Nowa ewangelizacja a kultura w świetle myśli Benedykta XVI. Powiązania i perspektywy

Abstract

The aim of the present article is to make a peculiar synthesis of Pope Benedict XVI’s teaching on modern culture and on new evangelization. Apart from the detailed analyses, the article is focused on showing a broad panorama of the undertaken issues. Starting from a synthetic definition of culture the author points to its close connections with evangelization on the level of the human heart. Then he goes on to show the post-Enlightenment secularism and the false anthropological conception resulting from it as the main sources of the deep crisis of culture, at present especially spread in Europe. Finally the issue of “new evangelization” is discussed with special emphasis on the role of dialog in it, that is supposed to lead to restoration of “full rationality”, more adequate to the human nature, gifted with a craving for God. Also saints and sanctity are pointed to as the basic categories of efficient evangelization and the means that allow stopping further degradation of the cultural environment of man.