Abstract

In which way Christian religion is a factor in the constitution and the exercise of political democracy of the so-called liberal type ? The author formulates this problem after having demonstrated that the essence of politics has realised itself in a new way since the French revolution by giving the religion its proper place in the private area of life of the citizens. First of all is examinated then how one can give a valuable meaning to the slogan „Religion ist Privatsache”, in the current political situation. Religion is to be considerated as „private matter” not only as „affaire de conscience”, belonging to the forum internum of the individual life, but also as a constituent part of the public welfare, which should be estimated by political authority at the same level as other elements of the development of existence of the citizens. The Christian religion however gets a political expression of its own in the political ideologies which call themselves Christian, and in confessional parties. The ideology, as one knows, functions as a justification of political power, but also as a specifical means of power. Where Christian ideology functions as a proper expression of a separate political point of view of Christian groups, then Christian principles and values undergo a narrowed interpretation ; the proper character of political values is hidden or becomes falsified and political freedom is curtailed. In the same way, a confessional party is the consequence or the incarnation of a deficient political situation. A confessional party can only have a veritable and proper raison d'être in a negative sense : in those situations in which the actual political circumstances prevent a normal political expression of the ethic and religious ideas and of the human development of existence of the Christians as citizens from appearing to full advantage. The essential contribution of the Christian as „political man” to the formgivings of political life is to be laid in the constant sollicitude for the soundness of political ethos