Rediscovering religion

A recent television talk show, Ganni Borg, dealt with the continued relevance of religion in today's world. You and I are Ganni Borg and the key question asked was: What is keeping the Maltese from going to Sunday Mass?

The nine-person panel, all Maltese, revealed the many faces of Ganni Borg. Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, Muslim. Gone are the days when we boasted our homogeneity. These days, and rightly so, we glorify diversity. Unfortunately, in some instances, such praise is only skin deep. Our thinking and perspective are unduly conditioned by the box in which we place ourselves. Undoubtedly, there are some who would argue that religion is a remnant of the past, a threat to modernity; a bottleneck in the evolution of society. There was a time, in mediaeval Europe, when the powers of the Church and the state both claimed divine origin and sought to preserve the status quo. Then, in the 16th century, Protestantism emerged and won over the Anglo-Saxon world. The sober, industrious lifestyle of Protestants, its emphasis on individual merit and rejection of elaborate rituals and liturgy, gave a new impetus to the growth of capitalism.

Over the next centuries these forces picked momentum also in Latin Europe, but the institutions did not keep pace. The Enlightenment movement consecrated the rise of the individual and placed him/her at the centre of the universe. Ecclesiastical and temporal power were violently uprooted by the French Revolution; the resultant winds of change led to the separation of state and Church throughout Catholic Europe.

It was Karl Marx who defined religion as the "opium of the masses", his main issue with religion being that it was a tool in the hands of the ruling classes. By making the masses content that they will find true happiness in the next life, religion alienated the masses and helped in depriving them of the material gain which was their due.

The Europe we know is a product of these events and beliefs. EU leaders, following the pattern set by the US Constitution, have been adamant not to make any reference to Christian heritage in the proposed Constitution. Now, in the effort to rally popular support for a moribund initiative, some of these leaders are prepared to compromise. Ultimately, this is all about a centuries-old change process that started in Europe and is spilling over to the rest of the world.

These developments fed, and were themselves nourished, by the growth of capitalism, leading to today's globalisation. The forces and dynamics are still the same, rooted in European/Western history and our changed norms and values. Globalisation now promises an earthly paradise, a world village, where we all partake of the benefits of technology and human conquest. Globalisation has won over the masses in the West and is now reaching out in Asia, giving people material well-being in exchange for their daily toil.

And yet prosperity and affluence have not led to increased happiness. Individualism, built upon possessions rather than values, has in many cases led to stress, fatigue, identity crisis, emotional void and loneliness. There has emerged a deep sense of indifference and lack of trust in authority. Material wealth has proved that man does not live by bread alone. We need to nourish also the soul.

Disenchantment with materialism has led to the revival of religious movements in the West. There is no doubt that the appeal and comfort of material goods is not confined to people in the West. Yet in these "traditional societies" adapting to the underlying, alien norms and values of globalisation is bringing them in conflict with their own civilisations and religions. The attraction of a cellular phone, the pleasure of surfing the internet, the gratification of alcohol open doors to a new world which poses a challenge to the status quo. Ultimately, what is for better or for worse, is subjective, a value judgement. It is up to each society to collectively determine what it deems to be the most proper route, in its "best" interest.

The extent to which religions will remain relevant will depend a lot on their ability to adapt to the emerging lifestyles. Their ability to exalt the spiritual dimension, counterbalancing the onslaught of globalisation, materialism and individualism. Emphasising respect for fellow human beings irrespective of sex, colour, belief. Genuinely caring for animals and for nature. Creating a new sense of belonging within families, institutions, communities.

In some cases this may demand going back to basics, shedding much of their earthly manifestations and probably some of their dogmatism and righteousness. If religions manage to overcome this challenge, then, for sure, there will be "no clash of civilisations" and religions. There would be no fear of Europe becoming "Islamised", of Eurabia. Religions will become a manifestation of conviction and not just tradition.

Malta is not secluded from these forces. The modernisation process started in earnest in the 1950s and culminated in the Church and MLP conflict of the 1960s. The Church seemed to be in an unassailable position. Led by Archbishop Michael Gonzi it mobilised the support of the majority of Maltese society. As the conflict intensified and polarised, it became a mortal sin to read your favourite newspaper, to vote for your preferred political party. Party members had to marry in the sacristy, were not given absolution after confession, were buried in non-consecrated ground within cemeteries and so on. And, yet, time did not stand still. Nothing could stop the change process.

Today, the local Church may still be paying the price. Dwindling masses are a sign of indifference, of irrelevance. A failure to adapt to emerging realities. With new leadership both in Malta and Gozo, the Catholic Church can reverse the process. If Maltese society wants to make sense of globalisation and modernity then it probably needs a strong, relevant Church.

fms18@maltanet.net