Ritröð Guðfræðistofnunar - 01.01.1992, Síða 176

Vilhjálmur Ámason
krefjast þess og ef hún gerir það ekki, þá er eitthvað alvarlegt að
þjóðinni.
Ég þakka Bimi Bjömssyni, prófessor, Gunnari Harðarsyni, lektor sem
skírði greinina, og sr. Karli Sigurbjömssyni fyrir yfirlestur og góðar
ábendingar.
Summary
The role of the church seems to be quite clear in societies where the well
being of the citizens or their civil rights are threatened. In societies, like
contemporary Iceland, where this is not the case, the role of the church is
less clear. In such a society the clergy tends to give in to two kinds of
temptations. The first is an aesthetical temptation which takes a superficial
and uncritical approach towards modem culture and reduces the role of
the church to services. The primary purpose of the aesthetical church is
to please its 'customers'; attending service is to be the icing on the cake
in the happy life-style of the consumer society. The second is a moralistic
temptation. Offended by the 'liberal' tendencies of modem culture the
moral church is drawn into a crusade against sinful individuals. Such
moralizing often implies vengeful legalism which cannot be reconciled
with the teaching of Christ. Although aesthetic and ethical elements are
intrinsic to the church, these two temptations lead her away from the core
of Christianity, which is the unconditional love and respect for the living
person. In contemporary culture, which is characterized by technological
manipulation of man and nature, by obsessive consumption and lack of
standards to guide our lives, the church has a unique opportunity to
exercise its primary spiritual or religious role. The church will best serve
this role by leading a critical discussion about values and purposes
implied in our culture. In that task it must relentlessly remind us of what
it means to be a Christian and to preserve it both in our individual actions
and social practices. Otherwise it breeds bad faith and hypocracy. This is
especially tme of a state church which must be the conscience of society,
fighting against injustice and thoughtlessness in the light of Christian
principles.
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