The heritage from Athens and Galilee

secular democracy as a Lutheran response to the European crisis

Tine Reeh

pp. 138-157

in: Lars K Bruun, Gert Srensen, Karl C. Lammers, Gert Sørensen (eds), European self-reflection between politics and religion, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2013

Abstract

The story of Hal Koch is a close up on an individual living in the European crisis of the twentieth century. As he took active part in trying to find a way out of or through this crisis he made use of his historical heritage. His work is interesting not only due to his influence in Denmark but also because it represents and exemplifies general or even principal questions regarding Christianity and culture, religion and politics or secularization. It is a story of an individual departing from a specific understanding of Christianity, using history in a time of crisis to point to a way out — a renewed Danish democratic identity.