Some current challenges of secularization
Article summary proposed by the Contacts review with LLM assistance
This article by Father Michel Evdokimov, drawn from a paper delivered at a Syndesmos colloquium in 2006, examines the challenges that secularization poses to the Orthodox Church in contemporary Western societies. Rooted in theological and cultural reflection, it proceeds in two stages: a lucid assessment of post-Christian Western civilization, followed by a search for appropriate Christian responses. The author analyzes the "exit from religion" described by Marcel Gauchet, the three revolutions — digital, genetic, and political — that are reshaping humanity, as well as the rise of scientism as a substitute messianism. Faced with these transformations, Evdokimov advocates a prophetic, non-confrontational stance: preserving the dignity of the human person, promoting a sense of community, and bearing witness to the beauty of faith. The theological contribution lies in an Orthodox rereading of modernity through the notions of kenosis, resurrection, and Trinitarian communion.
This article has not been translated yet — it is available in its French version here.
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