osuský. As a ›rational theist,‹ he attempted to draw from theology, philosophy and science as complementary sources of wisdom combining them in his struggle to find satisfying insights for larger questions of meaning. Osusky’s ideas in his book War and Religion (1916) and article The Philosophy of Bolshevism, Fascism, and Hitlerism (1937) manifest the much-needed prophetic insight that has the potential to enlighten our own struggle against the creeping forces of totalitarianism, right and left that seek to engulf our societies today.
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