{"id":2696,"date":"2013-12-13T10:58:41","date_gmt":"2013-12-13T15:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.nd.edu\/thecc\/?p=2696"},"modified":"2014-03-08T12:03:18","modified_gmt":"2014-03-08T17:03:18","slug":"the-social-dimension-of-evangelization-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/2013\/12\/13\/the-social-dimension-of-evangelization-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"The Social Dimension of Evangelization (Part 3-Conclusion)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Previous posts in this series can be found here<\/a>\u00a0(part 1) and here<\/a>\u00a0(part 2).<\/p>\n

Pope Francis and <\/b>Evangelii Gaudium<\/i><\/b> <\/b><\/p>\n

If the \u201cnew evangelization\u201d has become the definitive terminology and vision of the Catholic Church’s mission today, how is the papacy of Pope Francis shaping this ongoing conversation about the relationship between evangelization and works of charity and social justice? Evangelii Gaudium<\/i><\/a> offers a clue. The fourth chapter is given over to a reflection on the social dimension of evangelization. Interestingly, Pope Francis quickly connects the terms \u201cevangelization\u201d and \u201cliberation\u201d in this discussion:<\/p>\n

\"pope_francis\"<\/p>\n

“Evangelization is meant to cooperate with this liberating work of the Spirit.\u00a0<\/i>The very mystery of the Trinity reminds us that we have been created in the image of that divine communion, and so we cannot achieve fulfilment or salvation purely by our own efforts. From the heart of the Gospel we see the profound connection between evangelization and human advancement, which must necessarily find expression and develop in every work of evangelization” (178; emphasis mine).<\/p>\n

The relationship between evangelization and charity is a theme dear to Pope Francis. Pope Francis suggests a fundamental link between the preaching of the Gospel and the promotion of human life in all of its expressions: “The kerygma has a clear social content: at the very heart of the Gospel is life in community and engagement with others. The content of the first proclamation has an immediate moral implication centred on charity.\u201d (177).<\/p>\n

Moreover, he points to work for social justice as a key test of a \u201cfaith which is authentic,\u201d since genuine faith \u201calways implies a profound desire to change the world\u201d (183). Interestingly, on this point he again does not steer away from connecting evangelization and liberation as concepts: \u201cEach individual Christian and every community is called to be an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully a part of society\u201d (187).<\/p>\n

As the Vatican summary notes, two key themes emerge in this section of Evangelii Gaudium<\/i>: the \u201csocial inclusion of the poor\u201d and \u201cpeace and social dialogue.\u201d Importantly, like his two predecessors, Francis recognizes that articulating the correct relationship between evangelization and work for social justice is essential: \u201cIf this dimension is not explained in the correct way, we run the risk of disfiguring the authentic and full meaning of the mission of evangelization\u201d (176). Moreover, the promotion of every human being must be holistic and work intensely to avoid the relegation of religion from social and public life exclusively to the private sphere. Noteworthy is the fact that the Pope suggests that it is precisely the NE which impels the Church to concern for the \u201csocial inclusion of the poor\u201d and every Christian\u2019s responsibility to undertake \u201csimple and daily gestures of solidarity in the face of the many concrete situations of need\u201d which are constantly before our eyes (188). Yet he underscores the Church\u2019s more fundamental mission, in addition to acts of charity, \u201cto contribute to the resolution of the instrumental causes<\/i> of poverty and to promote the integral development of the poor\u201d (198; emphasis mine),\u00a0a key idea in more recent Catholic Social Teaching and certainly in liberation theology.<\/p>\n

As the Vatican summary of the exhortation<\/a> suggests, \u201cWhat emerges from these closely written pages is an invitation to recognize the \u201csalvific force\u201d which the poor possess and which must be brought to the center of the life of the Church with the New Evangelization.”[1] <\/sup><\/a>They go on: \u201cThis implies that first of all, before any concrete experience, there be a rediscovery of the attention due to this theme together with its urgency and the need to promote its awareness. Moreover, the fundamental option for the poor which asks to be put into practice is, in the mind of Pope Francis, primarily a \u2018religious and spiritual attention\u2019 which must take priority over all else,\u201d referring here to section 200. What seems most striking is the tremendous forthrightness with which Francis challenges the whole Church to consider a theme central to the thought of Gustavo Guti\u00e9rrez and liberation theology broadly: the fundamental option for the poor. Pointing the onus first to himself, the Pope envisions himself as \u201cShepherd of a Church without borders,\u201d a Church that turns its eyes directly to the tremendous suffering of the poor and marginalized (210).<\/p>\n

Such a vision of the papacy takes on new force in light of the speech the Pope gave last June to gathered pontifical representatives and apostolic nuncios<\/a>, where he underscored that those in ecclesial leadership must model not only \u201cinner poverty\u201d and prayerfulness, but simple living and genuine solidarity with the least: \u201cBe careful that the candidates [to these positions] are pastors close to the people, fathers and brothers; that they are gentle, patient, and merciful; animated by an inner poverty, the freedom of the Lord, and also by outward simplicity and austerity of life; that they do not have the psychology of \u2018princes.\u2019\u201d It is also noteworthy that Pope Francis notes Christians\u2019 partial responsibility for current social injustices such\u00a0as migration, “human trafficking, the narcotics trade, the abuse and exploitation of minors, the abandonment of the elderly and infirm, and… corruption and criminal activity,” so that responding to these ills is among the central tasks of evangelization. Powerfully, he writes:\u00a0\u201cWhere is the person that you are killing every day in his secret little factory, in networks of prostitution, in children used for professional begging, in those who must work in secret because they are irregular? Let us not pretend. All of us have some share of responsibility in these situations\u201d (211). Moreover, he defends the life and dignity of every human person from conception (213).\u00a0And peacebuilding is an issue intimately related to evangelization, the Pope suggests, stressing the need for dialogue between Christian denominations, scientists, other religions and the non-religious if lasting peace is to be achieved.<\/p>\n

In Patrick Deneen\u2019s thoughts on the exhortation<\/a>, he perceptively notes that while some find the document insufficient in its condemnation of abortion, \u201cif one reads [the Pope’s] criticisms of the depredations of capitalism with care [in EG<\/i> 53], one notices that he uses the same phrases with which he criticized abortion\u2014namely, that abortion is but one manifestation of ‘a throw-away culture<\/a>.’\u201d Likewise, \u201cif one attends carefully to Francis\u2019s criticisms of the economy\u2019s effects on the weak and helpless, one can\u2019t help but perceive there also that he is speaking of the unborn as much as those who are \u201closers\u201d in an economy that favors the strong. \u00a0Like John Paul and Benedict before him, Francis discerns the continuity between a \u201cthrow-away\u201d economy and a \u201cthrow-away\u201d view of human life.\u201d<\/p>\n

These are simply preliminary thoughts on what will surely be a topic of ongoing discussion in the upcoming months, as Pope Francis and the whole Church wrestle with the question of how the New Evangelization connects to the realities of human suffering and the persistence of social injustice, violence, war and poverty in the twenty-first century. Time will tell how the papacy Pope Francis will continue to shape and affect this vital conversation.[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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[1]<\/a> See http:\/\/www.news.va\/en\/news\/presentations-from-press-conference-on-new-papal-d<\/a>. Accessed December 1, 2013.<\/div>\n
[2]<\/a> In his final conclave speech before appointment as Pope, Cardinal Bergolio\u2019s urged fellow cardinals to select a Pope who could reach out to those who face social and economic injustice and thus help the Church to \u201cbe the fruitful mother, who gains life from the sweet, comforting joy of evangelizing.\u201d It could be the argued, then, that \u201cevangelization,\u201d rather than \u201cnew evangelization\u201d will again become the more important buzzword in the Church, allowing Francis to set a new tone and trajectory in his policy-setting, one with a distinctly communal, even liberationist outlook and a justice-oriented vision of discipleship.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Previous posts in this series can be found here\u00a0(part 1) and here\u00a0(part 2). Pope Francis and Evangelii Gaudium If the \u201cnew evangelization\u201d has become the definitive terminology and vision of the Catholic Church’s mission today, how is the papacy of … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":858,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[58758,17909,53084],"class_list":["post-2696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-evangelii-gaudium","tag-evangelization","tag-pope-francis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/858"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2696"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2696\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2742,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2696\/revisions\/2742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/thecc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}