Panel: THE SECULARIZATION AND PERSISTENCE OF CHRISTIAN ANTHROPOLOGIES IN POLITICAL THOUGHT



896.4 - THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY: THE CHALLENGE OF SECULAR RELIGIONS

AUTHORS:
Nagypál S. (Mathias Corvinus Collegium; Eötvös Loránd University ~ Budapest ~ Hungary)
Text:
Globally, neither religion nor Christianity faces a crisis unprecedent-ed. But in Western civilization, Christianity is undeniably in deep crisis. While declaring the West a missionary territory, awaiting re-evangelization from other civilizations is an option, a prudent approach involves mobiliz-ing internal resources. Competition arises from three sources: traditional religions (Islam); new religious movements (Paganism, esoterism); secular religions. Secular religions stem from Enlightenment ideals, the separation of Church and state, and secularization. Contrary to predictions of religion's disappear-ance through rationalism, religions persist, with Western Europe seeing a shift from traditional organized religion to secular religions. Human nature in theological anthropology is challenged by liberal-ism, individualism, humanism, atheism, psychology; and by biotechnolo-gy, genetics, cloning, AI, post- and transhumanism as secular religions. We explore how secular religions fulfil anthropologically rooted religious needs, redefining the concept of religion. It considers how Christianity can respond to this evolving religious landscape and the challenges posed by political theologies and secular religions.