Katalikų bažnyčios kaip institucijos vaidmens kitimo prielaidos kuriant pilietinę visuomenę Lietuvoje

LTStraipsnyje analizuojamas Katalikų bažnyčios kaip institucijos vaidmens kitimas, bandoma atsakyti į klausimą, kokia vieta pilietinėje visuomenėje tenka Bažnyčiai ir kaip tos naujos sąlygos veikia jos kaip institucijos padėties ir vaidmens kaita. Autorius nagrinėja situaciją, kai visuomenėje silpsta religinių vertybių įtaka, Bažnyčia tampa interesų grupe, o tai reiškia, jog įgyvendinant savas idėjas, propaguojant vertybes, pažiūras, reikia, konkuruojant su kitomis (religinėmis) grupėmis, rasti naujų, visuomenės poreikius atliepiančių pastoracinio ir socialinio veikimo priemonių.

ENIn spite of an indubitable positive influence of the Catholic Church upon an improvement of the social organization of society and the formation of civic society in Lithuania, it becomes more and more clear that the state (althought acknowledges the especially honorable position of the Church, formed in course of history de jure by its merits in development of self-consciousness of the nation and protection of its identity) de facto ceases considering the Church a particular organization. On the base of the standpoint that a civic society is an identical system of various groups, communities, unions, the Church becomes a type of a group of interest. Being a group of interest means the following to the Church. Firstly, it relinguishes the certain a priori predetermined position which does not look well uder the democratic pluralism conditions in the civic society. Secondly, the relations between the Church as an institution and other public institutions are defined more clearly; the church recognizes a necessity to strive to realize its interests (ideas, thoughts opinions) in a competition with other (religious groups). It is a peculiar challenge both to the Church and believers The Church was induced to find measures of action corresponding to the needs of society. The believers are induced not only attest publicly their Christian faith but also protect it effectively.