What Is "The New Evangelization"?

[Fidelis]

I was reading this article by Christopher West about how Pope John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” fits into the “New Evangelization” and I ran across this statement:

**What is the New Evangelization? **

John Paul first used the expression “the new evangelization” in a trip to Latin America in 1983. Ever since he has “unstintingly recalled the pressing need for a new evangelization” (Faith and Reason, n. 103). This urgency stems not only from the fact that entire nations still haven’t received the Gospel, but also because “entire groups of the baptized have lost a living sense of the faith, or even no longer consider themselves members of the Church, and live a life far removed from Christ and His Gospel” (Mission of the Redeemer, n. 86).

Therefore, one thing “new” about this evangelization is that it’s directed in large part towards “baptized non-believers.” Men and women in large numbers are “culturally Christian,” but haven’t experienced a conversion of heart to Christ and His teachings. The call to interior conversion, in fact, was one of the main themes of Vatican II. As the Council understood well, this can only happen through an authentic, compelling, evangelical witness to salvation through Jesus Christ.

As John Paul clarified in his Apostolic Letter At the Beginning of the New Millennium, the new evangelization isn’t “a matter of inventing a ‘new program.’ The program already exists: it is the plan found in the Gospel and in the living Tradition, it is the same as ever” (n. 29). What’s essential in order to bring the Gospel to the modern world is a proclamation that’s “new in ardor, methods, and expression” (March 9, 1983).

Speaking to the American Bishops in 1998, the Pope observed that “the new evangelization [involves] a vital effort to come to a deeper understanding of the mysteries of faith and to find meaningful language with which to convince our contemporaries that they are called to newness of life through God’s love.” It’s the task of sharing with your neighbors, friends and coworkers, “the ‘unsearchable riches of Christ’ and of making known ‘the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things’ (Eph 3:8-9).”
catholiceducation.org/articles/sexuality/se0100.html

Now, I really do not want to start a discussion about the Theology of The Body, but simply discuss the above description of what evangelization is and should aim to do.

West goes on to conclude that what the Holy Father intended to mean by this is that we should be evangelizing people by sharing the Good News with them as it applies to their lives --not by arguments or proofs, as in traditional apologetics, but by connecting the Gospel to those things that are important to them right here and right now (West, for example, suggests talking about sex, in the context of “The Theology of The Body”).

My question is twofold:

1. What are some areas that people nowadays (primarily the “baptized non-believer”) seem to crave answers to in their lives?
2. How can we, as the Catholic Church, provide those practical answers for them in a way that is attractive and worthy of investing their life (both temporal and eternal) while not compromising on the truths of the Gospel?

 

[Genesis315]

The biggest problem is a divorce between truth about the natural world, and truth about God. The first seen as objective and knowable, the latter is not. Thus, people will hold to whatever morality and truths about God they personally find reasonable, rather than receiving this knowledge in faith.

This has manifested itself in a lot of rationalization of the sins most people are tempted to, and which can be done completely in private–sexual sins.

I think West sees the ToB as a way to show that these sins are not rational, given certain still-accepted truths we know about God.

Personally, I think in some (even many) cases that is putting the cart before the horse. People need to first understand that there is an objective truth about God and what He commands that may seem unreasonable to us, but which we receive with faith (think of the unreasonable things God said to Abraham and Mary and how they responded, compared with how Adam and Eve responded–the former accepted it in faith, the latter found it unreasonable and chose to disobey).

The best way is frank dialogue. Find and understand out why people believe what they do (seeking understanding is key to a loving dialogue), find out what common ground you have to use as a foundation, and build from there, showing how one truth follows from the previous (this is what is meant by the hierarchy of truth).

 

[Fidelis]

I agree with everything you have said – people need to be convinced of the truths of the Faith by first finding out what they believe, removing potential obstacles, and *then *showing them the truth and beauty of the Faith as it really is. That is classic apologetics and catechetics.

However, I think what JPII, West and other recent writers (like Avery Cardinal Dulles in his “History of Apologetics” and Fr. McCloskey in his recent book on evangelization) are talking about is the prelude to all that – the process or means to attract those “baptized non-believers” in the first place by touching them where they live. Kind of like them discovering honey coming from a rock: “Where does this come from!” they might say, “I need to find out more!”

For example, one thing I’ve noticed when browsing the religion section at bookstores: by and large, you see women there. And by and large they are either looking at religious fiction, or religious themed “self help” books (Joel Osteen, et al). What does this mean?

When you see the rare man in these same bookstore aisles, usually they are looking at controversial stuff (DaVinci Code, the “Real” Jesus, etc, etc). What does *that *mean?

These people don’t seem to be looking – directly – for meaty, reasoned information. But what are these folks looking for, and how can we help them find it?

 

[Genesis315]

Honestly, I think personal relationships and witness is the best way to attract souls to the truth. People have to know you really care for them and you really have compassion–this takes a lot of time and patience and real love for the other person. I think John Paul II exemplified this approach which is why he often seemed soft in dealing with problems of this nature. This was also the approach of the Second Vatican Council. Likewise, St. Pius X suggested the same approach in his encyclical E Supremi (to restore all things in Christ) which was essentially to the same purpose as the new evagelization. As he concluded:

“Who will prevent us from hoping that the flame of Christian charity may dispel the darkness from their minds and bring to them light and the peace of God? It may be that the fruit of our labors may be slow in coming, but charity wearies not with waiting, knowing that God prepares His rewards not for the results of toil but for the good will shown in it.”

 

[quiet52]

1. How can we, as the Catholic Church, provide those practical answers for them in a way that is attractive and worthy of investing their life (both temporal and eternal) while not compromising on the truths of the Gospel?

Catholic Internet sites have been a huge gift to the uncatechized. But they’re not enough.

I think that at the diocesan level, the Church needs to use the secular media to advertise faith-formation in their parishes (parish Mass times, RCIA, bible study, teen and youth groups, Christian movie nights, Good Friday liturgies, Easter services, special rosaries, Walk for Life, etc.).

 

[dcdurel]

Evangelization can be roughly divided two ways.
a. Evangelization by example.
b. Evagelization by using words.

Both are necessary.
a. Evangelization by example is accomplished when we grow in holiness.

b.  Evagelization by using words is much harder today.
          Reasons. 
      1. We don't exactly know how to do it.
      2. We don't know how to explain the gospel.
      3. We don't know the central point  of the gospel.

 c.   The reasons for the above (b) is that NOBODY is teaching these things, except the Popes.

Pope Paul VI wrote an encyclical “Evangelization in the modern world”.
There is NOBODY who explains this encyclical. I have searched the internet, book stores, etc. And no one, except the Popes explain it. That is, Pope John Paul II gave some explanation and summary of the encyclical. And He authorized the General Directory for Catechesis which explains more. Since I am not a theologian it is not easy for me to understand these encyclicals. But, from what I do understand, it is obvious that the Catholic leadership in this country is also totally lost as to what the Popes are teaching.

Thus I have had to study what the Popes have been teaching on my own without any help from Catholic scholars, etc.

 So far I have learned the following.

Evangelization is handing down the Gospel from one generation to the next.
There are two basic parts using words.

1. Give the initial proclamation of who Jesus is, and why He came.
2. If the person is interested, then catechize, that is, teach the whole Catholic faith. (that is what the apostles did)

The first part can be summarized greatly by saying:
The central point of the Gospel is that out of love for us God sent His Son Jesus for our salvation, which the Pope defines as : liberation from everything that oppresses man but which is above all liberation from sin and the Evil One, in the joy of knowing God and being known by Him, of seeing Him, and of being given over to Him.

We receive this liberation from the sacraments and from prayer. Jesus merited the grace that frees us by His suffering and death, and we receive this grace that liberates us from the slavery of sin through the sacraments, prayer and through the direction on how to live free from the slavery of sin, through the moral teachings of the Church, outlined in the commandments,
This freedom from the slavery of sin allows us to be in union with God here and in the next life.

If a person is interested in being free from the slavery of sin and live in union with Jesus and with all men, then the next step in evangelization is to teach the whole Catholic faith, that is to catechize, so that the person knows the truth and how to live his life as a Christian.

In other words, the two parts of teaching the Gospel are the initial proclamation and catechesis.

I know this sounds confusing, because most people think the Gospel is only what is written in the bible. But the Church considers the Gospel to be everything the apostles taught, which as anyone knows who studied the belief of the early Christians, is the whole Catholic faith.

Many Catholics think evangelization is simply spreading the Catholic faith. But the Popes make it clear that first the initial proclamation must be proclaimed, and this teaches who Jesus is, why He came (for our salvation) and what exactly salvation is and how it connects to everything in the Catholic faith.
Only then can we catechize and teach the faith.

Again, these are only the very basics. But, if we don’t know these, then we are we will be extremely hampered in evangelization.

 

[Fidelis]

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut everyone.

God works in mysterious ways. Between the time of my original post and today, I have just joined an exploratory group at our parish to create an Evangelization committee. We are in the very nascent stages, so every little bit helps. Any other practical suggestions are most welcome! :tiphat:

 

[ARRBASQUE]

I agree with what all of you are saying. We here at my parish in Boise, Idaho, experienced the same things both individually and as a parish. Then we discovered 'Evangelization Retreats". That was back in 1994. I cannot tell what a wonderful conversion, bringing one closer to our Lord, experience this has been for me personally and for oh, so many others. We used to have 2 a year but now there is a demand for us to travel to other parishes - some far away and some near to put on an Evangelization Retreat. At home it takes around 100 of us to do a retreat. When we travel - about 22 of us go and in April we 22 will be traveling to Ravenah, New York to bring them this retreat.

One of the problems we experience even in our own Parish, is that word, “evangelization”. Sounds so Protestant people say, but as time goes more and more come to realize it is about how you live your life - taking our Lord to others in something as simple as holding a door open for someone at a store. Hey, you have to start somewhere and usually that means very slowly, with yourself and then see Jesus in others and then reaching out. Myself, I wouldn’t mind ringing doorbells and standing on streetcars but that is me. Others are still so timid and afraid and they must be approached with love and an open heart and see how I live my life - then evangelization looks more inviting and welcoming.

OK, sorry - enough said. Let us all find ways to bring Christ to others and to bring others to Christ.