In an accelerated and increasingly interdependent 21st century, religious denominations play an increasingly important role in building and sustaining diverse human communities.
In a time of less security every day, when the world is preoccupied with technological advances, globalisation and the increasing use of artificial intelligence, it is religious institutions that are the means of preserving and celebrating community, identity, family and moral values.
These congregations play an important role in building community, creating social cohesion and countering the often damaging challenges of the modern times.
The Community Building Role of Religion
Religious denominations are community builders, purposefully promoting and shaping social and family values, providing space and time for their members to meet, interact, share experiences and support each other when needed.
It is well known that modern lifestyles lead to isolation, and religious communities are therefore a valuable counterweight to the effects of isolation.
In democratic, non-fanatical countries, churches and other religious centres often become places of community events, communal celebrations, relief and social services, reinforcing a sense of belonging and the knowledge that individuals can always rely on the sustaining power of community life.
Promoting Social Cohesion
The religious denomination is one of the most important institutions with a real capacity to bridge socio-economic as well as cultural gaps, encouraging social cohesion, acceptance and understanding.
By bringing people from different social spheres together in one community, they create opportunities for communication, empathy and mutual support.
Or even other common activities, exchange ideas or play a game of Luckera. There are countries, such as India, where different religious groups have come together to help individuals, while in South Africa religious organisations have played an important role in building peace and ending apartheid.
Helping People Face the Challenges of Modern Life
Religious communities have an important role to play in addressing the challenges of the modern age. As a model of solidarity, they successfully tackle social phenomena such as isolation, poverty and inequality.
An important step against isolation can be a community experience, a shared activity in nature, helping those in need together through volunteering, trying out Luckera games together or anything else where people strive for the same goals.
But they are also at the forefront in the fight against environmental destruction and drug abuse, and are a real refuge for victims of domestic violence.
Around the world, many different denominations run educational institutions, hospitals, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, providing essential services to marginalised individuals. In many countries, the Catholic Church acts as an advocate for the marginalised community and defender of human rights.
Difficulties and Possibilities of Maintaining Community
Like all institutions and social groups, religious denominations face many challenges. It is well known that in the 21st century church attendance is declining, the number of active believers is decreasing and global secularisation is not helping church communities to function.
These challenges force religious communities that wish to survive to adapt, renew and evolve. By embracing social change and advances in technology, including those of the Luckera games, by embracing the issues that concern modern man, and by engaging in ecumenical dialogue, religious denominations can remain the place and form of community where individuals want to belong with authentic awareness and interest.
Resolving or Minimising Conflicts
The role of religious communities in resolving social conflicts and building peace makes them important and inescapable public actors whose influence and beneficial impact can change the fate of countries and offer hope in an increasingly chaotic world.
As the world continues to evolve, we are forced to recognise the vital importance of religious communities. Let us therefore seek to support their efforts to build a strong, compassionate community that is willing to act on behalf of its people.
The approach of the different religious denominations to problems of diverse nature is often not based on the argumentation of opinion, but on finding a common voice. This is the kind of approach that is needed in other areas of life and is the quickest and most effective way to find a real solution to a problem.
For marginalised individuals, for those in need, for those in difficult situations, finding the suitable religious community can be a concrete spiritual, social and material support, providing a context where the individual is no longer alone in facing the difficulties of everyday life.
