Europe in the Prisoner’s Dock? The Signposts of Joseph Ratzinger/-Benedict XVI’s for the Old Continent

Harmony of the European ethos based on an appropriate system of values should be achieved as a historical necessity for the 21st century Europe. The current lack of this harmony, which can be brought down to a number of reasons, leads to an identity crisis and as such is a cause of concern for Chris...

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Main Author: Kazimierz Papciak
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Papieski Wydział Teologiczny we Wrocławiu 2024-07-01
Series:Wrocławski Przegląd Teologiczny
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Online Access:https://ojs.academicon.pl/wpt/article/view/5644
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author Kazimierz Papciak
author_facet Kazimierz Papciak
author_sort Kazimierz Papciak
collection DOAJ
description Harmony of the European ethos based on an appropriate system of values should be achieved as a historical necessity for the 21st century Europe. The current lack of this harmony, which can be brought down to a number of reasons, leads to an identity crisis and as such is a cause of concern for Christians. Therefore, Joseph Ratzinger asks a provocative question: “what are the essential mistakes of Europe that have brough it to the prisoner’s dock today?” This is the main research question of this article posed in the context of reflections and teaching of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI. This question urges to make an examination of conscience and prompts questions to be further addressed, concerning the depreciation of Europe’s Christinan roots, the negation of natural law as a source of values or the dictatorship of ethical relativism that supports a social chaos. As a result, the idea of Europe today – according to Ratzinger – “has falled into a strange twilight” and its ethos that has been the strength of the Old Continent for centuries is being destroyed. What is necessary and urgent is a re-Europeanisation of Europe based on strong and sound axiological foundations.
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spelling doaj-art-d6b8d2d58af3465bb0042dd21ab62f0c2025-08-20T02:26:10ZdeuPapieski Wydział Teologiczny we WrocławiuWrocławski Przegląd Teologiczny1231-17312544-64602024-07-0132127329310.52097/wpt.56445880Europe in the Prisoner’s Dock? The Signposts of Joseph Ratzinger/-Benedict XVI’s for the Old ContinentKazimierz Papciak0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4684-1166Papieski Wydział Teologiczny we Wrocławiu, PolskaHarmony of the European ethos based on an appropriate system of values should be achieved as a historical necessity for the 21st century Europe. The current lack of this harmony, which can be brought down to a number of reasons, leads to an identity crisis and as such is a cause of concern for Christians. Therefore, Joseph Ratzinger asks a provocative question: “what are the essential mistakes of Europe that have brough it to the prisoner’s dock today?” This is the main research question of this article posed in the context of reflections and teaching of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI. This question urges to make an examination of conscience and prompts questions to be further addressed, concerning the depreciation of Europe’s Christinan roots, the negation of natural law as a source of values or the dictatorship of ethical relativism that supports a social chaos. As a result, the idea of Europe today – according to Ratzinger – “has falled into a strange twilight” and its ethos that has been the strength of the Old Continent for centuries is being destroyed. What is necessary and urgent is a re-Europeanisation of Europe based on strong and sound axiological foundations.https://ojs.academicon.pl/wpt/article/view/5644joseph ratzingerbenedict xviethos of europeeuropean cultureeuropean crisischristian humanismethical relativismnatural lawsocial principlesethical valuessocial guidelineseuropeanization of europe
spellingShingle Kazimierz Papciak
Europe in the Prisoner’s Dock? The Signposts of Joseph Ratzinger/-Benedict XVI’s for the Old Continent
Wrocławski Przegląd Teologiczny
joseph ratzinger
benedict xvi
ethos of europe
european culture
european crisis
christian humanism
ethical relativism
natural law
social principles
ethical values
social guidelines
europeanization of europe
title Europe in the Prisoner’s Dock? The Signposts of Joseph Ratzinger/-Benedict XVI’s for the Old Continent
title_full Europe in the Prisoner’s Dock? The Signposts of Joseph Ratzinger/-Benedict XVI’s for the Old Continent
title_fullStr Europe in the Prisoner’s Dock? The Signposts of Joseph Ratzinger/-Benedict XVI’s for the Old Continent
title_full_unstemmed Europe in the Prisoner’s Dock? The Signposts of Joseph Ratzinger/-Benedict XVI’s for the Old Continent
title_short Europe in the Prisoner’s Dock? The Signposts of Joseph Ratzinger/-Benedict XVI’s for the Old Continent
title_sort europe in the prisoner s dock the signposts of joseph ratzinger benedict xvi s for the old continent
topic joseph ratzinger
benedict xvi
ethos of europe
european culture
european crisis
christian humanism
ethical relativism
natural law
social principles
ethical values
social guidelines
europeanization of europe
url https://ojs.academicon.pl/wpt/article/view/5644
work_keys_str_mv AT kazimierzpapciak europeintheprisonersdockthesignpostsofjosephratzingerbenedictxvisfortheoldcontinent