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Ecumenism and
Evangelization:
Working the Fit
If God's mercy
extends to every
person, and if
the Good News
makes a claim on
every human
being, how do we
reconcile that
with our
modern-day sense
of pluralism?
After all, the
last thing we
want to do is
impose our faith
on others or
violate the
courtesy of
acknowledging
someone else's
experience of
faith. So what
does it mean to
evangelize in a
pluralistic
world where many
faiths are held
and shared?
Careful
reflection on
our faith, and
respect for
God's work in
the lives of
other people,
can help us
escape many
misunderstandings
in this area.
The first
insight is that
evangelization
does not mean
proselytism,
which is the
manipulative,
disrespectful,
and dismissive
approach to
someone's else's
faith.
"Catholics
cannot
proselytize-that
is, manipulate
or pressure
anyone to join
our Church. Such
tactics
contradict the
Good News we
announce and
undermine the
spirit of
invitation that
should
characterize all
true
evangelization."
This is what our
bishops teach in
Go and Make
Disciples.
Evangelization
never gives us
permission to
dismantle the
faith of others.
This leads to
the second
insight: as
believers, we
can always share
our faith
appropriately
with others when
we speak from
our personal
experience.
Sharing faith
recognizes the
integrity of the
other person and
is based on
respect. We need
only remember
how we felt the
times people
approaches us
without respect
for our faith.
The third
insight is that
sharing leads to
inviting when
that inviting
arises from a
dialogue of
faith and
friendship.
A Time to
Share
We share our
faith with
different
people, and the
meaning of our
sharing is
affected by the
situation of
those with whom
we share. The
kind of
invitation we
offer is
similarly
affected.
We can think,
for example, of
those who are
unchurched, with
whom we might
share our faith.
These are people
who, for all
practical
purposes, have
given up the
practice of
their faith.
When we share
with the
unchurched, we
are inviting
them to faith
and conversion.
We know others
who are
inactive
Catholics or
inactive members
of another
church. When we
share with these
people, we are
inviting them to
a rediscovery of
their faith.
We also know
many people who
are active,
committed
Christians
belonging to
other churches
or
denominations.
Sharing with
these people
means
recognizing the
Gospel that they
already accept.
Some of these
people will be
drawn to enter
the Catholic
Church,
something of
great joy. Most,
however, will
remain in their
own
denominations,
where they will
continue to grow
in God's grace.
The Holy Spirit,
through the
ecumenical
movement, is
drawing all
Christians
together. As
evangelizers, we
support this as
a sign of the
Gospel. Still,
we can always
invite these
people to know
our faith more
clearly.
This is what the
bishops say, in
Go and Make
Disciples
about sharing
our faith:
"Catholics
earnestly share
their faith in
Jesus Christ,
which gives
meaning to their
lives, praying
for that good
day, known to
God alone, when
all peoples will
address the Lord
in a single
voice and serve
God with one
accord."
We may also know
people who do
not know Christ,
but here, too,
we acknowledge
differences. Our
Christian faith
has grown out of
the Jewish
experience: we
worship the God
of Jesus, who is
the God of
Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. Our
sharing with
Jewish people
must never deny
the covenant God
formed with them
as God's chosen
people. Muslim
believers are
also descendants
of Abraham. We
approach members
of these
religions
mindful of their
relationship to
our God.
People of the
other world
faiths also
deserve great
respect; we
recognize that
through these
religions, God
mysteriously
touches the
hearts of
people. Our
sharing with
non-Christian
believers gives
us the
opportunity to
reveal how the
experience of
Jesus touches
and challenges
all human
beings.
Everyone has the
right to hear
the Gospel of
Christ; our
respect for
others' faith
never takes that
away. But
everyone also
has the right to
hear that gospel
with dignity and
love.
The Golden
Rule
In our sharing
and inviting, we
need to return
to the gospel
injunction
itself, the
Golden Rule. It
will keep us
from detracting
from the faith
experience of
others or from
our own
experience.
Jesus, in his
first
instruction to
his disciples,
taught them: "Do
to others
whatever you
would have them
do to you. This
is the law and
the prophets"
(Mt 7:12).
A lesson like
that should
never be
forgotten.
Fr. Frank
DeSiano, CSP
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