Sometimes I feel as if we are living in a world of extremes. It is a world in black and white. No greys are allowed. People in the middle are in the danger of being edged out. The media are partly to blame, I think. Extremist views make better TV than moderate views. This selective media coverage gives people the wrong impression that only extremists exist. A number of studies bear me out.

TV news about religion and politics emphasise the antics of the religious fundamentalists. Some media outlets do go out of their way to present even level headed Catholic politicians as if they were fanatics.

Buttiglione was unjustly presented as such during his "grilling" by the EU parliamentarians which lost him the chance of becoming an EU commissioner. However, secularist dogmatists are many times presented as the incarnation of tolerance and a yearning for liberty. In this kind of scenario is it possible for Christian politicians to navigate between these two great perils represented by the Scylla of religious fundamentalism and the Charybdis of secularist dogmatism?

The Episcopal affirmative

Bishop Mario Grech said yes during a lecture given to the participants of a course organised by the "Fortunato Mizzi" school on October 31, 2009. This is the political school of the PN in Gozo.

Bishop Grech has his own particular way of creatively connecting different subjects. He regularly does this during his homilies in Gozo parishes and his regular visits to Malta. He starts from one topic and reaches something seemingly completely different. However, he does it in such a way that the connection between both subjects becomes obvious as he seamlessly weaves the path from topic A to topic B.

The speech referred to above was of a different kind. It clearly set the subject from the very start - Christian in politics - and moved forward to discuss it within the context of the post-modern mentality that surrounds us. Mgr Grech buttressed his arguments with sixteen different references varying from Nietzsche to Pope Benedict, from Alexis de Tocqueville to John Paul II.

The Bishop of Gozo outlines two dangers for the furthering of a healthy political culture: the intertwining of democracy with ethical relativism, and the instrumentalisation of the political class by those who have political, financial or religious power. Had the bishop left out reference to the possible abuse by those having religious power, his position would have been less credible. It is true that there were, and still are, instances where those yielding religious power abuse the political class. Instances of such abuses can also be found in our history. On the other hand, the ethically relativistic approach tends to denude democracy from an ethically sound foundation and can thus facilitate totalitarianism.

A call for positive laïcité

Bishop Grech proposes that a correct definition of "laïcité" can provide us with the middle way between religious fundamentalism and secularist dogmatism. He refers at some length to the encounter between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Pope Benedict on September 2008. Mgr Grech says that Maltese "secularists" can learn a lot from that encounter. I add that even Catholics can find it equally beneficial.

Sarkozy told the Pope that: "the dialogue with religions is legitimate for democracy and respects the principle of laïcité. Religions - and in particular Christianity, with which we share a long history - are legacies, living legacies of debate and reflection, not only about God, but also about mankind, society, and even that key concern today: nature and environmental protection. It would be madness to deprive ourselves of it, quite simply an offence against culture and against thought.

This is why I call for positive laïcité, a laïcité which respects, an inclusive laïcité, one which debates, not one which excludes or condemns. Nowadays when doubt and their absorption with their own problems challenge our democracies to address the problems of our time, positive laïcité offers our consciences the possibility of comparing ideas - going beyond beliefs and rituals - about the meaning we want to give our existence; the quest for meaning".

Bishop Grech then refers to the reaction of the Pope. "I am firmly convinced that a new reflection on the true meaning and importance of laïcité is now necessary. In fact, it is fundamental, on the one hand, to insist on the distinction between the political realm and that of religion in order to preserve both the religious freedom of citizens and the responsibility of the State towards them; and, on the other hand, to become more aware of the irreplaceable role of religion for the formation of consciences and the contribution which it can bring to - among other things - the creation of a basic ethical consensus in society."

The only way forward is for people with different value systems and opinions respect each other and dialogue tirelessly to create this basic ethical consensus on which to fashion the society we live in. Unfortunately respect and dialogue are not as common as spiteful and uncompromising attitudes. Consequently, incoherent noise more than meaningful sound emerges from many a debate on the subject. I hope that the same thing will not happen here.

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