La luce della fede e la città dell'uomo

Is it possible, from the perspective of only several months after Francis’s election, to indicate the central idea of the pontificate regarding economy, politics, and social studies? In order to address this question, the author of the paper performs an analysis of the Pope’s teaching of the encyclical Lumen fidei, emphasizing the topic of light which faith sheds on the deepest dimensions of human life, such as: the beginning and end of life, unique dignity of the human person, the value of family built upon the marriage of man and woman, respect for the nature, looking for the models of development whose point of reference would exceed profits, service for justice and peace, and the sense of suffering. The analysis indicates that for a Christian it is only God that can constitute the absolute point of reference and that the light of faith can unveil various idol figures trying to make people worship them. Among those idols there is also the state which might become „the coldest of all monsters” if it is a state with absolute aspirations.