Integral Evangelization Pasquale T. Giordano, S.J. and Nancy Russell Catan



T

he Church’s social teachings embrace a holistic approach to life. Opening up to societal concerns and today’s social environment with Christian love and understanding is a challenge to people who have become rooted in traditional religiosity and secularistic social concerns. We are a country in crisis, yet many of us remain complacent, unmoved and untouched in our unaffected and comfortable lives. Largely due to our inaction and uncritical acceptance of distorted values and patterns of behavior of society coupled with lack of consistent Christian witnessing, we as Church have to confess some responsibility for many of society’s ills. Integral Evangelization is the proclaiming of the Gospel in Word and Sacrament to bring about a personal conversion that impels one to active involvement in the process of human development and liberation.Two key documents that give a full presentation of integral evangelization are PaulVI’s Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, “Evangelization in the Modern World,” issued in 1975, and “Part III: A Renewed Integral Evangelization” of the Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines issued in 1991.1 Integral Evangelization brings a living Gospel into our everyday lives. This process is also called “earthing the Gospel” and embraces 1

Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, Evangelization in the Modern World, December 8, 1975; Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, 20 January -17 February 1991,“Part III:A Renewed Integral Evangelization” (Manila: Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, 1991) nos. 154-401.

4 Readings for Theology 141: A Theology of the Catholic Social Vision

the whole person’s spiritual, social and economic life.2 The more evangelized we become, the more active we should be in the life of the Church and in the fostering of the human. We present some of the key teachings of Pope Paul Vl’s Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Nuntiandi. 1. Evangelization is in fact the totality of the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity (#14). 2. For the Church, evangelizing means bringing the Good News to all the strata of humanity, and through its influence, transforming humanity from within, making it new (#18). 3. Evangelization is a complex process made up of varied elements which are complementary and mutually enriching: a. the renewal of humanity b. the evangelization of culture c. the primary importance of witness of life d. the need of explicit proclamation of the Gospel e. a vital and community acceptance f. apostolic initiative (#24). 4. This evangelization must proclaim a transcendent and eschatological salvation in Jesus Christ, beginning in this life but fulfilled only in eternity (#27). 5. This evangelization would not be complete if it did not take into account the unceasing interplay of the Gospel and man’s concrete life, both personal and social (#29). 6. Between evangelization and human advancement including development and liberation - there are in fact profound links (#31). 7. The message of salvation in Jesus Christ should be proclaimed without reduction or ambiguity (#31). 8. It must envisage the whole man, in all his aspects, right up to and including his openness to the absolute, even the divine absolute (#33). 9. The Church is certainly not willing to restrict her mission only to the religious field and to dissociate herself from man’s temporal problems (#34). 2

Gerald A.Arbuckle,S.M. Earthing the Gospel,An Inculturation Handbook for the Pastoral Worker (Maryknoll.NY Orbis Books, 1990)

Giordano, S.J. and Catan, Integral Evangelization 5

10. Evangelization will never be complete without the action of the Holy Spirit. ... Through the Holy Spirit the Gospel penetrates to the heart of the world, for it is He who causes people to discern the signs of the times - signs willed by God - which evangelization reveals and puts to use within history (#75). THREE ASPECTS Evangelizing Presence. God has created us with restless hearts that yearn for Him. Yet, so many people are oblivious to God and focus on His creatures instead. They miss out on the full meaning of life. They are in need of a conversion experience which will bring them back to God.This conversion often takes place by encountering the mysterious God through symbols that manifest His presence.The greatest symbol of God’s presence is the human person committed to the Lord. As we live a life of Christian witness, we become living symbols to evoke a response to God from those around us. Examples: Pope John Paul II, Mother Theresa. Building a Community of Dialogue. It is active involvement in both religious and human concerns that determines effective integral evangelization. This demands interaction and building bridges of dialogue.A community of dialogue is a sign of evangelizing presence. Authentic Efforts for Human Development and Liberation. The mission of the Church is to foster and proclaim the Kingdom of God, to promote justice, peace, and community in a world torn by injustice, violence, and alienation. The Church is called to be a credible sign in fostering the Kingdom of God, realizing the service of faith and the promotion of justice in the preferential option for the poor. If the Church preaches without significant action, she preaches an empty word. The Church is called to be involved in the socioeconomic, political realities of her people precisely to safeguard and uphold the human. Essential to the Church’s involvement in the process of human promotion is the active involvement of the laity because they are the ones concretely involved in these areas of human endeavor. An evangelized laity actively involved in socio-economic

6 Readings for Theology 141: A Theology of the Catholic Social Vision

and political realities will transform many aspects of society: the family, the community, the business world, and politics.3 The level of our relationship with God dictates the level of our ability to help in the human development of the poor and the powerless. The marketplace cannot be isolated from other sectors in society; true Christian compassion is a matter of “going beyond” and leaving our comfort zones as we live out integral evangelization.

Pasquale T. Giordano.S.J., “Towards Understanding the New or Integral Evangelization: the Visit of Pope John Paul to the Philippines, January 12-16, 1995,” Timon 2 (1994-95): 1-18. 3