11 Bonhoeffer emphasizes that the t

11 Bonhoeffer emphasizes that the threat for Roman Catholicism is to perceive the church as a
means to itself at the expense of the divine mandate to proclaim, while the danger for reformed
churches is to have only the proclamation of the word to the detriment of their own selves as a
dwelling place.
235
R. Bogešić: Christianity between Capitalism and Socialism
from each other, and thus religion is strictly separated and is not included in the
operations of other systems, such as, e.g., economics or politics.
Conclusion
The current situation is no longer tenable. Why? Neo-liberal capitalism is burdened,
on the one hand, with global crime, while, on the other, it is seeking to
erect a system of law-abidance. Socialism is a political-economic system, a system
that has disappeared from many regions of the world (Europe), while it is
still struggling to maintain itself in other areas (South America, Asia) despite the
process of globalization.
Modern countries are endeavoring to use different programs and measures
in their struggle with the crisis. That being said, the actual system of values must
be based on the understanding that the system can be called capitalism, feudalism,
socialism or some other “-ism”. However, there is only one system that is
focused on work and savings, limited consumption of revenues, and that opposes
lethargy - only that system is patient and does not blame others for one’s failures
and, most importantly, it has a future.
Christianity, if it wants to remain faithful to the God of which the Bible testifies,
must detach itself from capitalism which is a modern religion that is shaping
the lives of all humankind. This is why the Christian church must once more strive
to put the proclamation of salvation and redemption in the very foreground, the
proclamation which has God in the center, the one proclaimed by the Bible, and
the one that brings salvation.
It is a fact that Christians are members of two societies, belonging entirely to
both of them. On the one hand, they are members of the City of God, and on the
other, they are members of human cities. As emphasized by some authors (Costa,
1995:219 b), Christians are called to apply God’s commands in their surroundings,
either as a believer and a member of the church, or as a citizen and member
of the society, and in doing so, attempt to bring the gospel into all of their activities
- with faith, hope and love.