Język Polski
English
Published
:
2025-01-29
The Crossroads of Contemporary Europe from the Perspective of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger / Benedict XVI
Kazimierz F. Papciak
Abstract
The convergence and coherence of the constituent vectors of the ethos appears as a historical necessity for 21st-century Europe. The current lack of coherence, which can be brought down to a number of reasons, leads to an identity crisis and as such is a cause of concern for Christians. Therefore, Joseph Ratzinger asks a provocative question: “What are the essential mistakes of Europe that have brought it to the prisoner’s dock today?” The urge to make an examination of conscience prompts further questions: what should Europe be like, whose should it be, and what path should it take? Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI presents a whole catalogue of Europe’s recent sins: ethical relativism, depreciation of natural law, legal positivism, exclusiveness of technical reason, destruction of traditional cultural roots, or new forms of nationalism. As a result, the idea of Europe today – according to Ratzinger – “has fallen into a strange twilight” and its ethos that has been the strength of the Old Continent for centuries is being destroyed. What is necessary and urgent is a re-Europeanization of Europe based on strong and sound axiological foundations.Details
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Papciak, K. F. (2025). The Crossroads of Contemporary Europe from the Perspective of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger / Benedict XVI. Społeczeństwo, 34(4), 69–85. https://doi.org/10.58324/s.426