For at least two centuries Europeans, in particular the political elites of Europe, have assumed that modernity and the rational character of the civilization require a marginalization of religion. A separation and juxtaposition of reason and faith, sci-ence and religion or the state and the church are regarded as almost obvious. Gradual-ly the legitimate principle of religious freedom has started to be understood as a pos-tulate of “purification” of public life from any references to sacrum and religion itself as an area of irrational and random opinions has been located in the private sphere. This has led to the conviction that religion (Christianity) does not have or should not have any significance in social life, the public order, the legal system or the widely understood political sphere . The central issue of the paper, which is the possibility of reversing the direction taken by European civilization, is conditioned not only by making the secularist policy of the West more friendly towards Christian tradition (for instance by grounding it on natural law) but still more by the revitalization of religious life of the Churches and Christian communities.

This paper constitutes out of necessity only a partial/fragmentary analysis of the infuence of Christianity on the culture of the United Sates. There is no doubt that the wish to create a truly Christian society which could be a “new Israel” was a strong motive which became the underlying cause for the founding of the USA. The “founding myth” has been refected not only in the proclaimed constitution with a pioneering principle of separating the state from the religion but also present in everyday life of a rapidly developing nation, continually fuelled by Protestant leaders. The power of the myth was sustained and spontaneously stimulated by the successive waves of European immigrants systematically Americanized by the local population. the inseparable element of American lifestyle is a specifc presence of Christianity in the public sphere in the form of civil religion. After the crisis associated with the expansion of secularism (intellectuals’ heresy after the Second World War) there was a great revival of Christianity in the eighties of the previous century. It was infuenced by a fervent religious rhetoric of President R. Reagan and by the attack of Protestant conservatives soon allied with conservatism of Catholic writers/publicists. Despite the growing attitudes of religious indifference, political and social life of contemporary America is permeated with religious elements, declaration of faith in God being perceived positively. A marked religious revival although encompassing only some part of the society makes America, in contrast to Europe, a country of a clearly Christian character.

The Methodological Status of Theology of Religion

Summary

In the article its author outlines the history of scientific research on religion (engaging the perspective of philosophy, theology and religious studies), the decisive factors influencing the rise of theology of religion and its place among the religiological sciences. Having presented the subject of the theology of religion, as well as the current methodological discussions associated with it, the author elaborates on the contemporary paradigms of the branch: exclusivism, pluralism and inclusivism. The last part of the issue displays the relations existing between the theology of religion and the fundamental theology as disciplines historically, essentially and methodologically related.

The common layer of Jewish and Christian name systems consists of biblical names from the Old Testament. The comparison showing how these Old Testament names functioned in both faiths on Podlasie in 15th–16th centuries revealed a close connection between chosen names as well as their popularity over the centuries and cultural traditions formed by faith.

The title of the article, formulated by the Editors, requires a few clarifcations of terms. Both phenomena – Christianity and the African culture – are de facto plural and have to be regarded and treated as such. The title also juxtaposes a term that describes a religious reality with a cultural one (this also touches on the understanding of the relation between religion and culture). This can only be done on the assumption that “Christianity” means “a culture permeated by the Gospel message”.

The author argues that Christians have never presented a unifed attitude towards the African culture. As in the Christian antiquity, as in later times (including the present) Christians showed ambivalent attitudes towards the African culture. Some strongly opposed it, some allowed a restricted borrowing, some engaged actively with the African culture. One cannot see these attitudes in terms of development or regress because they have been synchronically present at all times. The attitudes towards African culture also changed at times within the particular strands of Christianity. What was rejected of hardly acceptable at one time becomes the order of the day at other. However, these attitudes have not been synchronized in all christian churches and communities.

After stating the article’s argument and making the terminological reservations, the author substantiate the argument presenting three types of interaction between Christianity and African culture giving examples from different times and regions.

The aim of this article is to present the relation between Christianity and Korean culture. The problem here is not the concept of Christianity, but the concept of Korean culture. In the Korean thought is hard to distinguish between religion and philosophy. Philosophy, religion and culture are synonyms for “philosophy of life”.

The original Korean philosophy is Shamanism and received from China Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. In the case of Christianity we have to consider Catholic Church, Protestant Church and Orthodox Church. Special attention we have to pay to the Korean theology, which is based on Korean tradition. Special role in the history of Catholic Church in Korea played Korean martyrs. Sanguis martyrum, semen christianorum.

The aim of this article is to present the relation between Christianity and Japanese culture. The problem here is not the concept of Christianity, but the concept of Japanese culture. In the Japanese thought is hard to distinguish between religion and philosophy. Philosophy, religion and culture are synonyms for “philosophy of life”. The original Japanese philosophy is Shinto and received from China Confucianism, and Buddhism. In the case of Christianity we have to consider Catholic Church and Orthodox Church. Special attention we have to pay to the process of inculturation of the Good news in the Japanese soil.

In his article, the author attempts at pointing out the initial conditions of inter-religious dialogue and the conditions under which it can be fruitful as a method of pursuing truth in Catholic theology. The initial conditions on the Christian part follow from the fact that dialogue is understood here as a form of love (agape), and from methodological assumptions of theology. On the one hand, what the author means is the capacity to witness to Christianity as a good in which all people should participate to the extent in which it is a gift of God. On the other hand, the author means humility with which the Church should perceive her historical limitations and weaknesses in receiving and expressing this gift. Such an attitude enables you to understand that the partner in dialogue may adopt a similar attitude to your own religion. The author emphasizes that although a symetry of initial assumptions of all the partners in dialogue is their natural desire, practically, the nature of a partner's distinctness may also comprise a distinct understanding of the aims and principles of dialogue. The least possible partner ship, according to the author, includes serious treatment of the partner and of the very issue of dialogue; it alsoincludes being representative and properly prepared along the principles of the given religion, readiness to listen and willingness to learn (at least to some extent) from the Christian partner. In the course of the dialogue, attention is given to sincerity and honesty in listening and presenting a subject, in asking and answering questions, and to the important role of the breaks between the meetings, necessary for ruminating and communicating the fruit of interreligious meetings at the forum of one's own theology, in the circle of one's fellow believers. Furthermore, the author points it out that - from the Christian point of view - we may expect results coming asa gift from God the depth of which supercedes what could result from learning truth from each other by the earthly partners of the dialogue. This possible gift brings about a human obligation to accept, express and share it with the brethren as suitablyas possible. One of the features of theology is unpredictability of its results. Application of interreligious dialogue as a method, and, especially the effects of its application are still, basically, an issue of the future of theology. However, one can mention some of them that can already be noted despite the scarcity of the initial steps made in this field so far: these include attempts at breaking stereotypes in thinking about other religions, questions asked with all seriousness about the role of other religions in God's plans for humanity, appreciation of ideas drawn upon from beyond Christianity, not only from the classical Greek philosophy.

This is an argument with an idea that faith and religious practices are fading away, the influence of the Church on the life of society is coming to an end, and that it is a process that is inevitable and irreversible. The author shares Jose Casanova’s pro-position that the ever increasing dechristianization of the hitherto Christian societies seems to be more of a hypothesis than an empirical fact. Moreover, on the one hand, he puts forward questions about the positive sense of the process of secularization that has been wearing down European Christianity for three centuries now, and on the other, he recalls cases, described in the Bible and known in the history of the Church, of a dramatic depopulation of God’s people. And the question, whether we are to expect an increase of the secularization process, rather than its reversal, he answers with the following, specifically Polish, 17th century, formula: Fortuna variabilis, Deus mirabilis (the world goes round at random, and God is admirable!).

In the present article, the author attempts to solve the paradox hidden in the declaration pronounced by Bogusław Wolniewicz who referred to himself as a ‘Non-Confessional Roman Catholic.’ First, the author analyses (1) the way Wolniewicz understood the sources of religion, and then, (2) how he defined the minimum of Christianity. (3) The author investigates whether it is possible to reconcile his acceptance of euthanasia with the teaching of the Church, and finally, (4) the author focuses on his evangelical aesthetics. By way of conclusion the study traces on similarities between the tychistic rationalism and Christianity.

The present overview of current Christian-Jewish dialogue shape firstly specifes the dialogue and its partners concept meaning applied to the relations between religious societies. It draws our attention to the polarisations within the Christianity and Judaism as well as to the differencies in dialogue advancement between bodies keeping the dialogue and the general public. It points out the different motivation prompting Jews and Christians to keep the dialogue and the infuence of this on understanding the sense, the choice of its representatives and the theme of the dialogue.

The deepening mutual cognition along with the growing awareness of both; chances and limits of consensus in the dialogue, are indicated among the previous achievements. From the side of the catholic church, irreversible will of the dialogue along with the appropriate directions of doctrinal clarifcations of the Church Teaching are strongly emphasized.

The theological questions are raised that on the Christian side develop from the acknowledgment of irremovability of the covenant between God and Israel. The questions refer to the contemporary situation and the eschatological perspective of existence of two communities considering themselves as continuation of the covenant between God and Abraham, as well as their relation towards Israel Land. The article at its conclusion stipulates the deepening of the awareness of the mystery whenever resuming the religious topics in the dialogue.

This article focuses on an extremely urgent problem of today’s Christian dialogue with China, i.e. the culture (and politics) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and asks whether a Christian dialogue with China – which understand herself as an atheist and Communist state, which, however, is a country of many religious traditions, is possible, and if so in what form? What are its prospects and challenges?

The starting point of the article, after some historical remarks, is a kind of heterotopy of the dialogue in Chinese context, involving (III.1.) the historical and political context, then (III.2) its partners, and fnally (III.3) its forms and contents. in this framework, this article is (IV) refection on the challenges, opportunities and prospects of the Christian dialogue with Chinese culture. This refection is not taken here from the standpoint of theology, but is rather a phenomenological description of the status quo. At the end of the article (V) some statements of pope John Paul II with regard to the dialogue of Christianity with Chinese culture are quoted as a kind of summary.

The article states a great asymmetry of partners of the dialogue in China caused by the restrictive religious policy. There are some forms of dialogue which, however, are realized outside of the institutionalized Christianity, i.e. the Christian Churches. The Churches themselves, due to their historical background, are not very interested in or prepared for an inter-religious dialogue.

Joseph Ratzinger warns about a multitude of trials to superficially undertake the subject of religion. In this diverse world of religion, he sees some common points. The first step in the history of religion was to transcend the primitive, moving into myth. Second, most important step, was to leave the myth behind. This leaving is threefold – which is represented by three irreducible shapes of religion: the identity mysticism, the monotheistic revolution and the enlightenment. An expression of the first two are, respectively: the identity mysticism and the personal love mysticism. The fact that religions are affecting each other must not be omitted, either. The place of Christianity in the history of religion – nota bene gained by both, the dialogue with other religions and standing against them – defines standing with the God of faith and the God of the philosophers, and the decisive choice of faith and mind together with the truth and the cult. In his thoughts concerning the dialogue of religions, J. Ratzinger points out two types: the mystical and theist, of the religion. Along them walks as a temptation the pragmatic type, in which the question about the truth is ignored. The result of the dialogue of the religions will not be a unification of all religions. In this dialogue, the truth cannot be ignored. At last, it cannot be forgotten that there is a religio vera, and that it is Christianity.

German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, is one of the great-est Catholic theologians of the 20th and 21st century. The main field of his theological activity is fundamental theology, which is perceived by him as the area of a broadly understood dialogue on the credibility of Christianity in the modern world. This article attempts to analyze the views of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI on the Christian identity of Europe. The various issues of this study are as follows: Europe as a phenomenon of cultural interaction; Right to the place of Christianity in the Europe of tomorrow; European crisis of values; European Homo oeconomicus and the Gospel; Dismissing former Eurocentrism; Courage in the struggles of the new face of Chris-tian Europe. In the conclusion the author emphasizes validity of Joseph Ratzinger’s/Benedict XVI’s thoughts on the future of Europe in the context of the ongoing changes in the European Union and the migration crisis.

The paper discusses political philosophy of Bogusław Wolniewicz. The leading idea of his general philosophy was rationalism of a specific type that he called ‘tychistic’ (meaning ‘based on fate’), or ‘transcendental’ (meaning ‘transgressing the limits of nature by reliance on human reason’). This self-description presents Wolniewicz as an author respecting his Christian background, though personally he did not espouse the complete body of precepts postulated by the Church. As a nonconfessional catholic he spoke in favor of Christian civilization which he identified with Western culture. This led him to the reject of liberalism, libertarianism and leftist ideologies. He wanted to be perceived as a democrat who supported civil and republican democracy based on the virtue of patriotism. He emphasized the essentiality of the possession of its own political state by each independent nation, and the most important circle of loyalty was for him a national community. Thus he undertook to defend a conception of cautious xenophobia that was expurgated of hate but dedicated to the defense of a national territory.

Since Vatican II there have been issued many Church documents of different rank, which are explicitly devoted to dialogue with non-Christian religions or contain statements on the matter; there is also a very comprehensive bibliography on interreligious dialogue. The article presents three issues which occupy a signifcant place in these works. The frst is the theological bases for dialogue. They have been expressed in the trinitarian structure. At the heart of the dialogue is faith in God, the creator and father of all people, in the Son, through whom universal salvation took place and the Spirit, which everywhere personifes the salvation work of God in three persons. The second issue, which is the content of the article, expresses a unique position of Judaism in dialogue of Christianity with other religions. The importance of Israel for the emergence and existence of the Church, and at the same time for her salvation role for the entire Jewish people, is an important spur to the refection on the salvation relationship of christianity to other religions. The dialogue is diffcult to operate without a proper spiritual attitude. This issue is the subject of interest of the third point in the article. Spirituality shaped by attitudes of conversion and submission to the will of God, especially in the prayerful elation of the human heart, becomes a source of behaviours which are conducive to dialogue.

In this article the author tries to resolve the problem of what is the relation (is it a dialogue?) between Christianity and the European culture in the past and today. He tries to see it in the light of John Paul II’s teaching in a few steps: the role of Christianity in the origin of Europe, the role of Christianity in the history of Europe, the role of Christianity in the identity of Europe and its culture, and the modern European culture in its relation to Christianity. Christianity has created Europe and the culture (and ethos) of dialogue. Christianity was present in – sometimes tragic – history of Europe motivating many positive changes, although christians were not always following the principles of their religion. Christianity is the most important element of the Europe’s identity and culture, although during its history some other elements, far from Christianity, appeared. Modern european culture, which is still in a process of building its identity, consists of many tendencies – far or close to christianity. far from it do not dialogue with it, but close to it – do so. Christianity and the Church, who represents it, is ready to the dialogue, although she is aware of its diffculties and necessity.