Page - 190 - in Menschenrechte und Gerechtigkeit als bleibende Aufgaben - Beiträge aus Religion, Theologie, Ethik, Recht und Wirtschaft

© 2020, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783847111658 – ISBN E-Lib: 9783737011655 cross,a“newman”iscreated,andtherebyhumankind(re)gainsitsaccesstothe Father (Eph2:18).16 Basically, theBiblical traditioncontains twomajormodelsof reconciliation. The first one is collective. It emphasizes the restoration of the relation of the whole of humankind with its Creator through Jesus Christ. The Church, as collective humanity, embodies this cosmic dimension and shares it with the worldthroughtheGospelofpeace(cf.Eph2:17).Thesecondmodelisindividual. It is concernedwith the restaurationof harmonious relationships between in- dividuals. Forgiveness of and reconciliation with our neighbour are pre- conditions thatmustbeaccomplished inorder toworshipGod–whooffersus thesuprememodelof forgivenessandreconciliation. 3.2. TheChallengeofNationalism Sincethenineteenthcentury,anewunderstandingoftheworldhas(re)emerged oncewiththeriseofnationalism.Thenationalistic ideologyoriginates froman artificial distinction between “us” (as a specific ethnic group or nation) and “others” (a different ethnic group). “Us”, the nation, receives an absolutized character andbecomes thenormwithin thepolitical community, towhich ev- erything–especiallyreligionandsociety–issubordinated.Themainpurposeof this artificial distinctionconsists in thebuildingof a specificnational identity. Aimingtolegitimateitself,nationalismappliesaselectivereadingofhistoryand politically instrumentalises both thewounds and themilitary victories of the past.17 Insuchanationalisticcontext–thatidealisesitsownpastandsetsasitsmain priority therighttopossessaterritoryasopposedtootherlocalethnicgroups– it is verydifficult, if not impossible, to build adiscourse about reconciliation. Onlytwosidesthatarepreparedtoreconsidertheirinterpretationofthepastcan reconcilewith each other. Nationalism simply draws its resources froman ir- reconcilablememory,whichintendstoremainsoandfurthermorelookstofind “vindication” by discriminating other groups of people. Therefore, memory becomesan insurmountableobstacle in the search for reconciliation.18 16 Cf.HaroldW.Hoehner,Ephesians.AnExegeticalCommentary,Michigan2002,pp. 381–384. 17 For an introduction into the concept of nationalism, see: DonateKluxen-Pyta, Nationali- smus, in: Lexikon fürTheologie undKircheVII,WalterKasper (ed.), Freiburg-Basel-Rom (u.a.) 1998, p. 650; Carl-Henric Grenholm, Nationalismus, in: Theologische Realenzy- klopädie XXIV, GerhardMüller (ed.), Berlin-New York 1994, pp.21–34. Eugen Lemberg, Nationalismus, in:StaatslexikonV,Görres-Gesellschaft (ed.),6.ed.,Freiburg1960,pp. 896– 902. 18 Gabriel,ErinnerungundVersöhnung,p. 33. CezarMarksteiner-Ungureanu190 Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY 4.0