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ANTHONY M. ABELA

Trends and realities in European Culture : values, attitudes, practices Where does Malta stand? Consecrated Life in A European Malta KSMR Seminar, 31 May 2004 . ANTHONY M. ABELA. CHURCH

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ANTHONY M. ABELA

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  1. Trends and realities in European Culture:values, attitudes, practices Where does Malta stand?Consecrated Life in A European Malta KSMR Seminar, 31 May 2004 ANTHONY M. ABELA

  2. CHURCH A reading of signs of the timesbased on experience of church leaders, [male] bishops trained in cannon law/ theology select literature review no references to authors commissions of experts maintain tradition production of documents authoritative teaching response to problems SOCIAL SCIENCE test of hypotheses: continuous challenge to established knowledge wide literature review references to authors methodological individualism: representative surveys analysis of data interpretation of findings in an open method no definite results Differing methodologies

  3. Ecclesia in Europa: an analysis dimming of hope: • many troubling signsin third millennium • loss of Europe's Christian memory & heritage • practical agnosticism & religious indifference • asserting rights without Christianity Pope John Paul II. Ecclesia In Europa. Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation. 28 June 2003.

  4. An analysis of culture and society (1) • loss of meaning in life • diminishing number of births • decline in vocations to priesthood and religious life • difficulty/ outright refusal to lifelong commitments, including marriage • widespread existential fragmentation. Loneliness, divisions and conflicts • phenomenon of family crises & weakening concept of family • ethnic conflicts, racism, interreligious tensions • a selfishness, closes individuals/groupson themselves

  5. An analysis of culture and society (2) • Globalization: marginalized poor in the world • Individualism: weakening of interpersonal solidarity without supporting structures • a vision of man apart from God and Christ • relative values, morality, pragmatism, hedonism • “silent apostasy” as if God does not exist • a new cultureof death, influenced by mass media, in conflict with Gospel and human dignity

  6. EU: Europe as a civil community • growing openness of peoples to one another • reconciliation between countries • opening up to countries of Eastern Europe • forms of cooperation and exchanges • a European culture/ consciousness • democratic procedures • freedom that respects & fosters legitimate diversity • growing unity of Europe • conditions and ways to respect human rights • rights and quality of life • guarantee primacy of ethical and spiritual values

  7. consecrated life at a critical turning point “new evangelization” … creation of more complex structures and relationships starting-point several characteristics of present-day cultural/ social face of Europe widespread demand for new forms of spirituality:acknowledge God's absolute primacy, … permanent conversion in a life offered up as true spiritual worship secularism and consumerism:… testify to life's transcendent dimension multicultural and multireligious world… evangelical fraternity … a stimulus to purify/ integrate different values through reconciliation of divisions new poverty /marginalization … founders’ creativity in the care of most in need self-absorption … continue evangelization on other continents Pope John Paul II. Ecclesia In Europa.28 June 2003

  8. the Church in Europe called to follow the path of love • rediscover authentic meaning of Christian volunteerism: • preferential love for the poor • confront the challenge of unemployment • pastoral care of the sick • a proper use of the goods of the earth • truth about marriage and the family • God's word to shine deep in many tragic human situations • pastoral care of divorced and civilly remarried families • build a new culture of life • a guiding role by the Church's social teaching • a culture of acceptance and hospitality • recognition of the fundamental rights of each immigrant • suppression of abuses • genuine integration Pope John Paul II. Ecclesia In Europa.28 June 2003

  9. Europe primarily a cultural and historical concept rethinking international cooperation in terms of a new culture of solidarity an active partner in promoting and implementing a globalization “in” solidarity a proper ordering of society rooted in authentic ethical and civil values Pope John Paul II. Ecclesia In Europa.28 June 2003.

  10. Draft Constitution for Europe (2003) “Drawing inspiration from the cultural, religious and humanistic inheritance of Europe, the values of which, still present in its heritage …” [Preamble] “Conscious of its spiritual and moral heritage, the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity …” Preamble, Charter Fundamental Rights of the Union

  11. World/European Values Study: culture shifts • post-materialism: • material security  self-expression,participation … • individualisation: • external authority  individual self-direction • Two dimensions explain cross-cultural variation: • Survival vs self-expression values • Traditional vs secular-rational authority

  12. Post-materialism: two key hypotheses • Scarcity hypothesis:an individual’s priorities reflect the socio-economic environment. Greatest value to things in relative short supply. • Socialisation hypothesis:cultural change takes place as a generation replaces another, not one of immediate adjustment. Thus, a substantial time lag and differences between the values of older and younger generations.

  13. Survival/Well-being and GNP

  14. Postmaterialists, age & education

  15. Post-modernisation & authorty

  16. Self-expression - Service economy

  17. Emancipation - Self-expression

  18. Ingelhart Values Map

  19. interrelated trends • institutional religion vsindividualised spiritualities • authoritarian vsdemocratic family/social values • gender equality: masculine vs feminist values • exploitative vsenvironmental values • instrumental vsexpressivework values • absolute vs relative morality • restrictive vspermissive morality • individualism vssocial capital • diffidence vsinterpersonal/institutional trust • exclusive vsinclusive solidarity • ‘European Malta’ vs‘Maltese European’

  20. Transformations of religion • institutional religion individualised spiritualities • ‘believing without belonging’ • believing & belonging without conforming to church-directed morality • ‘vicarious and precarious memory’ • individualised emotive spiritualities • + service-giving institutionalism

  21. European Regions: analysis of EVS data • North-Western:Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom • Eastern: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia • Southern or Mediterranean: Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain

  22. Gender and family issues

  23. Family issues

  24. Social exclusion

  25. Table 1. Individualisation and postmaterialism in EU Regions

  26. Religion-Society relationship three ideal types 1) paleo-Durkheimian: church co-extensive with society 2) neo-Durkheimian: political entity to carry outGod’s design 3) post-Durkheimian: expressive spiritualities dissociated from society (Charles Taylor 2002)

  27. Solidarity models

  28. Table 2a. Institutional Religion in EU Regions

  29. Table 2b. Religious Belief in EU Regions

  30. Table 2c. Religious practice in EU Regions

  31. Table 3. Religion and Generations

  32. Table 4. Statement of belief: what kind of God?

  33. Table5. Politics and Religion in the EU

  34. Table 6a. Socio-economic Solidarity in EU regions

  35. Table 6b. Socio-economic Solidarity and Generations

  36. Table 6c. Socio-economic Solidarity and Religiosity

  37. Table 6d. Socio-economic Solidarity and Individualisation

  38. Table 7. Regression analyses for solidarities in the EU

  39. Findings • EU a mixed societyranging from traditionalism & materialism individualisation & post-materialism Predominant in EU region: • N/West: individualisation & postmaterialism • East: Traditionalism & materialism • South: Mixed traditionalism & postmaterialism

  40. All over Europe: • institutional religion unhooked from political power • individualised beliefs and spiritualities displace institutional church religion • emotive spiritualities & servicing activities co-exist with institutional religion • post-Durkheimian model/individualisation thesis: explains uncoupling of religionfrom politics • neo-Durkheimian modelexplains: continuing impact of religion on solidarity

  41. Differential impact of religion on distinct components of solidarity • traditional institutional religion important for social solidarity • individualised spiritualities important for family, local, community solidarity • politics more important than institutional religion for global solidarity • political and social agents to promote global solidarity in individualised social networks

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