As is tradition at our conferences, we invite presentations of current research in the political science of religion. Parallel panels on current research on religion and politics will be held alongside the main sessions. We invite proposals in all areas of political science of religion:
a) Theoretical and methodological problems of political science of religion;
b) Empirical studies of religion-politics/international relations;
c) Comparative studies of phenomena at the crossroads of religion and politics.
In that panel, we wish to discuss the political doctrine of the Church developed by John Paul II and its realisation. How does the very idea of “metapolitical” and “corrective” engagement of the hierarchy work in practice? Does the political involvement of lay Christians change current economy and politics in line with the Gospel? Considering that 2025 is also the year of the centenary of Pius XI’s encyclical Quas primas, one should also ask whether John Paul II’s political theory can be seen in line with “hermeneutics of continuity” (Benedict XVI)?.
The contemporary world has been dominated by the increasingly important anthropocentric humanism, which promotes the vision of a distorted man, detached from God and objective cognitive and moral values. This trend is adopted by politicians, who affirm individuality and focus on the tangible, material and profitable, while ignoring the person and his spiritual, supernatural dimension. Authority today is supposed to suit the external citizen, and not require, form and lead to deeper reflection.
Meanwhile, John Paul II defined man as an integral being, irreducible by anything and anyone, based on natural and supernatural dignity. Politics and power should take this depth of the human dimension into account, and leadership should not only respond to current social expectations, but above all, point the way, inspire reflection, lead to values, and give meaning to human existence.
When meeting with politicians and young people – the future political elite – John Paul II called on them to set high standards for themselves and urged them to be courageous in their search for truth: If necessary, be determined to go against the tide of popular opinion and widely-spread slogans! (Letter to the Youth of the World, 1985). He pointed out that Europe is ceasing to exist because it is losing its identity. To regain it, it must return to its Christian roots: the exercise of political power (…) should be a sacrificial service to man and society, not a search for one’s own or group benefits to the exclusion of the common good of the entire nation.
The concept of leadership is therefore becoming relevant – not as an anachronism, but as a response to the crisis of values and abuses of power. So what should leadership be like in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century? What test is it facing today? What guidance can we draw from the thoughts and teachings of John Paul II? What is the timelessness and universality of the model of power and leadership presented by the Pope? What is John Paul II warning us against today and what is he calling us to do? These are just some of the questions that will be attempted to be answered during the panel discussions.
The study of the relationship between Islam and liberal democracy has no longer been a “purely academic” challenge, instead it has also become a pressing need arising from the situation in which contemporary Europe finds itself. On the one hand, we are observing a steady increase in the role of Islam in Western European countries resulting from both increased migratory pressures, best demonstrated by the 2015 migration crisis, and the growing role of demographics in an aging Europe. Currently, there are about 30 million Muslims living in EU countries, while PEW Research Center estimates indicate that by 2050 there will be about 58 million. This raises the questions, in what areas arise tensions between liberal democracy and Islam? What do these tensions stem from? What is their nature – i.e., do they stem from the non-negotiable values of liberal democracy and Islam? To what extent is the concept of European Islam a viable response to these challenges, and to what extent does it remain merely a wishful project of niche intellectual circles? Will the growth of the political role of Muslims force a remodeling of the political order based on secularism and a broader consideration of the religious factor?
In Europe and beyond, we are facing secularization involving the “washing out” of Christian values from institutions, law, the arts and other cultural spheres. So it is worth asking ourselves what consequences this process has for politics, economics and societies. In the context of the main theme of this conference, it would also be appropriate to reflect on the abuse of power related to culture, such as the state’s promotion of a single, ideologized version of culture, or the use of culture for political struggle. Another interesting phenomenon is the yielding of power to grassroots pressure from groups promoting a particular worldview. It is also worth considering what faces the “culture war” is taking in modern societies and what are its consequences.