Christian Attitude Towards a Democratic Society

Autor analizira bitne sastojke kršćanskog socijalnog učenja i njihov odnos prema problemima uređenja suvremenog društva. Kršćansko je učenje univerzalno i stoga nužno nadstranačko. Polazište kršćanskog promišljanja društva jesu ideje prirodnog reda i prirodnog prava koje utemeljuju zahtjev za nepovredivosti osobe. Ljudska prava impliciraju i etičku obvezu: zabranu eksploatacije i licemjerja te priznanje ravnopravnosti pojedinaca. U odnosu na pojedinca društvo je akcidencija koja nema supstncijalnu realnost: ono je tek skup odnosa među osobama. Društvo je ipak pojmljeno kao autonomno i pluralno. Ono razvija vlastitu dinamiku i proturječja što zahtjeva svjesno nastojanje oko održavanja društvene ravnoteže. Zbog toga je u društvu nužno posredovanje države, koju suvremeno kršćanstvo na tragu Tome Akvinskog razumije kao instituciju neophodnu za uspostavu potpune ljudske zajednice. Državno je djelovanje ograničeno: državna intervencija mora poštivati osobna i kolektivna prava i bitu u službi općeg dobra.The author analyses the crux of the Christian social creed and its relevance for the issue of the organization of a modern society. Christian tenets are universal and thus above party politics. The starting point of the Christian vision of society are the precepts of natural order and natural right, the cornerstones of the demand for the inviolability of individuals. Human rights imply an ethic consideration: an interdiction of exploitation and hypocrisy and the recognition of the equality of people. Unlike an individual, a society is a fortuity having no substantial reality: it is but a set of relationships between individuals. A society is nevertheless recognized as autonomous and pluralistic. It develops its own dynamics and contradictions which call for for studied efforts to maintain social balance. That is why the mediation of state in a society is requisite. The state is defined by contemporary Christian canon (in line with Thomas Aquinas) as an institution fundemental in establishing a consummate human community. The scope of a state\u27s activities is restricted: state intervention must take into consideration individual and collective rights and be in service of achieving common good