The challenge of "posteriority" and pluralism

Džalto, Davor (author)

The history of misunderstandings and prejudices between Christianity/Christian theology and modernity/modernism is long and complicated. If one wanted to point out the basic characteristics of modernity, one would consider three main phenomena that contribute to characterizing modernity: the secularization of the socio-political sphere, a belief in progress (resulting in the ideology of progressivism), and the concept of individual freedoms and human rights that are expressed in various »liberal« tendencies and in the idea of a pluralistic society. All three properties of modernity were under a strong attack by Christian theologians and clergymen. In the twentieth century, when it became impossible to ignore or simply denounce them, the theological narrative shifted to theological articulation and, often, glorification. An interesting case in this respect is Orthodox theology, which has only recently entered into a serious theological dialogue with both modernity and post-modernity, and some of their distinct features. In this paper I aim to analyse the characteristics of modernity and to explore to what extent a dialogue between Orthodox theology and modern and contemporary culture could be mutually beneficial.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Christianity, pluralism, posteriority, modernism, secularisation
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.03 - Short Scientific Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Year: 2016
• Number of pages: Str. 77-84
• Numbering: Letn. 71, št. 1/2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-109023
• UDC: 27:141.113
• ISSN on article: 2335-4127
• URN: URN:NBN:SI:doc-PZI2S5UO
• COBISS.SI-ID: 10524163
• Publication date in RUL: 19.08.2019

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Edinost in dialog
• Publisher: Inštitut za ekumensko teologijo in medreligijski dialog pri Teološki fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 2335-4127
• COBISS.SI-ID: 268194560

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Izziv "posteriornosti" in pluralizem

Abstract

Zgodovina medsebojnih nesporazumov in predsodkov med krščanstvom oziroma krščansko teologijo ter modernostjo/modernizmom je dolga in zapletena. Če hočemo izpostaviti temeljne značilnosti modernosti, menim, da moramo opozoriti na tri glavne pojave ki so poleg drugih značilni za modernost. To so: sekularizacija družbene/politične sfere, vera v napredek (ki vodi v ideologijo progresivizma), in pojem svoboščin posameznika in človekovih pravic, ki se izražajo v različnih »liberalnih« težnjah in v ideji pluralistične družbe. Vse tri omenjene lastnosti modernosti so bile tarča ostrih napadov s strani teologov in duhovščine različnih vej krščanstva. V 20. stoletju, ko jih ni bilo več mogoče ignorirati ali zametati, se spremeni ton teoloških besedil in omenjene značilnosti postanejo predmet teološke artikulacije in včasih celo poveličevanja. V tem pogledu predstavlja zanimiv primer pravoslavna teologija, ki je šele v zadnjem času vstopila v resen teološki dialog z modernostjo in post-modernostjo ter nekaterimi njunimi pojavnimi oblikami. Namen razprave je analizirati te značilnosti modernosti in preučiti obojestransko koristnost dialoga med pravoslavno teologijo ter moderno, sodobno kulturo.

• Keywords: krščanstvo, pluralizem, posteriornost, modernost, sekularizacija