Directives for Spirituality in Democratic Society

Autor u članku polazi od povijesne činjenice da se u hrvatskom društvu dogodio prijelaz iz diktatorskog režima u demokratsko političko uređenje. Stoga propituje treba li ta promjena imati aplikacije i na kršćansku duhovnost. Nakon pojašnjenja dvaju ključnih pojmova, iznose se teološko-duhovne sastavnice koje najprikladnije odgovaraju bitnim obilježjima demokratskog društva. Demokracija pretpostavlja mogućnost uključivanja građana (posredno ili neposredno) u politički život, stoga ona zahtijeva duhovnost prisutnosti i založenosti u svijetu te nadilaženje modela fuga mundi. Takav model duhovnosti traži zrelu vjeru koja neće biti uvjetovana okolinom, nego će polaziti od osobnog uvjerenja; izgradnju stava solidarnosti koji polazi od činjenice da su svi ljudi međusobno povezani a probleme drugoga - iznad svih povlastica i pripadnosti - doživljavaju svojima. Nadalje, potrebno je, razvijati i političku dimenziju ljubavi (u užem i širem smislu), gdje se bližnjemu dolazi i pomaže preko institucija koje umrežuju njegov život; učinkovitost pak ljubavi potiče da se uz neophodan individualni apostolat favorizira udruženi; metoda kršćanske prisutnosti u demokratskom društvu treba biti dijalog ili sučeljavanje. Na koncu je vjernost kontemplativnoj dimenziji života, koja je sposobna sačuvati kršćanina da se njegov angažman ne pretvori u još jedan oblik borbe za političku moć, nego ostane iskreno služenje Bogu u bratu čovjeku.The author of this article starts from the historical fact that a transition occurred in Croatian society from a dictatorship to a democratically political order. The author questions whether this change needs to be applied to Christian spirituality. After explaining two key notions, the author presents a theological-spiritual content that most appropriately corresponds to some vital features of democratic society. Democracy assumes the possibility of involving citizens (directly or indirectly) in political life and as such it requires the spiritual presence and efforts in the world and surpassing the model of fuga mundi. That models of spirituality requires: mature faith that is not conditioned by surroundings but results from personal belief; it requires the development of an attitude of solidarity that results from the fact that we are all people mutually tied to the problems of others - above all privileges and belonging - and experience these as our own; it furthermore requires to develop a political dimension of love (in the narrow and wider sense), where one\u27s neighbour comes and helps through institutions that are networked in his life; the efficiency of love then motivates a vital individual apostolate that favours association; the method of Christian presence in democratic society needs to be dialogue or interfacing; and finally, fidelity to a contemplative dimension of life that is capable of preserving the Christian so that his engagement does not transform into yet another form of struggle for political power but remains sincere servitude to God through his brother man