The 21st century will be a time for struggling for souls; not so much a time of wars in the physical sense, but a time for aspiring to spiritual absolutism, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office stated in his address opening the conference of the Századvég Foundation titled ‘What do we owe to Christian culture?’ held on Tuesday in Budapest.
Gergely Gulyás said global firms with a vested interest in raising consumption to ever higher levels and international networks with a vested interest in building empires are attempting to guide the world towards the disintegration of communities. It is sad, but many in Europe believe already today that in democracy, too, there is only room for one way of thinking, he added.
In his words, migration and the resettlement of Islamic radicalism could serve as a means for destroying the continent. These pose the greatest threats. As Robert Schuman put it, the persecution of Christians conveys the threat of a lapse from democracy to barbarity, the Minister stressed.
He took the view that a Christian culture resulting in strong families, nations and local communities stands in the way of the above processes. Europe’s greatest historical virtue is its capacity for spiritual and cultural renewal on common foundations, he said.
The decisive question of the 21st century is whether an intellectual and spiritual renewal will come into being again in defence of the European way of life and Christian culture; a renewal which may provide a robust enough background for strengthening the continent’s identity and communities. If that is what will happen, it will be purely down to the nations of Central Europe, and therefore “we must take action,” Mr Gulyás pointed out.
The Minister said freedom is Christian man’s overwhelming sensation with which – by relying on his conviction – he can turn the world out of its corners. The belief in resurrection is capable of calling forth even the most profound altruism, in defiance of the desire for the individual’s advancement, he observed.
According to Christianity’s vision of man, everyone is important and unrepeatable.
Christian democratic politics accepts and advocates the fundamental principles which are the cornerstones of the culture that grew out of Christianity. There is, however, a stark difference between individual Christianity and political Christian democracy: no one claims that a person who is a Christian democrat is also a good Christian. Belonging to the Christian democratic political family cannot in itself give anyone absolution from their sins, Mr Gulyás stressed.
In his words, politics recognised early on the opportunities that are inherent in Christianity in connection with ruling and the reinforcement of social cohesion. It is the duty of leaders to open up the possibility for the community to live a better and more complete life.
Christianity commanded its believers to obey secular laws and rulers as long as they were not irreconcilable with God’s commandments. A Christian cannot turn into a mass murderer even upon the command of the state because he would then find himself at odds with God, the Minister stated.
He said in the no-go areas of today’s Western world the fundamental laws of the state are not enforced; in those areas the state is unable to enforce common law.
Mr Gulyás highlighted that thirty years ago we had to start again from scratch; churches and faith have been free since the fall of communism. For forty years before there was “destruction on ideological grounds” which left obvious scars in most areas of the nation. Christianity was depicted in history lessons as the biggest fraud, while believers were dismissed as relics of a bygone era.
Marxist historiography tends to simplify Christianity: to identify Catholicism with feudalism, Protestantism with capitalism. This is not correct, however, he pointed out.
Frequently people want to judge churches by the sins of their members. To this day this is perhaps “the most effective” weapon against Christianity, the Minister said.
The past three decades have been spent in constructive efforts; however, a complete breakthrough has yet to happen, he said.
Mr Gulyás also highlighted that to this day European culture is defined in its very foundations by personal, man-to-man faith relations and the process by which communities transform themselves into institutions.