Christian Theology Meeting Postmodern Religiousness

Authors:

Pages: 186-194
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/NUII8725

Abstract:

In this essay the author will try to answer the following question: Is it possible today to reflect, theologically, on certain problems from the Christian point of view, being conscious of the existence of certain very strong and often unnoticeable layers of postmodern religiousness mentality? After an initial emphasis on the difficult position the Christian theologian is in, the author offers an insight into the European process of secularization and desecularization, and the "return of the sacred" into the public sphere. This insight is achieved by research on religiousness in Europe, as well as by the results of the latest research on religiousness in Serbia. The author holds the opinion that there are certain reasons for optimism when comparing the present situation with the situation just a couple of decades ago, but we have to be, in general, very careful when it comes to optimism. Postmodern religiousness does not imply a return to the traditional forms of religiousness nor a return to traditional European churches. The author underlines the main characteristics of that religiousness – narcissism and the lack of institutionality, together with the question – what kind of god returned to us? As a conclusion, it is stressed that the present situation imposes the question of God as a basic theological question and also imposes the fact that theology should not be a mere oration on God but God's oration relevant to particular human existence.

Keywords:

theologian, secularization and desecularization, religiousness and Christian faith, sociography, postmodern religious mentalities

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