Dimensiunea culturală a credinţei
The cultural dimension of the faith

Summary/Abstract: ABSTRACT: The cultural dimension of the faith. This article treats the value of faith cultural area not only for its individual consequences but especially for the social ones. In front of this area under discussion we propose a Franciscan paradigm of understanding what should mean enculturation of the faith and the evanghelisation of the culture. This thought is very often expressed in the Pope John Paul II’s encyclicals, or in other Vatican documents. It is an actual and important mission for the Catholic Church. In these works are enumerated many of these texts. First of all we have to see the manner St. Francis of Assisi saw the culture. Speaking of St. Francis philosophy seems to be nonsense, seems to make just some speculation between his life, his acting and his writing and some other philosophical ideas. But the notion of St. Francis philosophy is rather different from ours. His concept of philosophy is closer to the Ancient Testament’s. Philosophy is more about acting than about thinking. It is not only a way of good thinking, but especially a way of good acting, the way to live God’s commandments. It is not an abstract reflection, less about ordinary dates and more about syntetic things, it is not a reason property but a human one. Philosophy for St. Francis is wise living. As it can be seen, philosophy is more wisdom and not necesarely knowledge. And philosophy, in this sense, builds the culture. Nay philosophy means culture, as the culture embodies all human acting. Because the culture cannot represent just an aesthetics area it is a larger concept, an existential one. In this context the enculturation means not only to reformulate our faith in a more accurate language, in today’s philosophy, but it indicates that the faith must infiltrate all human actions. So it could become relevant for the society, and for each person. It is the way faith grows in each of us and in the society as our community. The Gospel must be understod with the culture categories, must be translated if it is required. The second step is that the Gospel, faith, has to pass from a thinking sphere to an acting field. This is also the subject of catechesis. That is the way St Francis enculturated the faith in his life, the way his faith became significant for his contemporans, and also for many of us in these days.

• Details
• Contents