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The paper starts from hypothesis that current religious change may be best approached within the categorical framework not of a sociology of religion, conceived of & practiced as a sociology of religion of individuals & values, but a political sociology of religion (Guizzardi), focused on political exchange aimed at generating legitimacy &, therefore, creating consensus. Two current complementary trends of religious change, described as politicization of religion & religionization of politics (Robertson), are interpreted in such a way. First, some aspects of the current politicization of religion have been identified & described. Second, the crucial aspects of the religionization of politics, projected primarily on the background of transitional processes in former Yugoslavia, have been identified & analyzed. Finally, an interpretation of such trends has been elaborated, basically by taking into consideration two crucial discrepancies & their precariousness. The first one is the discrepancy & precariousness of legitimacy of dominant political strategies to be obtained by a politics coherently situated in the relative, dissociated from any kind of absolute & sacred. The second is the discrepancy & precariousness of a possible religious revival to be achieved strictly on religious bases. 35 References. Adapted from the source document.

The paper starts from hypothesis that current religious change may be best approached within the categorical framework not of a sociology of religion, conceived of & practiced as a sociology of religion of individuals & values, but a political sociology of religion (Guizzardi), focused on political exchange aimed at generating legitimacy &, therefore, creating consensus. Two current complementary trends of religious change, described as politicization of religion & religionization of politics (Robertson), are interpreted in such a way. First, some aspects of the current politicization of religion have been identified & described. Second, the crucial aspects of the religionization of politics, projected primarily on the background of transitional processes in former Yugoslavia, have been identified & analyzed. Finally, an interpretation of such trends has been elaborated, basically by taking into consideration two crucial discrepancies & their precariousness. The first one is the discrepancy & precariousness of legitimacy of dominant political strategies to be obtained by a politics coherently situated in the relative, dissociated from any kind of absolute & sacred. The second is the discrepancy & precariousness of a possible religious revival to be achieved strictly on religious bases. 35 References. Adapted from the source document.

The author defines the concepts of church, politics, & state within the framework of Catholicism. The Catholic Church is defined as a community of believers, radically declericalized following the Second Vatican Council. Politics is viewed as public activity with a view to achieving the common good within a political community, which is a broader concept than a state. The state & public authority are but agents of political communities in the service of the common good. Such a definition is diametrically opposed to the totalitarian views of the state as a self-purposeful entity superimposed on political communities & societies. The Christian foundation for understanding the relationship between the Church & the state is an individual & his/her conscience. The Church is independent of the state but, within its field of competences, it nevertheless includes certain secular functions: it protects the dignity of man, strengthens social solidarity, & gives meaning to ordinary human existence. Regardless of its role in a society, the Church has given the nod to discretionary participation (individual & collective) of the faithful in politics. Adapted from the source document.

The author defines the concepts of church, politics, & state within the framework of Catholicism. The Catholic Church is defined as a community of believers, radically declericalized following the Second Vatican Council. Politics is viewed as public activity with a view to achieving the common good within a political community, which is a broader concept than a state. The state & public authority are but agents of political communities in the service of the common good. Such a definition is diametrically opposed to the totalitarian views of the state as a self-purposeful entity superimposed on political communities & societies. The Christian foundation for understanding the relationship between the Church & the state is an individual & his/her conscience. The Church is independent of the state but, within its field of competences, it nevertheless includes certain secular functions: it protects the dignity of man, strengthens social solidarity, & gives meaning to ordinary human existence. Regardless of its role in a society, the Church has given the nod to discretionary participation (individual & collective) of the faithful in politics. Adapted from the source document.

Democracy, as the government of the people by the people, is an inadequately defined notion, giving room for rival concepts of democracy: liberal, socialist, & Christian. The distinguishing features of the Christian outlook are respect for other human beings, the demand for individual involvement in politics, & the government's duty to look after everyone's well-being. The author points to the fact that Christian democracy, with its highlighted moral component of politics, was particularly attractive for the countries that went through fascist totalitarianism. Although the standards of the grand Christian precept of altruism have not been met in social & political life, the author concludes that today's global challenges reemphasize the relevance of the gospel message. Adapted from the source document.

Democracy, as the government of the people by the people, is an inadequately defined notion, giving room for rival concepts of democracy: liberal, socialist, & Christian. The distinguishing features of the Christian outlook are respect for other human beings, the demand for individual involvement in politics, & the government's duty to look after everyone's well-being. The author points to the fact that Christian democracy, with its highlighted moral component of politics, was particularly attractive for the countries that went through fascist totalitarianism. Although the standards of the grand Christian precept of altruism have not been met in social & political life, the author concludes that today's global challenges reemphasize the relevance of the gospel message. Adapted from the source document.

The critical function of the Church & theology throws some light on the general nature & place of criticism in human relations, & particularly on the role of opposition in politics. From the standpoint of the Church & theology the role of opposition is not untoward in itself, it is a positive component of political life in democracy. The article lists a number of major civilizational problems that require the useful & necessary criticism by the Church & theology. It is also the opposition's duty to use their political clout to make key political protagonists pay due attention to the Church & theology & in this way enable them to fulfill their positive social role. The opposition's activities should be founded on truth, justice, & the exclusion of hatred & even love (utopia?). Adapted from the source document.

The article deals with the separation of church and state as the key historical turning point in the creation of one of the fundamental determining factors of contemporary states and political systems. The author gives an account of the contributions of the American and European political traditions, and presents a very comprehensive historical context in which Christianity introduced a new model of relations between church and state. The Western tradition of church-state interrelations is essentially characterized by the problem of separation, and by various legal-political arrangements founded on the principle of separation of church and state. Consequently, the article aims to put forward some of the relevant ideas which contributed to the creation of the church separation principle, as well as some of the basic elements of the relations between church and state in contemporary political systems. Adapted from the source document.

The paper highlights the remarkable religious homogeneity & the much-evolved secularization of Scandinavian societies as the distinguishing features of these countries. These traits explain why Christian parties in northern Europe have remained relatively minor compared to their counterparts in other European countries. Christian parties (except, perhaps, in Norway) are of a rather recent date in Scandinavian countries (in 1933 in Norway, in 1958 in Finland, in 1964 in Sweden, & in 1970 in Denmark) & have neither shaped nor deeply influenced the development of Scandinavian democracy as a political system or a lifestyle. Christian parties in Scandinavia emerged at the time when the democratic systems of these countries had already developed, & the electorate had already chosen to adhere to one party or another. The author claims that Christian parties in Scandinavian countries came into being as a sort of moral & ethical protest at the time of rapid cultural secularization, the role they have more or less retained until now. The emergence of these parties went somewhat against the grain. First, they emerged in religiously homogenous & conflict-free societies. Second, despite the fact that almost 90% of the populations of these countries belong to the Lutheran state church, their support for Christian parties has been relatively low. Although minor in the number of votes they get, the role of Christian parties in the political life of these countries is far from negligible, as can be seen by their inclusion as partners in the coalition governments (today in Denmark, Finland, & Sweden, & formerly in Norway). 19 References. Adapted from the source document.

Politics is here defined as an activity & an area of human life that concerns power & its exercise. Though power by itself is morally neutral, it often serves as a means of enslaving other people & as such is a moral challenge for Christianity. Christianity does not give precedence to a certain political philosophy nor does it proscribe a certain form of government. However, the Christian understanding of love is a source from which many principles that serve as Christians' guidelines in politics spring: restraint, patience, readiness to compromise, recognition of one's mistakes, not yielding to hate. Christianity equally opposes anational cosmopolitanism & xenophobic nationalism & is in favor of patriotism & altruism as complementary virtues. In conclusion, the author deals with the harrowing political heritage & stresses the importance of a catharsis that should facilitate the transition to a democratic society & politics. Adapted from the source document.

Politics is here defined as an activity & an area of human life that concerns power & its exercise. Though power by itself is morally neutral, it often serves as a means of enslaving other people & as such is a moral challenge for Christianity. Christianity does not give precedence to a certain political philosophy nor does it proscribe a certain form of government. However, the Christian understanding of love is a source from which many principles that serve as Christians' guidelines in politics spring: restraint, patience, readiness to compromise, recognition of one's mistakes, not yielding to hate. Christianity equally opposes anational cosmopolitanism & xenophobic nationalism & is in favor of patriotism & altruism as complementary virtues. In conclusion, the author deals with the harrowing political heritage & stresses the importance of a catharsis that should facilitate the transition to a democratic society & politics. Adapted from the source document.

The author outlines a historical review of the Catholic Church's attitude toward democracy. The initial stance, as formulated by Pope Leo XIII at the end of the 19th century, was based on the equidistance of the Church from various political regimes, on the condition that they respect individual rights, family, & the Church. The term Christian democracy primarily denoted a drift within the ranks of the clergy, whose goal was helping people & proselytizing under the new circumstances. Further confluence between the Church & democracy occurred during the papacy of Pius XII, who emphasized the importance of the political involvement of a free & responsible individual in a democracy & who endorsed the concept of a people as opposed to anonymous masses. The complete acceptance of democracy by the Church occurred during the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), when it gave its blessing to the involvement of Christian laity in the roles of religious & political activists. The latest convergence of the Church & democracy was embodied in the encyclical Centesimus annus, by John Paul II (1991), in which the demise of communism is attributed to the lack of democracy & in which democracy is singled out as the best form of government. Adapted from the source document.

The author points to the fact that Christianity & democracy have been at the center of the European cultural heritage. If democracy, in keeping with the American Declaration of Independence & the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, is defined as a political system aiming to protect human rights in a society, it can be demonstrated that this goes hand in hand with the social & political keynotes of Catholicism. It is Catholicism that dwells on human free will & the responsibility for choosing between good & evil. It also stresses man's concomitant participation in the activities of secular & religious communities -- the state & the Church -- which are strictly separated. It ensues that the Church cannot be a partisan of any political party, including those built around Catholics' secular activities. The Church also opposes the reduction of democracy to mere multiparty power squabbling. 3 References. Adapted from the source document.

The author points to the fact that Christianity & democracy have been at the center of the European cultural heritage. If democracy, in keeping with the American Declaration of Independence & the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, is defined as a political system aiming to protect human rights in a society, it can be demonstrated that this goes hand in hand with the social & political keynotes of Catholicism. It is Catholicism that dwells on human free will & the responsibility for choosing between good & evil. It also stresses man's concomitant participation in the activities of secular & religious communities -- the state & the Church -- which are strictly separated. It ensues that the Church cannot be a partisan of any political party, including those built around Catholics' secular activities. The Church also opposes the reduction of democracy to mere multiparty power squabbling. 3 References. Adapted from the source document.