Fuga mundi in the relationship between the Church and the world: theological approach between Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Gaudium et spes

Throughout the history of Christianity, the fuga mundi emerged as a radical form of Christian experience. This way of living the values of the Gospel corresponded to the specific needs of the context in which it emerged. However, over time, some guiding principles of the fuga mundi collaborated for the implantation, on a large scale in Christianity, of a dualistic understanding of the world that separates the Church from the world, as well as opposing body and soul, sacred and profane, matter and spirit. Nonetheless, the Church is inserted in the world, in the same way as "the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 1,14). The reflection carried out by the Second Vatican Council, expressed in Gaudium et spes, provides relevant elements for this evangelical self-understanding of the Church in the world. There are other authors who also reflected on the relationship between Christianity and the world, such as, for example, the Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945). In this article, a critique is made of the fuga mundi attitude, based on the writings of Bonhoeffer and Gaudium et spes. The methodology used is the comparative analysis between the texts in question. It is intended, therefore, to show how the authors, in their respective contexts, overcame dualistic conceptions of the Church and the human being, shedding light on a dialogical and servant ecclesial action.