Our topics
Relational thinking and biblical principles are applicable in every dimension / topic you can think of. Sallux will shine it’s light specifically on the following topics: (human) Life, family, EU - (institutions vs people), economy, society, Freedom, Environment and Global problems.
Freedom
The rise of right-wing populism and anti-political sentiment has become one of the major challenges of the EU. The Brexit vote is partly connected to this development. This sentiment is not disconnected from reality. While it is partially inspired by blatant racism, we need to face the fact that this anti-political mood is also based on a number of very real problems that have a direct impact on the wellbeing of our societies. These challenges are terrorism, integration and refugee streams, which are closely connected in various ways
Family
Family is the most important social entity in the world, above the state and any other community or group. Life starts in the family and relationships start in the family. The natural family is a micro society in which basic skills and experiences are conveyed. Healthy families lead to a healthy society, while fragmented families do the opposite.
For a relational society
Life is relational, and therefore society needs to be understood from this perspective. Each of the great themes of biblical social teaching can be shown to directly or indirectly impact on whether and how citizens relate to each other. Key elements include strong and stable families, decentralised government and an absence of material and relational poverty.
Life
Principles of human dignity transcend time and culture. Cultural values related to human dignity represent some of the most significant aspects of contemporary societies throughout Europe and internationally. Human dignity has increasingly become a phrase associated with values across various spectrums.
EU
We accept the EU as a political and social reality that has brought stability and improved life for many people in Europe over the years. However, it needs a new paradigm based on the Christian understanding of the human being to restore the relationship between the European idea and the people living in its member states. In the face of Brexit and the rise of anti-EU populism, a new balance is needed.
Environment
Discussion of the environment is usually framed in impersonal terms. We quantify the problems facing us with terms like parts per million of CO2, millimetres of sea-level, dollars per barrel of oil, miles per gallon of fuel, kilowatt hours, degrees Centigrade per century, and so on. We often see the issues as something to be dealt with almost exclusively by scientists or politicians, rather than as our responsibility. However, questions about the environment are ultimately questions of justice.
Economy
The worst of the financial crisis that has plagued the economies of Europe since 2008 seems to have passed. In some countries, there are even signs of job growth. This is a welcome situation for those who can now find work again. At the same time, businesses and families are still struggling to pay off excess debts, as public debts are at post-war highs in almost every EU member state and cheap ECB money is needed to keep many banks afloat.
Global challenges
Global stability is now the key issue of our time. The only way to achieve better global stability is to improve international relations from the perspective of human dignity and the fact that all life is now truly interdependent.