|
|
The People's Sovereign
von Wedel, Joachim ; Vojtíšek, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Bargár, Pavol (referee) ; Hošek, Pavel (referee)
1. The introductory chapter provides an overview of the research question - namely the relationship between religion and modern democracy - and the literature used in the discussion of the topic. It is first shown that for the discussion of the connection between religion and modern democracy, no meaningful reference can be made to the concept of "political religions", which was developed in particular by Eric Voegelin for the connection between religion and modern totalitarian systems. On this basis, the concluding part of the introduction states the two central aims of the thesis: in a first step, other concepts (than that of political religion) are to be examined that might be considered for a discussion of the relationship between modern democracy and religion, in particular the concept of civil religion. Since this is not the case, the work turns to a second objective: the question of whether the historical beginnings of modern democracy in Paris in 1789 can instead provide a better answer to the question. 2. The second chapter will therefore examine the question of whether one of various conceptual proposals is suitable for clarifying this connection in a general way. Theological (Rothe, Gogarten, Rhonheimer), legal (Hörnle) and sociological (Durkheim) approaches are presented, but in...
|
|
|
Comparison of Hans Kung and his work Global Ethics with the Civil Religion
Knotek, Daniel ; Hošek, Pavel (advisor) ; Hajko, Dalimír (referee)
This Diploma Thesis deals with two universalistic conceptions, represented by the Swiss Catholic Theologist Hans Küng and his work Global Ethics, and the Civil Religion. In the first part of my text, I bring in the personality of Hans Küng, his work, ideas and the book Global Ethics which received great acclaim on international forum, Churches and society. Küng draws up three basic theses: No world peace without peace among religions. No peace among religions without dialogue between the religions. No dialogue between the religions without accurate knowledge of one another. These theses express the need for a dialogue, being able to formulate viable visions of the future. In the second part of my work, I introduce a less known notion of the Civil Religion with its transformations and development throughout the history. It is a concept exceeding the border of sociology, political science, philosophy and theology, examining the formative processes of the society and its religious reference speech. It penetrates the academic discourse especially in the period between the 1960s and 1980s, as represented e.g. by the American sociologist Robert Bellah. In the third part of my text, I compare both the universalistic conceptions and try to find out where they intersect and in which respect each of them has...
|
|
|
Civil Religion. Audit and Update
Jüptner, Jan ; Kučera, Rudolf (advisor) ; Franěk, Jakub (referee) ; Hrubec, Marek (referee)
PhD thesis assesses the history of the idea of civil religion and proposes a theoretical interface encompassing all its conceptualisations encountered to date (Rousseau, Bellah, Cristi, Parsons, Luhmann, and Lübbe). Civil religion is understood here as a system of reference points through which society, in the process of self-description, projects into the peripheries its autopoietic realities (of the past, future and eternality) so as to lend stability and import to its existence. By relating to these references, a discourse originates which, being characteristic of the presence of thick and comprehensive meanings, enables the society to communicate about its origins, ends and purpose. In its civil configuration this discourse is pluralist and the involvement of its actors is quite restrained. The model allows for an analysis of the entire serious symbol-based communication of the actors (weighty words, religious symbols, nationalism, conspiracy theories and political correctness) within a single context, as well as of preconditions for such communication. The crisis discourse opened in the USA after 9/11 and aspects of Czech life and institutions are also analysed. In the Czech Republic we identify a minority civil religion discourse, concentrated around semi-secularised references on truth and...
|
|
|
Formation of new identity and symbols of the Czech society in 1989-1993 (Analysis in terms of the concept of civil religion)
Novotný, Josef ; Halík, Tomáš (advisor) ; Lupták Burzová, Petra (referee)
The thesis tries to prove applicability of the concept "civil religion" to the Czech society. After presentation of the concept of civil religion originating from R. Bellah, civil society and legitimization (grounded in the ideas of J. Přibáň) the addresses of president V. Havel and the articles from the selected newspapers of that period are analysed. In 1989-1993 as the transformative and crisis period one can observe the debate about the necessity of creating a civil society, finding a way of legitimizing the new condition and creating a new collective identity. Focusing on the individual and the citizenship following from the analysed articles constitutes the societal fundaments; and in these fundaments, thanks to "civil religion", there are recognized the transcendent component and the universality that both convey unifying potential and can be presented in a particular form through myths.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Comparison of Hans Kung and his work Global Ethics with the Civil Religion
Knotek, Daniel ; Hošek, Pavel (advisor) ; Hajko, Dalimír (referee)
This Diploma Thesis deals with two universalistic conceptions, represented by the Swiss Catholic Theologist Hans Küng and his work Global Ethics, and the Civil Religion. In the first part of my text, I bring in the personality of Hans Küng, his work, ideas and the book Global Ethics which received great acclaim on international forum, Churches and society. Küng draws up three basic theses: No world peace without peace among religions. No peace among religions without dialogue between the religions. No dialogue between the religions without accurate knowledge of one another. These theses express the need for a dialogue, being able to formulate viable visions of the future. In the second part of my work, I introduce a less known notion of the Civil Religion with its transformations and development throughout the history. It is a concept exceeding the border of sociology, political science, philosophy and theology, examining the formative processes of the society and its religious reference speech. It penetrates the academic discourse especially in the period between the 1960s and 1980s, as represented e.g. by the American sociologist Robert Bellah. In the third part of my text, I compare both the universalistic conceptions and try to find out where they intersect and in which respect each of them has...
|
|
|
Civil Religion. Audit and Update
Jüptner, Jan ; Kučera, Rudolf (advisor) ; Franěk, Jakub (referee) ; Hrubec, Marek (referee)
PhD thesis assesses the history of the idea of civil religion and proposes a theoretical interface encompassing all its conceptualisations encountered to date (Rousseau, Bellah, Cristi, Parsons, Luhmann, and Lübbe). Civil religion is understood here as a system of reference points through which society, in the process of self-description, projects into the peripheries its autopoietic realities (of the past, future and eternality) so as to lend stability and import to its existence. By relating to these references, a discourse originates which, being characteristic of the presence of thick and comprehensive meanings, enables the society to communicate about its origins, ends and purpose. In its civil configuration this discourse is pluralist and the involvement of its actors is quite restrained. The model allows for an analysis of the entire serious symbol-based communication of the actors (weighty words, religious symbols, nationalism, conspiracy theories and political correctness) within a single context, as well as of preconditions for such communication. The crisis discourse opened in the USA after 9/11 and aspects of Czech life and institutions are also analysed. In the Czech Republic we identify a minority civil religion discourse, concentrated around semi-secularised references on truth and...
|
|
|
Formation of new identity and symbols of the Czech society in 1989-1993 (Analysis in terms of the concept of civil religion)
Novotný, Josef ; Halík, Tomáš (advisor) ; Lupták Burzová, Petra (referee)
The thesis tries to prove applicability of the concept "civil religion" to the Czech society. After presentation of the concept of civil religion originating from R. Bellah, civil society and legitimization (grounded in the ideas of J. Přibáň) the addresses of president V. Havel and the articles from the selected newspapers of that period are analysed. In 1989-1993 as the transformative and crisis period one can observe the debate about the necessity of creating a civil society, finding a way of legitimizing the new condition and creating a new collective identity. Focusing on the individual and the citizenship following from the analysed articles constitutes the societal fundaments; and in these fundaments, thanks to "civil religion", there are recognized the transcendent component and the universality that both convey unifying potential and can be presented in a particular form through myths.
|
|
|
Relationship between values and politics in the context of civil religion
KLEČATSKÁ, Linda
This diploma thesis is focused on the relation between values and politics in the western societies of Europe and The USA. It points out the status and role of religion in the society and compares the current secularization tendencies in Western Europe against the role of traditions in American society determined by civil religion. The study maps the influence of enlightenment on the forming of democracies, then the totalitarianisms of the 20th century and both the secularization and de-secularization in the last decades. It analyses the discussion about the role of values and civil society in secularized Europe. Finally, it describes the importance of religion for American citizens and its penetration of their entire lives both socially and culturally.
|
guest ::
