Humanism, democracy, ensuring the principle of humanity, which is in fact denied even in present-day conflicts. The humanism of the future, at the center of a discussion moderated by Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, requires an inclusive, not exclusive, secularism like the one that used to homogenize, through colonization, the life and history of others. According to Agnese Levallois from the Mission Laïque Française, secularism is a notion imported from the West: it wasn’t until the twentieth century that a reflection on this subject began in the Middle East. There is a fear, even in the common consciousness, of homogenization.
Fraternity has been the unfulfilled promise. Today, eliminating diversity becomes a crime. According to Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, faith and reason are indispensable to one another. We are in a new time, in which, for the first time in history, humanity has the capacity to destroy itself and creation. Therefore, we are all called, both secular and believers, to a shared responsibility: to save creation and humanity on a human, social, political, and economic level. Beware of a faith without culture. Hyperindividualism has taken hold, with discussions of egolatry, but the future lies in “we,” a coexistence enriched by each person’s differences. Peace is too important and should not be left solely to politicians.
“In Tunisia, much has been debated about the opposition between Islamists and secularists”, observes Nadia Marzouki, a sociologist who has worked in the U.S. and France. “In the U.S. and Italy, I encountered communities, mostly from Christian churches, mobilizing for both believers and non-believers, even providing burial for dead migrants. I met Jews who fought to overcome the opposition with the Arab world. Attention: even non-believers can be extremists. We must find ways for believers to engage in political and social debate, without the prejudices of extreme secularism.” We are in a time of a lack of large-scale mobilizations, but there are witnesses; therefore, we need to imagine new worlds, even collaborating starting from the marginalized parts of society, which can become the cornerstone of a new humanistic construction. This is a quiet and effective effort, free from the pressure of immediate judgment on results.
There is a pressure from globalization that leads to homogenization, according to Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, Archbishop and President of the French Bishops’ Conference. While seeking unity, we must accept diversity, as highlighted in the meeting in Dubai between Pope Francis and the Rector of Al Azhar University, Ahmed Al Tayyeb. Instead, we are witnessing manifestations of brutal feudalism. According to philosopher Mauro Ceruti, “the human species has reached self-annihilation, and today we are obliged to move out of the age of war, which paradoxically helped develop a sense of shared destiny.” In fact, we are living in a new geological age, because the earth is connected in all its extremes, interconnected and interdependent in every part. It is humanity that is divided. “The value of coexistence is constantly being tested, and we are responsible for it,” said Olav Fykse Tveit, President of the Norwegian Bishops’ Conference. “In the face of current wars, religious representatives must find a way to escape the appropriation of wars considered holy.” Meanwhile, even in ongoing wars, the principle of humanity, which is invoked only in words, is not guaranteed, as denounced by Tarek Mitri, former Minister in Lebanon and now Rector of St. George University in Beirut
