Pastoral Work in the Age of Excessive Consumerism

The article begins with a description of the most important social determinants of the present time. The author claims that consumer culture is nowadays the key factor in shaping our society. Subsequently, the article discusses various forms of pastoral work that can function in modern society. The three main types can be described as complete conformity, partial conformity and contestation. The first type assumes that the Church should conform to the modern world both in terms of values and working methods. The second one assumes that the Church should conform to the modern world only in term of working methods, but still adhere strictly to Christian ethics and axiology. The last type assumes that the Church should radically distinguish itself from the modern world in term of ethics, values and also modus operandi. In the author’s opinion, only the second and third options are worth considering.