Church as a voice of hope: call for democracy and humanity

Church as a voice of hope: call for democracy and humanity

In an urgent speech at the beginning of the Austrian pastoral conference in Salzburg, the Carinthian Bishop Josef Marketz emphasized that the church and its believers have to play a crucial role in democracy. With the motto "Order Future. Christ: In his for a democratic society" Marketz called for the participants to actively work for human rights, solidarity and the rule of law. "Political engagement is not a mere option for Christians, but an obligation," said the bishop, who noted that democracy is not just a political system, but a way of life, unites freedom and responsibility. The aim is to promote dialogue about values and participation in society, such as kathpress.at reported in detail.

The conference runs until January 11th and gathers around 350 participants, including prominent representatives from church, media and society. The topics are exciting: not only the challenges of the current political landscape are discussed, but also the role of social media in opinion formation. Marketz expressed his concern about the increasing polarization and xenophobia in society and called on to stand up for an inclusive community and to give them a voice that often remain unheard. In a further step, the Bishop of Mainz emphasized the responsibility of the Church in the fight against right -wing extremism and anti -Semitism. This happened in the context of current challenges for Jewish people in Germany, who feel more uncertain and threatened. "As a Christian faith community, we are at your side," said Bishop Kohlgraf and advocated a clear solidarity with the vulnerable and a strong commitment to human dignity, so BistumMainz.de .

Marketz and Kohlgraf both demanded an active commitment in society from the believers and underlined that democratic discourse cannot be in the hands of the politicians. "Democracy lives from their citizens' commitment," says Marketz. The need to build bridges and bring humanity into political discourse was a central point of both opening speeches. This reflects the overarching goal of the conference to develop practical impulses for the pastoral and to promote the comprehensive dialogue about the challenges of our time.