Modernity has brought about an increase of the rationalization of society that has placed strenuous pressure on responsible actors, with a heightened risk of dissent. This, in turn, increases the need for established subsystems, which are regulated by steering media such as money and power. If sub-systems are needed in a globalized world, they have to go hand in hand with an increased ability of rationalization in order to keep responsibility personal. Rationalization in a modern world requires a differentiation between objective facts, social consensus or agreements, and subjective commitments. It seems, however, that the church belongs to a pre-modern world with a focus on holistic world views that is precisely the opposite of rationalization as differentiation. Taking this understanding of rationalization as a cue, this paper argues that the current economic crisis in South Eastern Europe has cultural and ecclesial roots that challenge the self-understanding of the church and its practice in relation to society.