The cross is found everywhere in Europe, Jesuit father Eberhard von Gemmingen of the Catholic Church. It shows that the ultimate in life-love, affection, dedication are to the Next.
Jesus Christ on the cross in the Public place.
Any Asians on it, when he comes to Europe: the cross. He sees it everywhere: on Church roofs, on the walls, on mountain tops, on the coat-of-arms, flags, perhaps even to the neck chain. If he knows Europe a little bit, he expected the. If he doesn’t know it, he takes it amazed true. On the cross, the figure of an almost naked, tortured man. The Christians call him Jesus Christ.
Now to have erupted in the last few years, a dispute about whether the cross, as in past centuries may also, hanging in buildings of the state, i.e. in schools, universities, courts, town halls. Until a few decades ago Europe was that almost all the inhabitants of the continent were Christians, and they had no problems with the cross in public buildings. Yes, most of us would have said: The cross is a sign that the state is based on Christian standards.
Now, more and more Europeans to remove themselves from the Christian churches, and perhaps also by the Christian Faith. Not-add to this that more and more Christians are European citizens. Therefore, the state must show – according to his own principles, today more than in the past, that he is for all religions to neutral.
Religions influence people’s image of a company
I think it is quite right that the state treats all citizens – regardless of their belief – according to the same principles. Now, however, the professionals have known for a long time that human beings of all societies and the ideas of a just society stem from religious sources. The culture and way of life is not religion-neutral, but Religion permeated. The constitutions have their sources in religions. This applies, for example in China, Japan, Burma, India, Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it is problematic if Europe gives the impression that Islam, for example, was for Europe to be relevant as Christianity. He is in fact not.
Now is not allowed to take the state to the care of Christianity in the Hand. The state must be the religions to be legally neutral. But the civil society does well to maintain the Christianity and its significance for the peaceful coexistence again and again. Specifically, the vocational, cultural, sporting associations are asked. They are compared to the state, to maintain the Christianity.
Some will object: The care of Christianity is for the Church, and you’ll even pay Church tax. But first, the Church consists not only of public officials and the parishes. And secondly, they are overwhelmed today, to shape the society in the sense of Christianity. If baptized Christians, and other friends of Christianity to receive the treasures of this faith and promote, you need to take this concern into their own hands.
In the imitation of Christ called
Back to the cross, which is seen in Europe from Lisbon to St. Petersburg, from Athens to Dublin often. The cross does not call those who see it and think for a second, in memory: The Ultimate in justice and peace is life, but, above all, love, care, devotion to the Next, surrender – if need be – to the death. This is the message that was lived in Europe but never really. But this sad fact makes the message wrong. Also, the failure of the representatives of Christianity makes the message wrong. The scandals of the clergy does not prove that the doctrine of Christ and his death out of love are wrong. Christians have been called at any time in the succession of officials, but in the succession of Jesus Christ.
And, above all, The spiritual administrators of the madman whispers of the people: Religion is a private matter. And this is wrong. After all, where people try to live their Religion, the world changes.
Father Eberhard von Gemmingen SJ, born in 1936 in Bad Rappenau. After he joined in 1957 in the Jesuit order, he studied in 1959, philosophy in Pullach near Munich, and theology in Innsbruck and Tübingen. In 1968 consecration of his priests. Father Eberhard von Gemmingen SJ was a member of the Ecumenical lay movement, action 365, the Bishop’s representative at the ZDF and head of the German editors of Radio Vatican. Since 2010, he is the Fundraiser of the German Jesuits.