| Synopsis: |
As it responded to the far-reaching changes in society of recent decades, the Spanish Church came up against challenging socio-political and theological issues. The Second Vatican Council forced it to examine its alliance with the Franco regime. Having disengaged from dictatorship, it embraced democracy but found itself somewhat at odds with various aspects of the modernisation of Spain, the ongoing process of secularisation and the 'supermarket' attitude to doctrine of its own membership. Intra-ecclesial friction was as frequent as conflict with politicians. The Church's traditional strategy of alliances with secular - political and socio-economic - power groups became increasingly pointless in its endeavour to recapture relevance in a society which was not so much hostile as indifferent to institutionalised religion. Cardinal Tarancon, General Franco, King Juan Carlos, Adolfo Suarez, Felipe Gonzalez, Pope John XXIII, Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, theologians, Catholic workers, grassroots Christian communities, radicals and reactionaries, are among the protagonists occupying centre stage and shaping the action. |