O cristianismo social de 1848

Abstract

Universalism and ecumenism are values present in the romantic religion, to which the 1848 French Revolution supplies new strengh by means of the idea of Fraternity. The symbiosis Christianity / Revolution is always present in the ideology of 48. The Republic corresponds to the final, perfect state of human society; the People is man made God, word made flesh; the Cross is the symbol of mankind’s emancipation and Christ the very image of the proletarian. To overcome social and economic injustice, to streghen democracy and, on the political level, to establish the Republic, are the main lines of the social creed that inspires republicans, democrats, utopian socialists and quiet a few liberals in 1848, taking as a model the Christian set of values. Underlying many booklets of liberal tone, democratizing and republican propaganda — then illegaly and anonimously circulating in Portugal — articles in progressive periodicals, and the poetry directly inspired by revolutionary movements and ideas, we can find this identification Religion / Republic, People / Christ, France / / Messiah. Social Christianity of 1848, ‘populist’ and utilitarian, acquires thus a revolutionary edge, immerses in a deep secular meaning and heretic theology.