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The distinction between the political and the religious sphere “must not leave the States, their institutions and legislation, with the ultimate responsibility of responding to the aspiration of persons, communities, and peoples” since its “consequences could prevent the establishment of a social order based on the dignity of the human person”. The 83rd Social Week of France, held in Lyon November 21-23 was opened with a message of Benedict XVI. 4000 participants, many of whom arrived from Russia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Poland, attended three-day debates on an issue of high topical relevance: “Religions, a threat or a hope for our societies”. While the 2009 edition of the Week on “The new forms of solidarity” will take place in Paris (Villepinte), November 20-22. Clinging to faith. For the Pope, “only a vision of life that hinges on the religious dimension can enable the achievement” of a social order based on “the promotion of justice and peace”. In order perform “this positive role that societies expect of religions”, the latter ought to “propose a vision of faith not in terms of intolerance, discrimination or conflict, but rather in full respect of the truth, encouraging coexistence and reconciliation while promoting human rights”. An ethical patrimony. Unfortunately, pointed out religions sociologist, Danièle Herveu-Léger, “in a context marked by ongoing conflict and terrorism, religions are increasingly viewed as the causes of wars, and not as the agents of peace. The main points of friction are triggered by issues pertaining to biotechnologies, the defence of human life from the moment of conception to its natural termination, and by man-woman diversity”. However, “regardless of the different viewpoints – he added – religions don’t represent a threat for societies, also in view of the separate realms of the Churches and the State. Rather, religions constitute an attempt to fill the current void of contemporary societies. These are a real and true ethical patrimony, thus a precious resource. However, it’s important that all forms of fundamentalism be avoided”, he remarked. A favourable wind. The Viennese theologian Paul-Michael Zulehner shares the same view of Herveu-Léger since, he said, “despite a widespread – albeit restless – religious indifference, religions are the fountain-heads of meaning and the thrust of action. In fact, they are increasingly involved in the ever-developing challenges pertaining to co-existence”. The theologian described “a diversified European Christian realm with a percentage of faithful ranging between 10 and 60% according to the Countries. This figure is counterbalanced by 50% of daily practices that do not refer to God, a sort of atheism, that still seeks a meaning to life through an inner journey”. These two poles are all the more “distant when delicate issues relating to euthanasia or biotechnologies are at stake”. However, “a positive wind for the Church has started to blow, bringing the conversions of those that have passed from the undefined realm of spirituality, to the realm of the Church”. To this regard, Zulehner mentioned recent findings showing that an increasing number of citizens living in different European cities, including Lisbon, Vienna, Brussels and Paris, feel the need of God. It should be noted, he claimed, “that a widespread fondness for the Pope is increasingly experienced by the youth”. Societies marked by a Christian approach. Religions as a resource – however, how should religions’ be present within contemporary societies, and with what kind of approach? The prior of Bose, Enzo Bianchi, addressed these questions from the standpoint of Christianity. In fact, he remarked, “the Gospel does not provide directions or secret formulas showing the path leading towards the erection of the city of man”. This implies “the historical responsibility” of the faithful “whose faith can only be lived by entering the realm of history and its contradictions. In this, the Christian community is called to experience its relationships with a different emphasis. In a society marked by fragile relationships, the Christian community of faithful is called to act as an alternative community providing the possibility of entertaining strong, long-lasting relations marked by a spirit of reception and mutual forgiveness”. Bianchi views this as the “Christian difference” that solicits the Churches to give “a visible and liveable form to the communities modelled on the Gospel”. Through open communities, the prior explained, “Christianity shows its vigour and provides to secular societies a contribution in the quest for projects and ideas, for the erection of a man-friendly city marked by a moral and ethical bearing”. This is a “prophetic” task that requires “a long and profound” commitment, but which turns “the Christian approach into a stimulus and an encouragement”. In the dialogue with modernity, he concluded, “Christians ought to rely on the virtues of humility and kindness, thus relinquishing a set of rights and privileges that constitute an obstacle to the credible proposal of their faith. The new evangelisation doesn’t imply imposing the Gospel. Rather, it must be nourished by dialogue with a special care to the needs of the world, in order to proclaim the Good News in a language comprehensible by all”.