ACTA SZEKSZARDIENSIUM - Pécsi Tudományegyetem Illyés Gyula ...

Márta Korpics
lose its legitimizing role in the societies in modernity (Durkheim 2002; Weber 1992),
when analyzing the role and presence of religion in late modernity, we can conclude
that the sepredictions have not been confirmed (Casanova 1995; Mezei 2005; Martin
1978; Nagy J. 1997; Tomka 1996; 2002). The social role of religion definitely changed
in the past 2-300 years; and the pace of the changes have accelerated in recent decades.
(Bögre 2004; Kaufmann 1996; Martin 1978; Tomka 2001). The new social situation
presents new opportunities for religions. 3 The role of religion in late modern societies,
the interpretations of individual and community religious phenomena, and studies on
the related religious cognitions are more and more emphasized in the approaches
of social sciences that aim to describe religions. It is not merely the significance
of religions that is a major issue; rather, the presence of religion in postmodern
Western societies and the role of religion in the post-totalitarian Eastern European
societies. In both cases, religion is part of social competition (or market situation).
As a consequence, its structures and types are changing and are becoming more
and more differentiated. Besides spectacular decline, unexpected renaissance and
prosperity is witnessed. 4 The relationship between religion and society is being
transformed; and the transformed relationship is worth studying. 5
The transition of the social system in Hungary represented the most important
transformations and challenges for the religions and churches. No matter if we
examine the 1990’s6 or contemporary relations, it can be concluded that the church
has difficulties in determining its position in an altered political and social context.
The reason for this is twofold: partly, it can be attributed to the change of social
relations, but partly to inadequate reactions by the church. In the new structures of political
freedom, or more exactly in the structures that are just being formed, the civil society
is developing very slowly; and the number of autonomous citizens who are capable of and
willing to take responsibility for the community is growing even slower. 7 The other factor
is the altered social status and internal life of the church. 8 The contradiction between
the two expectations can be traced back in the social arena for churches. The social
arena determines the positions for the churches by defining where the society
expects the churches to help and serve; and by determining the areas where the
church offers its work for the society. (Tamás-Horányi 1997, 13). One of the areas,
where the presence of the churches in the society is important is strengthening the
3 The role of Christianity in modern societies is not only represented in sociological debates and in social
sciences but in theology as well (c.f. Geffre 2004, 409).
4 Robert Bellah assumes that religion has not been marginalized but has been moving more and more
towards the centre (Bellah 1970).
5 This claim is confirmed by the recent interest of renowned social scientists who previously excluded
religiousness from their interpretations on social reality (Habermas 2002), and now emphasize the
importance of religiousness (see Derrida-Vattimo 1998)
6 Concerning the theme please see Lukács 1997; Tomka 1996; Hamp-Szőllősy 2000; Tomka 1996.
7 All the bases determining social structures (norms, social collaboration, conflict management, power
distribution) were affected by the political and social transformation (Dahrendorf 1994).
8 The narratives describing the presence of the church in social scenes have changed and the church is
often represented in an unfavorable manner.
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