The New Evangelization

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Commissioned to Paint "POPE JOHN PAUL II" by Vatican representatives August 2003 American Master "RUTH MAYER" unveils the painting for His Holiness, Rome Italy Nov 2004

So what makes it new? Haven't we always done evangelization? The answer is the same for the New Atheism, it’s just adapted to the new information, technology, and thus current in its expression and approach. In the coming weeks, we will look at Why someone would evangelize, ways of doing that, and things that stand in its way. For now, though let’s just focus on the distinctions from the old to new and what concerns evangelization. The New Evangelization makes explicit demands of every Christian, it concerns every aspect of our life, and has new demands.

First, in distinguishing between the “old” and “new” is really more like a part of the whole system and an emphasized, active, and closer to the whole of the system. To give some background, it is the very same as the Second Vatican Council. It is worth noting that Ecumenical Councils are not held without great reason nor are they ever, remotely even interested in “redefining” something or overreaching the role of faith in one’s life. That being said no perspective on anything that the Church proclaims is ever late, reactive, or under-informed of the times. After all, Christ founded His Church with the Apostles and history unambiguously shows that the people that followed Christ established His Church, passed on the faith and they passed it on, and they passed it on, and they passed it on, down to the believers whom I am a peer of and from whom I received the faith. The thing about popular philosophies or pyramid schemes is they need new people to believe in them, every individual has to or else they would not take it seriously enough. Would you? I sure wouldn’t and the epistemology of the faith is beyond this post, but the fact every individual saw the value and truth of the teachings in their heart and gut, even if not “scientifically” as contemporary Christians, stands for a great deal. This testimony is of course not sufficient for the taste of your common day Atheist, but again not our point. The “passing on” of the faith is our interest. Whatever method was employed to this end, the rise in atheistic philosophy began to undermine faith in general by the time America was founded. Although, the new, or as it is known “modern”, philosophy is not an ally of religion but it really isn’t as formidable an enemy as some perceive. It is this misperception which had begun costing the Church greatly on the level of individuals losing their faith because they are not quite informed. It has also lead to large-scale misunderstandings of what is believed. Hence, everything the Church has done since this realization is to do better at the “passing on” part of the equation, to the extent Christians don’t have only willpower to hold their faith.

Second, great results require even greater input, sometimes disproportionately so.[6] This is a lesson one learns the moment a strong work ethic is formed, whence the intellect sees how it can make use of the will to attain the desired accounting for all variables. What is desired and needed, as we have previously discussed being a matter of life and death as it is, is that not just truth but life and salvation be “passed on”. Every Christian, ideally every person, should understand the possibilities of risks involved, hell among them. Therefore, every Christian that would like to see this tradition of “passing on” be taken up by those we hope to pass it to, we have got to take our role very seriously, accounting for all variables, obstructions, and concerns. Most of all, we must not stand in the way of the “passing on”.

Third, what does an effective “passing on” require? This is a question worth more than much, it may well be worth more than all of creation, since God loves us as if their were only one of us.[1] On that account, It is quite likely that the following is true: “Teresa [of Avila] was bombarded with supernatural experiences and visions. [In a vision, Jesus once said to her], “I would create the universe again just to hear you say that you love me”.[2] that being said, a blog post should only be thought-provoking on the matter, not an authoritative dissertation. Nevertheless, my attempt here is to largely open the topic to common knowledge. There are many obstacles to the Gospel in an individual's life these days, for some souls they are at least momentarily insurmountable, which means we can do everything right and still not quite get them to experience the love of God in a personal way. Nevertheless, our efforts, to maximize our potential must include at least 5 modes:

  1. Humanity: Our task of evangelization is dialogical not controlling. This means whatever the state a soul is in no progress is possible without beginning where they actually are, not where they think they are, not where we think they are. Tertullian has said "The flesh is the Hinge of salvation" and the goal of our love for God is to become a "Human being fully alive" as Irenaeus called "the Glory of God".
  2. Peace and Love: Our purpose is to grow each and every soul in the love of God, which always begins with receiving it, for them and us. God is the Spouse of our Nature, and so the Christian life is not possible without a growth in the love of God. This love cannot be attained nor properly lived without a peace on Christ gives (John 14:27). Another famous quote of Augustine suggest we will never have peace without God.[3]
  3. Beauty: Incorporating not only what is true and good which largely are felt in the mind, our efforts must reveal the beauty of God's plan and Nature which speaks to the heart and inspires that necessary love. This means we must make great us of what the Church has always offered, exposing those we seek to draw to Christ must see the Incarnational beauty and splendor of the Church to desire it.
  4. Intelligent engagement: Although the heart can all but change the mind on most matters, if we do not engage those we serve in a way that is conformed to all truth and incorporating of much of it from many angles, then the suspicion that faith is contra-intellectual may grow into a full-fledged belief. Of course, there are the greatest of philosophers and scientists who were people of faith, but this is not sufficient witness for the souls we serve. It must be us who dedicate some of our free time, studying the best sources of reasoned engagements of faith, understanding not just the conclusions but the premises as well.
  5. Use of the Media: Technologically, "showing" people the truth has never been easier. Tragically, if we do not employ the media as a means, it will only be used to spread error and it is efficient at such as well.[4]
In conclusion, this task of effective evangelization now requires some more intense and intentional effort, incorporating new vigor and expression to presenting the One Faith. The only thing that is capable of impeding love is hurt, disinterest, and an unconvinced mind. The task of the Christian as natural born missionaries.[5] "The conditions of the society in which we live oblige all of us therefore to revise methods, to seek by every means to study how we can bring the Christian message to modern man. For it is only in the Christian message that modern man can find the answer to his questions and the energy for his commitment of human solidarity."[7] Evangelization is, finally, an education in love. There is no love anything like God in magnitude or expression. The corrupted and hurt heart, each of us have, knows little love and is made for it. Only God can give what the deprived soul needs, and no logically flowing conclusion, true premises, and well-constructed and utilized term can speak against Truth Himself and win in actuality.

Written by Carter Carruthers & also available soon at Missio Dei

FN:

  1. St. Augustine has a famous quote: “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”
  2. https://giveninstitute.com/st-teresa-of-avila/
  3. "Lord, you have made us for yourself. Our heart is restless until it rests in You. "
  4. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/pccs/documents/rc_pc_pccs_doc_20020228_church-internet_en.html#:~:text=Pope%20John%20Paul%20II%20has,%27%20created%20by%20modern%20communications%E2%80%9D.
  5. Catechism of the Cathlic Church, 1213.
  6. https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20100628_vespri-pietro-paolo.html
  7. Paul VI, Address to the College of Cardinals (22 June 1973): AAS 65 (1973), p. 383. cited in Evangelli Nuntiandi: https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19751208_evangelii-nuntiandi.html

I am a created entity, not a person.

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