Can we spark a new liberation process? Can we live happier lives in a more just society, with more beautiful cities, a more truthful culture, and more honest communication? Can we build a civilization that nurtures the development of our souls, allowing them to expand and flourish towards our most authentic selves, rather than forcing us to suppress them to fit into the system?
This radical longing inspired us to write the book Cristo in Politica. Per un’allegra rivoluzione (Christ in politics. For a cheerful revolution). Published by Paoline, this book -available only in Italian at present- can be found in bookstores and online. It includes an introduction by Marco Guzzi and features twelve dialogues between four members of L’Indispensabile and Darsi Pace -Luca Cimichella, Francesca Cocomero, Gabriele Guzzi, and Davide Sabatino-, and some of the most prominent figures of Italy’s culture, politics, academia, and journalism.
The topic of this book is both simple and disruptive: can Christ’s message – embodied by a person representing a stark post-war, relational, and thus fulfilled and joyful kind of humanity – transform history and politics? The answer emerging from these intense and, at times, surprising dialogues is extremely positive. Yes, it can! These times can be navigated through the headway of beginners and novices, like children, to recreate this world anew in a way that can be more aligned with the vision of a strong and accomplished humanity.
However, this journey is not a ‘banquet.’ It requires a double acrobatic movement: reversing our inner state, characterized by separation, masks, and defence; and transforming the outer reality of an alienated politics that dominates our increasingly war-prone world.
For this reason, we spoke with Fausto Bertinotti, Enzo Bianchi, Guidalberto Bormolini, Luigino Bruni, Chiara Giaccardi, Agostino Giovagnoli, Raniero La Valle, Mauro Magatti, Marinella Perroni, Geminello Preterossi, Paolo Ricca, Lucetta Scaraffia, Marcello Veneziani. Our discussions focused on topics such as:
- The type of economy that can support a new humanity (Bruni).
- Re-thinking the entire history of democratic Catholicism (Giovagnoli).
- The relationship between Christ and revolution (Preterossi and Veneziani).
- How to ignite generative dynamics (Giaccardi).
- The distinctive role of Christianity in political action (Bianchi).
- What Christians should pursue today through their missionary aspirations (Ricca).
- The connection between Christianity and Marxism (Bertinotti).
- Reinterpreting the relationship between sexuality and the Church (Scaraffia).
- Learning to unlearn the art of war (La Valle).
- How the Scriptures can serve in politics (Perroni).
- What humanity can do today regarding the dilemma of life and destruction (Bormolini).
- How to embrace the Catholic challenge enthusiastically in our 21st-century society (Magatti).
Thus, this book presents a rich, diverse, and profound mosaic of the most urgent thoughts of our times. The key message is simple: Christianity should not be lived as moralism or ideology, but rather as a concrete experience of life transformation.
This volume aligns perfectly with the latest publications in the Crocevia (literally: Crossroads) book series, which forms the theoretical foundation of the Darsi Pace Movement. Specifically, it delves deeper into the topics addressed in the following volumes: La politica di una nuova umanità (Politics of a New Humanity), Gli anni d’oro (The Golden Age), Fede e rivoluzione (Faith and Revolution), Non vedi che già sorge il nuovo giorno? (Can’t you see the new day rising yet?)
Therefore, we present this festive springtime opportunity to everyone: may it soon fill our hearts with joy. This is Christ’s revolutionary call in politics.