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    Published: 2025-12-22
    Vol. 4 (2025)

    The Church’s Involvement in Helping the Victims of the Third Civil War in the Central African Republic

    Jarosław Różański Profil ORCID autora Jarosław Różański
    LIBERTAS RELIGIOSA Studium interdyscyplinarne wolności religijnej
    Section: Artykuły
    DOI https://doi.org/10.21697/lr.16388

    Abstract

    The article presents the multifaceted engagement of the Catholic Church in the Central African Republic in safeguarding human dignity and providing assistance to the victims of the Third Civil War. The historical, political, and social conditions of the conflict are examined, emphasizing that – despite appearances – it was not a religious war but resulted from long-term state instability, armed violence, and the degradation of social structures. The study outlines traditional areas of the Church’s activity, including education, healthcare, and human development, as well as the work of the Iustitia et Pax commission and initiatives for the protection of human rights. Particular attention is given to the role of Catholic missions, which acted as the only stable structures in violence-affected regions, offering shelter to displaced persons and providing food, medicine, and spiritual support. The article also discusses the attitudes and initiatives of Church leaders – among them Bishops Dieudonné Nzapalainga, Juan Aguirre Muñoz, and numerous missionaries – who, through mediation, humanitarian action, and interventions against violence, defended those persecuted, often at the risk of their own lives. The conclusion highlights that the Church, as the only institution operating across most of the country, played a key role in mitigating the consequences of the conflict, fostering social peace, and rebuilding relationships between communities.

    Keywords:

    Central African Republic, Catholic Church, humanitarian aid, human dignity, armed conflicts, interreligious dialogue

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    Citation rules

    Różański, J. (2025). The Church’s Involvement in Helping the Victims of the Third Civil War in the Central African Republic. LIBERTAS RELIGIOSA Studium Interdyscyplinarne wolności Religijnej, 4, 19–47. https://doi.org/10.21697/lr.16388

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