Evangelization as opposed to proselytizing?

  • Thread starter Thread starter chataranga
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

chataranga

Guest
I came across a “sticky” at one of the forums that read basically no proselytizing or your account will be closed. I’m at a loss to understand the difference between evangelization and proselytizing. Is it a matter of degree? Is there a defined line that lets one know this is one and that is the other? Thank you for any light you may shed. Blessings and stay safe.
 
Evangelization is the process/mission/ministry of bringing the Gospel to those who do not know Christ. In the case of what the Catholic Church calls the “new evangelization” it is the ministry of bringing the Gospel to those who have fallen away from the Faith.

Although in a broad sense, proselytizing also means sharing the Good News with those who don’t know the Gospel, in the context that it is banned on this forum it means an attempt to convert a Catholic to another Christian denomination, arguing that Catholic doctrines are false, etc.
 
chataranga said:
I came across a “sticky” at one of the forums that read basically no proselytizing or your account will be closed. I’m at a loss to understand the difference between evangelization and proselytizing. Is it a matter of degree? Is there a defined line that lets one know this is one and that is the other? Thank you for any light you may shed. Blessings and stay safe.
Click to expand...
What I also learned is that we are not allowed to make up our own teachings of the Catholic Church. Very good, thanks be to God.
Zelie Louis,
Moderator, wrote:
Please refrain from further stating your interpretation of Catholic teaching. Doing so at this point will be considered pushing an agenda, which is not permitted on CAF.

Does she know the teachings of the Catholic Church so well in order to distinguish what is false and what is right without giving me her sources (church documents)?
 
1ke said:
Evangelization is the process/mission/ministry of bringing the Gospel to those who do not know Christ. In the case of what the Catholic Church calls the “new evangelization” it is the ministry of bringing the Gospel to those who have fallen away from the Faith.

Although in a broad sense, proselytizing also means sharing the Good News with those who don’t know the Gospel, in the context that it is banned on this forum it means an attempt to convert a Catholic to another Christian denomination, arguing that Catholic doctrines are false, etc.
Click to expand...
What I also learned is that we are not allowed to make up our own teachings of the Catholic Church. Very good, thanks be to God.
Zelie Louis,
Moderator, wrote:
Please refrain from further stating your interpretation of Catholic teaching. Doing so at this point will be considered pushing an agenda, which is not permitted on CAF.

Does she know the teachings of the Catholic Church so well in order to distinguish what is false and what is right without giving me her sources (church documents)?
 
I can understand why we have the policy for not letting people come in here and try to convince people to leave the Catholic Church, but at the same time, part of me thinks it would be a good idea to allow people to try to do it if they want. They’d get soundly refuted pretty quickly, and would in all likelihood run into some strong arguments in favor of Catholicism in the process. In short, it would be a good evangelism opportunity on our part, kind of like when door-to-door evangelists ring the bell at the Catholic men’s house that I live in…
 
So it seems to me that evangelization is getting another to believe my faith while proselytizing is another trying to get me to believe their faith? While my question came up because of something I read here on caf, I didn’t quite understand (and maybe still don’t) the difference between the two in any setting. Seems to me there is no difference at all except in who is trying to convince who (whom?).
 
1ke said:
Evangelization is the process/mission/ministry of bringing the Gospel to those who do not know Christ. In the case of what the Catholic Church calls the “new evangelization” it is the ministry of bringing the Gospel to those who have fallen away from the Faith.
Click to expand...
Could the effort to share the teachings of the Catholic Church with non-Catholic Christians also be considered evangelization because you are bringing them the FULL Gospel? This is my view, but I got slammed on it from some who thought that evanelization was only for non-Christians.
 
novusCatholic said:
Could the effort to share the teachings of the Catholic Church with non-Catholic Christians also be considered evangelization because you are bringing them the FULL Gospel? This is my view, but I got slammed on it from some who thought that evanelization was only for non-Christians.
Click to expand...
I think the Church’s documents on ecumenism are the best guide on that.
 
I always think of evangelizing as proposing and proselytizing as imposing.
 
Joe_5859 said:
I always think of evangelizing as proposing and proselytizing as imposing.
Click to expand...
This might be a tangent in a number of perceptions, but it fits well with the above quote. A recent homily from Pope Benedict XVI says, “Christianity, in highlighting those values which sustain ethics, does not impose, but rather purposes Christ’s invitation to know the truth which sets us free.”

And in the same homily, prior to the above quote, he said, “there are those who wrongly interpret this search for the truth, leading them to irrationality and fanaticism; they close themselves up in ‘their truth’, and try to impose it on others…Anyone who acts irrationally cannot become a disciple of Jesus.” (March 28, 2012)

As regards to the right reason, the web page of this site in which to ‘sign in’ states, we search for truth in charity. It’s a weighty demand to me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top