Relationship between the Church and media in the light of culture inspired by the Gospel

U radu se nastoji prikazati odnos Crkve i medija ako se on promatra kao susret evanđelja s kulturom, prije svega onom društvenom i političkom. Budući da je riječ o trajnom pozivu evanđelja, društvena i politička kultura koja je nadahnuta evanđeljem jest “kultura odgovornosti”. Ona ne trpi individualizam, teži širiti se i biti uzorom svakoj drugoj kulturi u njezinoj posebnosti. Takva kultura usmjerena je na drugoga i zato je riječ o “kulturi susreta”. Stoga se govor o odnosu Crkve i medija smješta u govor o misijskoj djelatnosti, o područjima misijske djelatnosti, kao i u govor o inkulturaciji. S obzirom na to, rad donosi i koristan prikaz postojećih podataka o stanju s obzirom na Crkvu i medije u Hrvatskoj, koji su izneseni u nekoliko ranijih istraživanja. Oni pokazuju još uvijek nedovoljnu prisutnost Crkve na području medija, iako su pomaci vidljivi. Također, rad donosi i teološko promišljanje o navedenom odnosu te iznosi razloge i poticaje za čvršće zalaganje Crkve, ponajprije mjesne (župe), na području sredstava društvenog priopćavanja.The aim of this paper is to analyze the relationship between the Church and media in Croatia in the light of the encounter of the Gospel with social and political culture. This encounter has its origin in the perpetual call of the Gospel, and results in the culture of responsibility that declines individualism. It is in fact a culture of encounter. Therefore, the relationship between the Church and media is under the category of missionary activity and inculturation of the Gospel. The paper also brings some formerly published statistical data about the social confidence in the Church and media in Croatia. There is still very low confidence in mass media, though high in local media, as well as in the Catholic Church, generally speaking. However, the data have shown very low confidence in the Church when speaking about social problems, and great passivity of the Church in the field of media. Due to this, the article brings a theological analysis of the mentioned problem. In the last part of the paper, there are some reasons and incentives for a greater activity of the Church, especially parishes, in the field of media. Theological reflection on this issue does not give us the right to sit quietly. The responsibility is even greater if we are aware that almost every day there are new ways of communicating, and with them new opportunities for evangelization. Building a social and political culture inspired by the Gospel is impossible without communication and without the use of new media. The fact that media can provide a very wide space, new possibilities, and therefore enable participation at any time, can be valuable to the Church. Media allows us to start forming a culture inspired by the Gospel at any time; to be His witnesses, “to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8