Zagreb, May 5, 1999 (IKA) – “It is possible for a Christian to act politically, because it is not permitted to withdraw from the world in which he lives. Moreover, this is his challenge and task, i.e. a question of Christian conscience,” said Archbishop Josip Bozanić of Zagreb on Tuesday, May 4, at a public forum held in Zagreb, opening a series of four public forums organized by the Center for the Promotion of the Social Doctrine of the Church. The topic of the first public forum was “The Christian in Politics.” In addition to Archbishop Bozanić, the speakers included Dr. Valentin Zsifkovits and Dr. Neven Šimac. Prof. Zsifkovits pointed out in his exhaustive presentation that a Christian must avoid the temptations and snares of politics that lead to “Cesaropapism” but must not avoid political engagement because it is “a flight from the world … a Christian must not escape from the world, he must act in the world in which he lives, guided exclusively by his conscience, as stipulated in the conciliar document #!Gaudium et spes.#! He must only support political parties that do not contradict Church doctrine regarding respect for the fundamental values – the family and life, and strive for the general good, and not personal benefit. The Church is a community of the faithful and it must not openly support any party or stand behind anyone,” emphasized Dr. Zsifkovits, a university professor from Graz. He particularly pointed out the need for a critical and alert conscience, in constant re-examination, and an all-encompassing policy of education and political training for Christian laity.
Speaking about the effective role of the Christian in politics, Dr. Neven Šimac emphasized “the imperative for Christians to engage in politics” and spoke of the current political situation in Croatia. He particularly underscored that “we must emerge from the snare of our own past and master it.” He also pointed out that Christian political activity must be guided by conscience. He said, “Christians in Croatia today are still people of a Bolshevik #!mental framework and behavior,#! and they do not function effectively in political life, from which they had been previously excluded for many decades. Therefore, he said, “Christians in Croatia today are not the #!salt of the earth, a city set on the mountain or the light of the world,#!” as they should be according to their mission. Therefore, it is necessary for them to discard prejudices about politics as “sinful” and not strive to “keep their hands clean,” i.e. “political abstinence,” but learn “how to become a citizen instead of a subject” in order to work for the general good. After the presentations, many participants posed questions, including “whether Christians are permitted to criticize the Church and its relation to the authorities.” Archbishop Bozanić answered this question affirmatively, noting that this is nothing new because Bishop Mahnić spoke about it in his time.
Public forums on the social doctrine of the Church will be held every Tuesday in May at 7 p.m. in the Upper Town of Zagreb.