The Christian Identity of Diaconal Work in a Secular Age of Authenticity
This article applies the conceptual framework found in Charles Taylor’s “A Secular Age“ (2007) to the developments within the field of diaconia (Christian Social Practice) in a Danish context. It explores how the conditions of a secular “age of authenticity” may affect the...
Main Author: | |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Verlage
2020-12-01
|
Series: | Diaconia |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://vr-elibrary.de/doi/10.13109/diac.2020.11.1.71 |
Summary: | This article applies the conceptual framework found in Charles Taylor’s “A Secular
Age“ (2007) to the developments within the field of diaconia (Christian Social
Practice) in a Danish context. It explores how the conditions of a secular “age of
authenticity” may affect the Christian identity of diaconal work. Modern diaconia,
which was closely linked to the mobilization of church and civil society in the
19th century, today finds itself in new situation, where Christianity is no longer
the common moral and religious framework. In this new context, some diaconal
organizations and institutions seem to downplay their ecclesial anchoring and
Christian identity and seem to carry out their professional helping action within an
immanent and exclusivist humanist framework. The author takes this as an occasion
for a more general discussion about whether or not and how this development
represents a challenge to the Christian identity of diaconia. This is done by engaging
the diaconal theologies of J. Moltmann, Pope Benedict XVI, Christoph Sigrist and
Heinz Rüegger with Taylor’s ideas. The article argues that diaconal work should
have a distinctive Christian character to provide an integral helping action. If
diaconia is understood as an essential expression of the church, then it must retain
a marked Christian identity. Diaconia thereby becomes one of the church’s unique
and authentic contributions in a pluralistic society. |
---|---|
ISSN: | 1869-3261 2196-9027 |