What is an Evangelical Catholic?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MonteCristo
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

MonteCristo

Guest
I came across this term a few days ago, and noticed that there is an “Evangelization” forum on here, too (I just joined this evening; can’t believe I’m just now discovering this website exists!!!) I tried googling but couldn’t really find an answer. What is it and how is it different from just saying “Catholic”?

Many thanks!
 
Evangelization means spreading the Gospel, as our Lord commanded:
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Click to expand...
 
MonteCristo said:
I came across this term a few days ago, and noticed that there is an “Evangelization” forum on here, too (I just joined this evening; can’t believe I’m just now discovering this website exists!!!) I tried googling but couldn’t really find an answer. What is it and how is it different from just saying “Catholic”?

Many thanks!
Click to expand...
It depends upon how the terms are being used and, frankly, where they are being used.

There is an author in the United States who speaks of evangelical Catholicism as a way of being Catholic or living one’s Catholicism and he is articulating a thought various other Americans, notably converts to Roman Catholicism, have advanced in the recent past. I don’t know if that is perhaps what you are referencing.

In Europe, it is mainly an expression of those who are in not in communion with Rome but see their living of their Christian faith as being in continuity with a Catholic heritage and thought. It is analogous to those Anglicans who refer to themselves as Anglo Catholic. In this case, an Evangelical Catholic would belong to the Reform Tradition. I cannot say how widespread this usage might be among American Lutherans, for example.

I leave you with what the other poster wrote relative to evangelisation…although the “new evangelisation” is something of its own programme. If you are interested in that, you might wish to consult:

w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_letters/documents/hf_ben-xvi_apl_20100921_ubicumque-et-semper.html

usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/ (This latter especially if you’re American)
 
I guess you could see it in 3 ways.

-Catholics being very open about their faith and spreading it to other people. Evangelizing catholics.

-Charismatic Catholics, catholics that resemble Evangelicals/Pentecostals in how they practice their faith, but are in communion with Rome.

-Christians that aren’t a part of the Catholic Church but see themselves as part of it’s tradition, kind of like Anglo-Catholics.

When I hear it I most often think about Charismatic Catholics, after that I think of the New Evangelization and Catholics actively spreading their faith.

It’s best to just ask, so you have a better understanding of how they use this term.
 
I am guessing that Father is referring to George Weigel and his book Evangelical Catholicism. I didn’t know the term had a different meaning outside of the U.S. I can’t speak to those perspectives.

The way Weigel and others use the term, they are basically using it to describe Catholics who take their faith seriously and take seriously the Gospel mandate to evangelize. Such Catholics seem “Protestant” (specifically evangelical) to outside observers, but they are really living out their Catholicism the way it ought to be lived out (i.e. they are not just relegating their faith to Sunday morning).
 
What is an Evangelical Catholic?

It’s what the twelve Apostles and St. Paul were 🙂
 
Joe_5859 said:
I am guessing that Father is referring to George Weigel and his book Evangelical Catholicism. I didn’t know the term had a different meaning outside of the U.S. I can’t speak to those perspectives.

The way Weigel and others use the term, they are basically using it to describe Catholics who take their faith seriously and take seriously the Gospel mandate to evangelize. Such Catholics seem “Protestant” (specifically evangelical) to outside observers, but they are really living out their Catholicism the way it ought to be lived out (i.e. they are not just relegating their faith to Sunday morning).
Click to expand...
Hey, thanks for the reply!

I was wondering if you could possibly elaborate on what I bolded? I’m a young Catholic coming from a “non-practicing Catholic” family and am looking for ways to expand on living out my life as a Catholic. Do you know of any other methods that Evangelical Catholics do that I could possibly try? Thanks!

Thanks do everyone else who replied!
 
40.png
MonteCristo:
Hey, thanks for the reply!

I was wondering if you could possibly elaborate on what I bolded? I’m a young Catholic coming from a “non-practicing Catholic” family and am looking for ways to expand on living out my life as a Catholic. Do you know of any other methods that Evangelical Catholics do that I could possibly try? Thanks!

Thanks do everyone else who replied!

The way this looks is going to vary a lot. I think the short answer is that we pray often.

Too often, we can relegate God to one hour a week and then live the rest of our lives no different from everyone else who seeks to maximize pleasure and minimize pain without much thought for other people.

To really live our faith means we talk to God regularly through prayer. We seek to do His will and ask for His (name removed by moderator)ut when making major life choices (and even minor ones). We also seek to serve and love other people.

Of course, the sacramental life of the Church helps a lot, too. The more frequently we can receive the Eucharist and Reconciliation, the easier it is to really let the faith permeate our life.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top