Theologische veranderingen, sociologisch beschouwd

Samenvatting

The theoretical basis is taken from P.L. Berger and Th. Luckmann, (See SA 0233/C4755). Theology is one of the processes which gives a meaningful organization of human experience in a concrete situation. This organization is legitimized when accepted within a social infrastructure. Changes in the infrastructure change the legitimate value of the system, which has to be reevaluated and legitimized. The history of Dutch Catholicism until 1940 shows very few changes. The Catholic community perceived itself as a separate group: the social group (infrastructure) and theology (legitimized structure) reenforced each other. Changes occurred after 1940 because of criticism of the Church and the Pope, increased higher education of Catholics, and contacts with other religions. The loss of meaning and the weakening of the social infrastructure had profound consequences for the theological system; the image of God was changed, the church was no longer seen as a goal in itself, a strong ecumenical revival took place, and the role of saints and Mary in the Catholic church was diminished. Theology, however, has its own dynamics, and is not only influenced by social changes. Overestimation of the role of theology is not to be feared, as church leaders have an intuition for the dialectical relation between infrastructure and theology. K. Dillman.