Das Christentum und die säkulare Gesellschaft. Hintergründe und Herausforderungen

Abstract

Abstract In a multilateral ecumenical setting, this paper analyses the challenges Christian churches have to deal with in modern »secularized« societies. First, it outlines Charles Taylor’s study The Secular Age as a helpful tool to understand the fundamental cultural changes. Second, it highlights three characteristic shifts: the continuous decrease of membership in mainline churches, the growing diversity of (Christian and non-Christian) religious communities, and the failing transgenerational transmission of religious knowledge and practice. As churches cannot any longer take their cultural relevance for granted, third, the paper pleas for an attitude of ›exploring relevance‹ which is open to new forms of communicating the gospel without, however, losing confidence in the respective formative traditions. Finally, the paper argues that, because all churches share these challenges, the situation encourages ecumenism.