Shifting Paths of Cultural Legacy
During the transition from transmitting cultural and spiritual values through the personal influence of elders and family clans to democratic institutions, two important transformations initially become evident. Firstly, in traditional systems, values were passed on through an authoritative and personal factor. Elders, approved by the church, led spiritual matters and served as guides for the proper discernment of the people. Thus, one source notes that “Elders act with the knowledge and approval of the church… if all people were so educated about God that they could know and judge these matters, there would be no need for elders to rule and guide the judgments of the people” (source: link txt). Similarly, within family clans, the leading role was played by chiefs chosen by kinship ties, where “the older brother would generally take the place of the father for the younger ones… upon the father’s death, he takes his place” (source: link txt).Secondly, with the emergence of democratic institutions, there has been a shift in the methods and forms of transmitting values. Instead of concentrating influence in the hands of a narrow group of authorities, the emphasis shifted to collective education and institutional decision-making, which includes a diverse system of educational, legal, cultural, and even ecclesiastical structures. Democratic institutions create conditions for collective discussion, the exchange of experiences, and the institutionalization of traditions through mechanisms such as public assemblies, educational institutions, libraries, and periodicals. This allows for a broader and more diverse transmission of cultural and spiritual codes, supporting the idea that the leading method in transmitting traditions is the pedagogical approach of collective learning (source: link txt). Furthermore, modern institutional initiatives that promote the development of spiritual culture include the reform of church brotherhoods and the creation of specialized councils aimed at uniting efforts to support the society’s spiritual development (source: link txt).Thus, the transition from traditional models—where values were transmitted through the personal and familial experience of elders—to modern democratic institutions represents a change associated with the institutionalization of the transmission of cultural and spiritual heritage. This transformation is characterized by a shift from the concentration of power in a narrow circle to a more multifaceted, collective process of learning and value dissemination, enabling society to respond more flexibly and systematically to the challenges of the times.