Christianity as the Catholic ethos

Autor polazi od povijesne i društvene promjenjivosti kršćanstva na razini socijalne forme katoličkog etosa. Preispituje katolički etos kao stanovito duhovno, moralno i društveno uvjerenje, kao stajalište u kojem se očituje pripadništvo Katoličkoj crkvi. Kroz semantičko određenje te uopćene definicije upozorava na povijesnu zbilju kao stvarnosno ishodište religioznosti i ostalih oblika očitovanja duha kojima se otvara mogućnost za svekolike životne odnose i koji, kao dio podruštvljenog pogona, nisu instrumentalistički (»institucijska konzumacija«) iscrpljeni svojom funkcijom. Zbog toga autor traga za autentičnim katoličkim etosom koji ima po sebi vjerodostojnost, prihvaćajući povijesno vrijeme jedino kroz etički čin kao moralni čin koji, istodobno, nije zatočenikom povijesnog vremena. Pokazuje kako taj etos, zahvaljujući sposobnosti da transcendira sebe, da se »uzdigne iznad samoga sebe« povlačeći se iz neposrednog društvenog okvira, pa i »distancirajući se« od samoga sebe u društvenom okruženju, prožet karizmom može dosezati uzvisine svetog. Pita se kako tu »fenomenološku činjenicu« kao neposredan religiozni doživljaj iskustva svetoga, te kao istinsko i prvo ishodište svih kasnijih društvenih i povijesnih iskazivanja kršćanstva, osloboditi, kako taj doživljaj učiniti aktivnim da bi mogao udovoljiti svojoj svrsi u post-modernom vremenu stvarajući odnose zanosa, sređenosti, otvorenosti i razumijevanja koji se događaju u susretu. Brani se teza da je to jedino moguće ako se ostavlja što više prostora slobodi djelovanja jer samo religiozno iskustvo uči prihvaćanju katoličkog etosa kao usamljena traženja, kao putova što idu uz sam rub svagdašnje savjesti, čineći da pucaju okviri i da se kidaju granice unutar kojih većina ljudi nalazi pribježište i sigurnost. U tom smislu katolički etos je temeljna dimenzija samog kršćanstva.Te time of postmodernism brings about radical pluralism of values and views of life as well as a dialogue between religions, which all together ofer hopes for a better future. A modern Christian, with their insecure religious afliation, fnds their way to religious experience and in this way creates space for making free decisions about upbringing and moral development. In the world order, it corresponds to democratic values of individualism and pragmatism because this is where Catholic ethos can grow freely in its Christianity until it is mature enough to become morally responsible for its actions. In order to cope with post-modernism, it ofers its special spiritual experience as well as moral and social concern for individuals. Tis concern and its efectiveness prove the importance of Christianity, not its religious ideology but its pragmatic values. Without being deprived of original strength recognised in life facts of religious experience, a modern Christian is aware that their religious practices, knowledge and beliefs as well as their moral way of life reveal their own age and build up their own history. Tat is why Catholic ethos is passed on in the frst place on a personal level preceding social dimension, in an invisible dimension preceding external dimension. Similarly, by an act of worship within sacramental signs which precede an active service, by single morale preceding political practice. And finally, by the most important experience of awareness of the secretive, mysterious and completely out of reach origin and Eshaton, world, life and death which precede the objective act. This experience gives us completeness and synthesis which are not found in present-day rational »immenseness«. So it is necessary to come back to personal faith ofered by religious experience unless we want to, »in a postmodern way«, abandon our attempt to go back to the origins and fundamentals. This is the reason why our theme is so challenging. At this time of postmodernism, it helps young people in the Republic of Croatia to get back to their roots and fundamentals. It is not only limited to the Catholic ethos in the religious sense, but also to its original meaning of the word Catholic as comprehensive, which means Christian, universal. Tat explains the historical and social changeability of Catholic ethos in the form involved in the game of social interaction. It occurs in a specific social environment, marked by specific time and circumstances of socially-cultural nature. In some particular aspects it determines this social reality itself in its structural and cultural elements, creating at the same time »the world of intercultural community«