Religion - a major factor in human life in the third millennium Cover Image

Религията като основен фактор в човешкия живот през третото хилядолетие
Religion - a major factor in human life in the third millennium

Author(s): Petar Gramatikoff
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Theology and Religion
Published by: Сдружение „Академия за иновации и устойчивост“
Keywords: religion; sustainable development; crisis; poverty
Summary/Abstract: Modern times are characterized by the rediscovery of religion as a factor in human life. Many different forms of religiosity are updated, revive and thrive. This return to religion, however, not only has a positive effect. Modern religious reality is multifaceted and reveals both the best and the worst of human nature. New religious movements and their invasion and expansion are probably one of the most surprising events of the twentieth century and early twenty-first century and the third millennium. For the last three or four generations the new religious movements are deployed in multinational and global scale and have become significant cultural, social, religious and political factors. The paper makes analyses of contemporary challenges before the humanity from the point of view of the influence of regions and poses some significant questions to future sustainable development. The paper includes as a supplement “Common ground and differences of view between the Bretton Woods institutions (World Bank and IMF) and the World Council of Churches (WCC)” - translated in Bulgarian summary of the current situation of the discussions between the management of the Bretton Woods Institutions (BW Institutions) and the WCC facing what has been identified as a common basis and (in brackets) differences in viewpoints. The study reflects the "work in progress" in the ongoing dialogue between the three organizations. Central to the common ground is the clarification of common concern on the fight against poverty - an important task of the dialogue between institutions and BW-WCC is the need to increase the effectiveness of the efforts to reduce poverty.