What happened to the New Evangelization? It was all the rage for a while. The term “new evangelization” has been cropping up in papal exhortations and Church documents since 1975. However, almost 60 years after Lumen Gentium, the Catholic Church is still struggling through an identity crisis, trying to process Vatican II even while the First World de-Christianizes. At least one person has openly wondered whether the Church is interested in the gospel; most likely, he’s not the only one. I’m sure we could answer that question if we all knew what the gospel message is supposed to be.
Recently, a regular Catholic Stand reader challenged me to “try dissecting the hundreds of reasons why the pews are bare.” There are actually hundreds of thousands of reasons why people are leaving Christianity to become “nones.” Their motives aren’t all intellectual, emotional, historical, political, or cultural. Their “nonversion” stories are as individual as they are, even though they most likely share points in common. Since doing full justice to the common issues would require more space than I can devote to even a series of essays (the tyranny of word counts), I’ll have to write the book “Ordinary Papist” wants.
In the meantime, I can address the problem of stopping the loss by commenting on the New Evangelization and what that task entails.
The Encounter with Christ
Evangelization comes not simply from grudging duty but from the eagerness to share Christ with others. Pope Benedict XVI wrote, “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction” (Deus Caritas Est 1). Likewise, Pope St. Paul VI stated that “it is unthinkable that a person should accept the Word and give himself to the kingdom without becoming a person who bears witness to it and proclaims it in his turn” (Evangelii Nuntiandi 24).
For many Catholics, however, that moment of transcendental grace hasn’t happened. Instead, “Catholic” and “Christian” function more as generic set identifiers—the latter more generalized than the first—than as expressions of a reality central to their lives. They aren’t eager to share the evangelion because they don’t really know what the “good news” is or why the news is good. It’s not something that possesses them, changing their whole approach to life. Not to say that their Catholic Christianity is meaningless or without influence, but instead that it competes with other meaningful and influential tribal identities for primacy.
And often loses.
Minus this experience of Christ, this transcendental “click” or “a-ha” moment, our religion becomes a mere club, a fraternal NGO with a predilection for arcane rituals and cheesy décor. Sure, it comes with some social benefits and helps some people struggling with addictions, but it’s nothing you’re excited to share with non-members. Without that experience, the partition between necessary and unnecessary doctrines becomes a distinction without a difference. You can attend Mass regularly yet still be a “practical atheist”—in Pope St. John Paul II’s words, “living as if God does not exist” (Evangelium Vitae 21).
The Kerygma Enigma
Evangelization properly starts with the kerygma, “the initial and essential proclamation of the gospel message,” as apologist Hector Molina explains it:
As evangelizers, we must first know the kerygma if we are going to effectively communicate it to others. Unfortunately, for many Catholics the kerygma remains an enigma. They may know certain aspects of it, “God loves you,” “Christ died for your sins,” but they are not able to confidently and systematically share this core message of salvation with others. … [This] is a challenge that must be addressed. It is not enough for pastors to tell their parishioners that they are called to evangelize. They need to teach them how to evangelize. [Emphasis in original]
But I would go further: The New Evangelization has to start with a re-evangelization of the Church, especially in the post-Christian West. This means a return to the basics, to a new emphasis on the original kerygmatic message of the apostles. By no means should we interpret this call to return to our kerygmatic foundation as an excuse to junk the doctrinal superstructure we’ve built upon it over the centuries. However, the superstructure is only as solid as the foundation on which it’s built. We can’t expect people who haven’t been evangelized to be catechized appropriately, let alone evangelize others.
Evangelization and the Real Presence
Evangelization, spreading the gospel message, is the Church’s primary mission in the world. By saying this, I don’t deny the Eucharist’s centrality to the Church’s life. However, people who haven’t been truly evangelized don’t “get” the Eucharist or the doctrine of the Real Presence. For years, many stayed in the Church because of social pressure and loyalties. They now leave because, for them, the Eucharist isn’t a sufficient reason to stay. And those raised without religion don’t seek the Real Presence out unless they know why they ought. Thus, the priority of the kerygmatic message:
But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? (Romans 10:14)
In a sense, the Church tends to presume that we who are born, baptized, and raised Catholic have already been evangelized. Consequently, our faith formation programs try to build the doctrinal house within us without checking to see if the kerygmatic foundation has been firmly laid. And so, we go through First Confession, First Communion, Confirmation, and even our (first) marriage ceremonies as rites of passage, often as not to humor our well-meaning families, although we’re unsure how much, if any of it we really believe. Especially the doctrine of the Real Presence.
Broken Souls in a Broken World
Just what is the gospel message at the center of evangelization?
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11)
We are all sinners. We are broken souls living in a world that’s broken as a consequence of human sin (Romans 3:9-18). As flawed, failing mortals, we are incapable of saving ourselves from ourselves. Christ came into the world not to confirm us in our special okayness or to restructure our systems but rather to lead us back into friendship with God. “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have come to call not the righteous but sinners” (Mark 2:17). His ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection constitute the kerygma.
Evangelization, understood as the proclamation of the gospel message, is as necessary today as it was 2,000 years ago. But it must start within the Church’s walls before it can spread outside them. We can’t afford the presumption that those who are baptized as infants have already been sufficiently evangelized. Indeed, most doctrinal and liturgical quarrels wracking the Church speak to a fundamental disconnection from the kerygma, replacing faith in Christ with faith in political institutions and secular ideologies. We must return to St. Peter at Pentecost, proclaiming Christ’s sacrifice, salvation, and repentance (Acts 2:14-42).
Conclusion: Where Evangelization Begins
One bishop reportedly groused, “The apostles gave one sermon and made 3,000 converts. We give 3,000 sermons and don’t make a single convert.” For every convert we do make, according to the Pew Research Center, seven baptized Christians apostatize. Certainly, a return to the kerygma won’t stop the hemorrhage of believers by itself. However, reconnecting the Church with the kerygma will shed better light on other issues plaguing us and obstructing our mission. Indeed, returning to the kerygma will return us to our mission: evangelization, “making disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20).
One last thought: The gospel message is both universal and personal at the same time. If your first response to Christ is “What can we change?” rather than “How can I change?” you have not been evangelized. People must change before systems and institutions can change. The gospel is hard because it doesn’t allow us to pass the buck. It demands that we accept ownership of our sins before we can surrender them to Christ. If you want to change the world, start with the little piece of it right inside your heart. That’s where evangelization begins.
19 thoughts on “The New Evangelization: Where Do We Begin?”
there was an article spiritual baseball which I can’t find again but he said that just as olden times missionaries had to study the culture of say Kenya as well as the language that in order to evagelize we need to understand what interests people and he would ask people what they thought about the beginning of their life and where they went to at the end.
Paul said I have made myself all things to all men so that I might win some for Christ.
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I must admit that I was delighted to read your article thoroughly in spite of my reflexive revulsion to anything associated with the “new” evangelization; nothing over 50 years is “new,” me included. But at the end, and I think any time I read about the kerygma I’m left with …and? I think what’s missing from attempts to highlight the kerygma as a tool for evangelizing the faithful and the “nones” is the “Why?” or so what? One cannot grasp the kerygma if you do not understand God and his relationship with mankind. By that I mean you must understand the complete enormity of God and the insignificance of man to understand the profoundness of the kerygma. I think two things stand in the way of the modern man, Catholic or otherwise, from truly understanding this. First is our pride; believing we do not need God in our lives and thus his saving grace is unnecessary. Second, many of those who believe that His grace is necessary for salvation have signed on with Balthazar that salvation is almost always assured except for the most egregious sinners. So why believe in God if I’m saved anyway, so long as I’m not Hitler. So preach the kerygma, but unless people understand the consequence of not listening, they won’t listen.
I agree. But this is an issue I have to park for another article. I hadn’t originally thought of a series of articles, but as responses pile up, I find a need for further development. Thanks!
Dear Anthony ,
Greetings from Melbourne , Australia.
You will be amazed because I am Jewish .I became interested in Catholic affairs when one of your greatest Popes ,John XXXIII , zichrono livracha,may his memory be a blessing ,changed the Catholic teachings about Judaism .
The situation of your faith is under attack in my country for two reasons .First as you mention in this report ,the forces of secularisation promoted by our government and intelligentsia have turned people away from Judeo -Christian beliefs. Church attendances are at an all time low and most marriages are conducted by civil celebrants.Furtermore a growing number of couples are having children without being married.
Secondly ,the churches here have had a poor record of dealing with sexual abuse .Like the movie Spotlight ,showed too many bishops and indeed archbishops didn’t do enough to protect vulnerable young people from shocking treatment from some clergy. Fortunately the situation is a lot better now .However many believers ,especially young folk have simply walked away because of all the pain and suffering caused .
A further complicating factor was the late Australian Cardinal George Pell.He died last week ,leaving a mixed legacy .On the positive side ,he upheld traditional Catholic values and fought hard against the watering down of his faith .His greatest ally was the late Pope Benedict. Pope Francus called him in to clean up the corrupt Vatican finances and this made him lots of enemies in the Curia .He did a wonderful job.
On the negative side he didn’t do enough to get rid of pedophile priests and he himself became a scapegoat .This resulted on him being falsely jailed for sexual crimes .After serving over a year in jail the Australian High Court acquitted him of all charges . This showed that even in a democratic country like Australia public opinion could sway the police to lay false charges.
He will be buried next week and the government refused to give him a State Funeral even though he held such a high ranking in the Vatican .The police are expecting demonstrations at the funeral service .
It’s now up to the bishops to work out Quo vadis Catholicism in Australia.
Hello Jock, and shalom aleichem! Thank you for your insights. The surprising death of Cdl. Pell was a great loss to all of us, not just in Australia. We’re in the midst of a great leadership crisis, and he’s left some thoughts that I think will be influential in our direction, albeit not immediately.
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It’s all very well to say that every Catholic should be evangelizing, but I don’t know how they will be able to do that when the only thing they hear from their pastors on a typical Sunday is some gobbledegook about social justice or some platitudes about how much God loves you. Catholics can’t share what they haven’t ever heard. The authentic gospel is as rare as a dodo bird in our church today, and that’s entirely the fault of our leadership.
Oddly enough, I was already working on a follow-up about leadership.
Another very good essay by Anthony. Most people don’t really think about things. They just pick sides based on who they’d rather hang out with. To a lot of people nowadays, the Church is pretty creepy company. Can that be changed?
I suppose it depends on what you mean by “creepy,” or what people find creepy about the Church. I wouldn’t argue that if we were doing everything right, everyone would love us. People who are thoroughgoingly good can set certain people’s teeth on edge. Since living the gospel message implies living and acting as if the supernatural pervades the natural, such a way of thinking and behaving would bother people grown used to a secular universe, where the supernatural—if it exists—is walled off from the natural order. Christ himself said he came to “bring fire to the earth,” to bring division rather than peace (Lk 12:49-53). I suppose the answer is that it doesn’t matter so much that we bother people as it does whether we bother them for the right or wrong reasons. Arguably, we often bother them for the wrong or trivial reasons.
I found this article to be well done and very helpful. I must change so that I can demonstrate the joy of having my faith which will then allow me to influence those I encounter.
Nice try, Anthony, but I’m waiting for the book.
Find a hobby to occupy yourself in the meantime, because it may take a while. :-)=)
Plenty of hobbies and hopefully time
Dear Anthony, Godspeed you in the writing. I’ll be 76 next month, so could you pick up the pace? – or I may have to read your book in purgatory.
Those who are ‘plaguing” the church have decided that: 1. you can choose which parts of the gospel and of the “original kerygmatic message of the apostles” you like and ignore or deny the rest, especially any part that says you are not a sheep, but a got who is going to burn in hell fire forever; and 2. consequently, many things one does, including many sins, need never be changed – no conversion needed. In many ways the so-called “new” evangelization is the millennias-old travel plan to hell.
At its core, the “fundamental disconnection from the kerygma” is no accident, but the plan of the wolves, the demonic ones prowling around in white sheep’s clothing, who seek to destroy Jesus’s church. Thank God we can act with virtue and make free choices to do good and bring God back to his people. guy, Texas
Thank you, Guy. While you’re wishing me Godspeed, pray for inspiration. When Stacy Trasancos recruited me for Catholic Stand in 2013, I was writing for my two (yes, two) blogs almost every day as well as working full-time. Now I’m struggling to produce one essay a month for one platform.