Folia Theologica et Canonica 5. 27/19 (2016)
RECENSIONS
276 RECENSIONS of our souls, and in the protection of the family's community on the day to day basis (pp. 199-204). The Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus observes the most comprehensive problem of our time in the last chapter of his book. This problem has the strongest influence on the institution of family within the current secular society: those interpretational. social, legal, and cultural frameworks which have been generated by the postmodern states. These new - artificial - structures and circumstances are capable to destroy the true family's community, in particular those which are not established on rock-strong stable basis (pp. 205-241). This analysis uses again the Biblical model of family, and its alterations throughout the ages of history. The Author makes clear how the secular - state - legislation has played down the crystal clear - based on the Revelation - family ideal, replacing this authentic model with artificial principles which had no relation at all to the natural law (pp. 211-216). Nevertheless, Card. Rouco Varela emphasizes against all these secular tendencies the necessity to return to the original - springing from the nature of mankind - family model. He argues, that the Catholic Church has a unique - mandatory - obligation to protect and promote this original family’s ideal, which is based on the example of the Holy Family (pp. 217-220). This is the only teaching which can express authentically the real value of the family and testify the healthy structure of the society (pp. 221.224, 229-234). Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela’s crystal clear new volume, which builds on the Author's long and wide pastoral experience, presents the Christian family model, interpreting precisely the dogmatic teaching and tradition of the Church. The gradual disappearance of this authentic model causes many times and places very difficult crises which can be experienced on every day within the current society. The Author presents a real alternative, when he builds his argumentation on the faithful life of the Christian family. This answer is not the change or altering of the teaching of the Church, rather the faithful protection ofthat truth which is known from the Divine Revelation. Szabolcs Anzelm Szúromi, O.Praem.
