Confessional State

[FightingFat]

The modern world takes for granted the principle of ‘Seperation of Church & State’, which makes it very difficult to appreciate the totally opposed principle of the Confessional State, a country where everyone professes the same faith, and the nation is governed in accordance with that faith. Yet that ideal was accepted from the time of Constantine the Great until the Great Revolution, and in the Middle East, (and possibly the Vatican State) it still is!

Is it desirable, or feasible, to think of restoring a Christian state?

Unless the Church dominates the state, the state dominates the Church. Which is worse and why?

Can a pragmatic co-existence of faiths within a state ever really last?

 

[Verbum]

Hi Fighting,

We had the Catholic state in Quebec until the 60’s. The Church controlled education, hospitals, newspapers, trade unions, you name it.

When the “old world” fell apart, the Church declined with it. Today, hardly 10% of Catholics go to church. The same thing is happening in the “Catholic” states of Ireland and Spain, and I understand it’s starting in Poland.

Be careful what you wish for.

Verbum

 

[FightingFat]

Hi Verbum!

So what do you consider was the catalyst for seperation in Quebec?

Was seperation for better or worse?

 

[Verbum]

Hi Fighting,

I have never seen a connection between the independence movement and the decline of the Church. Many good Catholics support the movement.

Verbum

 

[Katholish]

I think that the confessional state is still the ideal. It seems that most Catholics abandoned this ideal of the declaration Dignitatis Humanae of the Second Vatican Council. Although the Council changed its focus from the hard line promotion of the confessional state of the 19th Century popes, I don’t think that an authentic reading of the Council dismantles that ideal.

In the modern world, however, we find conditions that seem entirely unsuitable for the establishment of a new confessional state. Thus, while it remains an ideal for me, I don’t think that it is one that will be realized anytime soon.