Not So Much Societal: The Catholic Church in Poland as a Veto Player

Author(s):  
Krzysztof Zuba

George Tsebelis distinguished two forms of veto players’ actions: institutional and partisan. In a democracy, the Church is not able to play either role because it is not an element of the state’s institutional structure. This was the source for Simon Fink’s proposal to look at the Church as a societal veto player (VP). The case of Poland shows, however, that such an approach becomes inadequate in numerous situations. The Church’s influence on political parties, and particularly the state’s institutions, may be exerted outside society. Performed on the basis of the existing literature and political debates conducted since 1989, the analysis of the social and political reality of Poland allows us to indicate the following four issues with respect to which the role of the Church as a VP The Church acted most often as a quasi-institutional VP (five cases), and once as a quasi-partisan VP. It never took actions based primarily on mobilizing society. This undermines the universality of findings and indicates the necessity of reconsidering the role of churches as societal veto players.

2005 ◽  
pp. 85-96
Author(s):  
S.R. Kyiak

The problem of becoming a social doctrine of Ukrainian Christianity, in particular Ukrainian Catholicism, has become especially relevant today in theological, philosophical and religious sciences, since objective study contributes to the production of not only a true picture of the Church-theological identity of the Ukrainian Orthodox ), which entrenched the historically and theologically not justified name - Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), but also the place and role of Christianity in modern times. to this Ukrainian public life in general. Ukrainian Catholicism, represented by the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the heir to the Kyiv Church, has accumulated significant experience of collaborating with the public in various spheres of its activity, including in the social sphere, for more than a thousand years.


Author(s):  
Karin Sánchez Manríquez

ResumenEl objetivo de este artículo es analizar el desarrollo del pensamiento católico chileno sobre el rol del Estado para enfrentar la Cuestión Social a principios del siglo XX. Se argumenta que la Iglesia Católica chilena le daba al Estado un rol secundario en la solución de la Cuestión Social. Pese a reconocer la necesidad de establecer normativas legales para solucionar los problemas entre patrones y obreros, la realización de obras en favor de los trabajadores correspondía a iniciativas privadas que el Estado debía fomentar, lo que la Iglesia denominaba “Acción Social Católica”. Esta preferencia por un Estado con una acción social limitada mostraba a una Iglesia que seguía considerándose como la institución rectora de la sociedad en tanto su accionar incluía tanto la vida terrena como también la vida después de la muerte. El Estado, al centrarse sólo en problemas terrenales, era una institución de rango menor, cobijada por la Iglesia. Se estudiarán textos escritos por sacerdotes de la jerarquíaeclesiástica chilena sobre el rol del Estado en la resolución de los problemas sociales y sobre la discusión en la esfera pública de dos leyes sociales: la ley de habitación obrera de 1906 y la ley de descanso dominical de 1907.Palabras clave: Iglesia, Estado, Cuestión Social, Legislación Social.Catholic social action or State social intervention? The role of the State in the resolution of the Social Problem according to the Chilean Catholic Church at the beginning of the 20th CenturyAbstractThe objective of this article is to analyze the development of Chilean Catholic thinking about the role of the State in facing the Social Problem at the beginning of the 20th Century. It is argued that the Chilean Catholic Church gave the State a secondary role in the solution of the Social Problem. Despite recognizing the need of establishing legal regulations to solve problems between employers and workers, the performance of works in favor of workers corresponded to private initiatives that the State should promote, what the Church called “Catholic Social Action”. This preference for a State with limited social action showed a Church that continued to be considered as the governing institution of society, as its actions included both earthly life and life after death. The State, by focusing only on earthly problems, was an institution of lower rank, sheltered by the Church. The research studied some texts written by priests of the Chilean ecclesiastical hierarchy dealing with the role of the State in the resolution of social problems and the public discussion about two social laws: the 1906 Working Class Law and the 1907 Sunday Rest Law.Keywords: Church, State, Social Problem, Social Law.Ação social católica ou intervenção social do Estado? O papel do Estado na resolução da Questão Social segundo a Igreja Católica Chilena no início do século XXResumoO objetivo deste artigo é analisar o desenvolvimento do pensamento católico chileno sobre o papel do Estado para enfrentar a Questão Social a princípios doséculo XX. Argumenta-se que a Igreja Católica chilena tinha dado ao Estado um papel secundário na solução da Questão Social. Apesar de reconhecer a necessidade de estabelecer normativas legais para resolver problemas entre empregadores e trabalhadores, a realização de obras a favor dos trabalhadores correspondia a iniciativas privadas que o Estado devia promover, o que a Igreja denominou “Ação Social Católica”. Essa preferência por um Estado com uma ação social limitada mostrava uma Igreja que seguia considerando-se como a instituição governante da sociedade, tanto na sua ação incluía a vida terrena como também a vida após a morte. O Estado, ao centrar-se só em problemas terrenais, era uma instituição de alcance inferior, protegida pela Igreja. Vão serestudados os textos escritos por sacerdotes da hierarquia eclesiástica chilena sobre o papel do Estado na resolução de problemas sociais e na discussão na esfera pública de duas leis sociais: a lei da habitação trabalhadora de 1906 e a lei do descanso dominical de 1907.Palavras-chave: Igreja, Estado, Questão Social, Legislação Social.


Author(s):  
Simone C. Martino

The paper looks at the historical and contemporary role of Catholic Church in Italian politics. Over the last sixty years Catholicism has played an important role in Italian society. The paper identify three ways in which Catholicism interacts with Italian public life: as a peculiar version of “civil religion”, through Catholic inspirited political parties and the Church intervening directly in specific public debates. After identifies the change of political role of the Catholic Church in the last decades the paper recognize the main challenges for this particular relationship in the next future


2019 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 268-279
Author(s):  
Abbot Vitaly Utkin

With reference to Yu. F. Samarin’s thesis on “Formalism” of the Church Life in the Pre-Petrine Period, the article examines the issue of the role of fasts, eating patterns and daily routine in general among most radical groups of Old Believers. The author of the article draws the conclusion that such conceptions were rooted in the Pre-Nikon Russian religious (monkish) traditions. The author pays special attention to the social and political aspect of the connection between food and payer for the Tsar in the context of the “spiritual Antichrist” teaching.


1989 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-381
Author(s):  
Arthur R. Liebscher

To the dismay of today's social progressives, the Argentine Catholic church addresses the moral situation of its people but also shies away from specific political positions or other hint of secular involvement. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the church set out to secure its place in national leadership by strengthening religious institutions and withdrawing clergy from politics. The church struggled to overcome a heritage of organizational weakness in order to promote evangelization, that is, to extend its spiritual influence within Argentina. The bishop of the central city of Córdoba, Franciscan Friar Zenón Bustos y Ferreyra (1905-1925), reinforced pastoral care, catechesis, and education. After 1912, as politics became more heated, Bustos insisted that priests abstain from partisan activities and dedicate themselves to ministry. The church casts itself in the role of national guardian, not of the government, but of the faith and morals of the people.


Author(s):  
Beverley Haddad

The field of theology and development is a relatively new sub-discipline within theological studies in Africa. The first formal post-graduate programme was introduced at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa during the mid-1990s. In the early years it was known as the Leadership and Development programme and since 2000, as the Theology and Development programme. Over the past twenty years, this programme has graduated over 160 BTh Honours, 100 MTh, and 15 PhD students. This article outlines the history of the programme, addresses its ideological orientation, its pedagogical commitments and preferences in curriculum design. It further argues that theological reflection on “development” must seek to understand the prophetic role of the church in responding to the complexities of the social issues facing the African continent.  Key to this discussion is the contested nature of “development” and the need for theological perspectives to engage this contestation through a social analysis of the global structures of injustice. This requires an engagement with the social sciences. It is this engagement of the social sciences with theological reflection, the essay argues, that has enabled the students who have graduated from the Theology and Development Programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal to assist the church and faith-based organisations to become effective agents of social transformation.


2020 ◽  
pp. 35-58
Author(s):  
Janusz Nawrot

On the occasion of 100 years of existence and activity of Adam Mickiewicz University in Pozna, one may sum up the contribution of the Faculty of Theology which has existed as part of the uni- versity for 20 years. This contribution has concerned the research and teaching arenas combined with a commitment for the social community of the Wielkopolska province. What is specific of the faculty is its ability to work both on the scientific and didactic levels as well as on the church level, which requires considerable knowledge and time in order to competently combine the requirements of working at university with demands of the Catholic Church managed by the Second Vatican Council. The scientific and popular scientific initiatives in the widely understood biblical studies represent a valuable contribution to the celebration of 100 years of the Pozna university. Like other scientific disciplines, they can proudly make their own contribution to the development of sci- ence in our city, as well as the entire country. One can only hope that the present generation of sci- entists will take the baton passed to them in the relay race of generations, and will make their own contribution to the science thereby honouring Pozna as an important scientific centre in Poland.


2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leepo Johannes Modise

This paper consists of five parts. Firstly, a brief historical background of reformation will be discussed as an exercise to remember reformation. Secondly, we review the role of the ecumenical church (SACC) prior to democracy in South Africa. The purpose for focusing on the role of the church from this period is that it gives us a model to follow in our involvement in socio-economic transformation. Thirdly, the social and economic challenges facing the church and society in democratic South Africa will be discussed. Fourthly, we debate the role of the ecumenical church (SACC) in democratic South Africa. Fifthly, the article explores what role the Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa (URCSA) is playing (descriptive) and ought to play (normative) through all her structures to transform the socio-economic situation in South Africa.


2014 ◽  
pp. 142-147
Author(s):  
Volodymyr Moroz

The article of Volodymyr Moroz ―Normative character of the principles of Social doctrine of Catholic Church: an evolutional way of formation - is devoted to the analysis of Catholic Church’s Teaching over the human dignity. Author explores also the process of settling of the principles of common good, subsidiarity and solidarity in the Teaching of Catholic Church. Mentioned principles are investigated in the case of orientation to provide a reverence to transcendent human dignity. Author sums up that all three principles have normative character. That is to say the principles are called to guarantee certain coordination between the social reality and the verities, which were declared by the Social doctrine of the Church.


2021 ◽  
pp. 205-225
Author(s):  
Arkady Lyubarev

Correlation coefficients between the results of political parties in the 2016 State Duma elections in the Russian Federation as a whole and in 26 regions, as well as in the elections of regional parliaments of 35 subjects of the Russian Federation in 2012–2015 were calculated. For the 2016 State Duma elections, data was used at all levels – regions, single-member electoral districts, TEC and PEC. It is noted that the “United Russia” correlations with all major parties are generally negative. A fairly high level of correlation is observed between the liberal parties. The main focus is on correlations between parliamentary opposition parties and parties with similar names. The correlation coefficients between the results of parties and candidates in the State Duma elections of 2011 and 2016 and the Presidential elections of 2012 and 2018 were also calculated, showing the stability of the geographical distribution of the electorate of the main parties. Regional differences in the nature of correlations between the main political parties are noted. It is assumed that correlations between parties reflect not so much their ideological closeness as the social closeness of their electorate. In this regard, it is noted that a positive correlation between the results of ideologically distant parties (“Yabloko” and the Communist party or “Yabloko” and “Rodina”) is associated with their reliance on the urban electorate and, perhaps, its most educated part. The reasons for voting for spoiler parties and the role of these parties in reducing the results of the main participants in the elections are discussed.


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