Is Apologetics necessary in the modern Church?

[Ignatius]

I would suggest that exposure to Catholicism is always a good thing and no matter what anyone says, we know that the fullness of truth resides in the Catholic faith so that means that all those seeking Christ, who said “I am the truth” will be drawn by the Holy Spirit to it.

I believe that it is up to each of us to find ways to share our most holy faith with others. This is a task that we Catholics have sometimes not done well in the past; sort of assuming that that was the sole forte of the priests. However, that flies in the face of both the New Testament and the life of the early church.

It goes without saying that our apologetics/catechesis/evangelism must be backed up with lives that display our life in Christ for all to see. Without an authentic Christian life we become just more societal noise…which also is a grave danger to souls.

Absolutely!

 

[Goya]

What is the goal of apologetics in the modern Catholic Church?

By now, many of us all familiar with two statements by Pope Francis:

One, according to major evangelical leaders, the Pope is “not interested in converting Evangelicals to Catholicism.” Pope Francis “Doesn’t Want to Convert Evangelicals”? (From Fr. Longenecker’s Patheos blog).

Two, there was his statement to his now deceased friend Tony Palmer, a Charismatic Anglican bishop:

**"At one point, when [Anglican Bishop Tony] Palmer was tired of living on the frontier and wanted to become Catholic, Bergoglio advised him against conversion for the sake of the mission.

“We need to have bridge-builders”, the cardinal told him."***

Pope’s Protestant friend dies, but push for unity lives (Boston Globe).

We see interfaith prayer services involving Popes, Cardinals, bishops, clergy, and laity. Never have I once heard an Ordinary Form priest state the necessity to seek the conversion of lost souls to the Catholic Church. Heck, I’ve never really heard a Byzantine priest say it either.

So, what is the point of Apologetics in today’s Catholic Church? Do organizations like Catholic Answers (among others) even have a purpose? I genuinely am curious.

With all due respect, I think you’re confusing ‘apologetics’, with ’proselytizing’.

The former is defense of the Faith by explanation (and there’s never been anything remotely resembling a shortage of either attacks, misunderstanding or misinformation; or attacks based on misunderstanding and misinformation (actually, the most common).

Proselytizing is the seeking to convert–really, preaching with the express intent of converting (and just as a brief contrast for reference, ‘evangelizing’ is essentially the same, except with an emphasis on promotion for its own sake, rather than with a specific result in mind). In my own humble and crude way of explaining the difference, I’d say proselytizing is like direct selling, while evangelizing is like marketing.

jmho/fwiw.

 

[Genesis315]

Proselytizing is the seeking to convert–really, preaching with the express intent of converting (and just as a brief contrast for reference, ‘evangelizing’ is essentially the same, except with an emphasis on promotion for its own sake, rather than with a specific result in mind). In my own humble and crude way of explaining the difference, I’d say proselytizing is like direct selling, while evangelizing is like marketing.

jmho/fwiw.

I think you’re mistaken a bit. We should certainly seek to convert. As the Church has come to use the term, proselytism is using unjust coercion, dishonesty, or other means incompatible with the Gospel to seek conversions.

Back in 2007, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a note on this very topic.

It lists the idea that we are “to invite people to act according to their consciences, without aiming at their conversion to Christ and to the Catholic faith” as a part of “a growing confusion which leads many to leave the missionary command of the Lord unheard and ineffective.” (par. 3).

It defines proselytism in footnote 49.

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20071203_nota-evangelizzazione_en.html#_ftnref49

 

[rfournier103]

ABSOLUTELY.

There is NO substitute for TRUTH. Period.

While we must band together with other believers against the evils of our modern society, we must never forget our duties to CHRIST. Our Church either holds the FULLNESS OF FAITH or it doesn’t. Cut and dried. Black or white.

It is the DUTY OF ALL OF US to proclaim the TRUTH. The ENTIRE TRUTH. To do anything less is to faill Our Savior. We all fall short of what Christ asks of us, but we must do our best.

The modern Church needs apologetics now more than ever.

 

[Goya]

ABSOLUTELY.

There is NO substitute for TRUTH. Period.

While we must band together with other believers against the evils of our modern society, we must never forget our duties to CHRIST. Our Church either holds the FULLNESS OF FAITH or it doesn’t. Cut and dried. Black or white.

It is the DUTY OF ALL OF US to proclaim the TRUTH. The ENTIRE TRUTH. To do anything less is to faill Our Savior. We all fall short of what Christ asks of us, but we must do our best.

The modern Church needs apologetics now more than ever.

&

I think you’re mistaken a bit. We should certainly seek to convert. As the Church has come to use the term, proselytism is using unjust coercion, dishonesty, or other means incompatible with the Gospel to seek conversions.

Back in 2007, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a note on this very topic.

It lists the idea that we are “to invite people to act according to their consciences, without aiming at their conversion to Christ and to the Catholic faith” as a part of “a growing confusion which leads many to leave the missionary command of the Lord unheard and ineffective.” (par. 3).

It defines proselytism in footnote 49.

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20071203_nota-evangelizzazione_en.html#_ftnref49

But note that bringing people to Truth, entails accounting for individual tastes, propensities, inclinations, and such.

Hence, if bringing one to Truth entails hitting them in the nose with the Truth, as with a cudgel…proselytizing, with the express intention to convert them… the net result is often–much more often than not–alienation of the subject/target.

…and you may rest smugly cock sure in your firm belief that you are the champion of Truth…

…But in all Truth, what you’ve done, is further alienate a soul, and thereby participated in its loss.

This is the wisdom behind the Vat. II ecumenism.

No we’re not called to compromise Truth; but we are indeed called upon to employ tact, and charity, that we may bring more lost souls to Truth and therefore to Christ, than we would push further from same.

…and that subtle difference in presentation, is the difference between evangelism and proselytism–between marketing, and presenting inviting waters…and badgering, and pushing folks into the water.

jmho/fwiw.

 

[R_H_Benson]

This is the wisdom behind the Vat. II ecumenism.

No we’re not called to compromise Truth; but we are indeed called upon to employ tact, and charity, that we may bring more lost souls to Truth and therefore to Christ, than we would push further from same.

…and that subtle difference in presentation, is the difference between evangelism and proselytism–between marketing, and presenting inviting waters…and badgering, and pushing folks into the water.

jmho/fwiw.

Where are the fruits? Perhaps this approach works well in theory, but in practice, there has been a mass exodus from the Church because of indifference.

Of course we need to employ tact and charity, but we also need people to understand that their eternal salvation is at stake and we can never shy away or water down the teachings of the Church to do so.

 

[Genesis315]

Where are the fruits? Perhaps this approach works well in theory, but in practice, there has been a mass exodus from the Church because of indifference.

Of course we need to employ tact and charity, but we also need people to understand that their eternal salvation is at stake and we can never shy away or water down the teachings of the Church to do so.

I think the theory does work in practice, but something else entirely is often practiced instead, violating what the Church teaches in her documents on ecumenism. As you note, the Church teaches we have to avoid indifferentism or watering down or hiding Catholic doctrine. These things indeed lead to a loss of faith and unity.

Of course, as regular old lay people, there’s not a whole lot we can do other than pray and be a good example with regards to ecumenism, which is defined as seeking unity on the corporate level. The Church distinguishes ecumenism from the task of reconciling individual separated Christians, but teaches both are good, necessary, and complementary. It’s helping with the conversions of individuals where we can work in the most tangible way, IMO.