Address to Cardinals and the Roman Curia, December 22, 1986, 11: AAS 79 (1987), 1089.47. cit., 362f; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 20.140. In my first encyclical, in which I set forth the program of my Pontificate, I said that "the Church's fundamental function in every age, and particularly in ours, is to direct man's gaze, to point the awareness and experience of the whole of humanity toward the mystery of Christ."4. Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 38.123. Kostenberger states, With regard to the work of Jesus followers, it may be concluded that both the revelatory and redemptive aspects of Jesus work in the Fourth Gospel are tied to the unique personal characteristics of Jesus to such an extent that the disciples can be said to participate in these only in a secondary sense.[24] However, the humanity of the disciples was in the process of being redeemed and restored. This definitive self-revelation of God is the fundamental reason why the Church is missionary by her very nature. According to His plan, our Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to show us how to live meaningful and happy lives and experience eter- . Cf. Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 35-36, 41.149. She cannot do other than proclaim the Gospel, that is, the fullness of the truth which God has enabled us to know about himself. This obligation is all the more insistent in circumstances in which only through them are people able to hear the Gospel and to know Christ." Ibid., 22: loc. cit., 390. Salvation in Christ, as witnessed to and proclaimed by the Church, is God's self-communication: "It is love which not only creates the good, but also grants participation in the very life of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Council emphasized the Church's "missionary nature," basing it in a dynamic way on the Trinitarian mission itself. I wish to call to mind and to recommend this concern for missionary vocations. The Second Vatican Council sought to renew the Church's life and activity in the light of the needs of the contemporary world. 1 (Spring 2013): 44. cit., 55.92. 35 The next day, John stood again, and two of his disciples. Address to those participating in the Symposium of African Bishops at Kampala, July 31, 1969, 2: AAS 61 (1969), 577.98. "5 The redemption event brings salvation to all, "for each one is included in the mystery of the redemption and with each one Christ has united himself forever through this mystery. The world is steadily growing more united, and the gospel spirit must lead us to overcome cultural and nationalistic barriers, avoiding all isolationism. Indeed, since the end of the Council it has almost doubled. Not long ago we celebrated the millennium of the evangelization of Rus' and the Slav peoples, and we are now preparing to celebrate the five hundredth anniversary of the evangelization of the Americas. Indeed, Christ dwells within the Church. Mission, then, is based not on human abilities but on the power of the risen Lord. 16. Lk 7:34), and making them feel loved by God, thus revealing his tender care for the needy and for sinners (cf. Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, 14: loc. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you (John 20:21b). Mt 10:5). Cf. In other places, these communities are so small as not to be a clear sign of a Christian presence; or they lack the dynamism to evangelize their societies, or belong to a minority population not integrated into the dominant culture of the nation. His power, the secret of the effectiveness of his actions, lies in his total identification with the message he announces; he proclaims the "Good News" not just by what he says or does, but by what he is. There is a centrifugal force in God's very being as the Son and the Spirit spiral out from the Frather to bring healing to the world. Jn 3:8). ship, mission, and ministry. This concern must become, as it were, a hunger and thirst to make the Lord known, given the vastness of the non-Christian world. You will also be a leaven of missionary spirit for the older churches. "14, The Church As Sign and Instrument of Salvation. Dt 4:37; 7:6-8; Is 43:1-7) and becomes his witness and interpreter among the nations. [6] Stephen B. Bevans and Roger Schroeder, Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today, American Society of Missiology Series: No. By performing acts of healing, he invites people to faith, conversion and the desire for forgiveness (cf. Characteristics of the Kingdom and Its Demands. "117 Many are already doing so, and I strongly encourage them to continue. This gives rise to the spirit which must enliven dialogue in the context of mission. cit., 419.175. Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio, (November 22, 1981), 10: AAS 74 (1982), 91, which speaks of inculturation "in the context of marriage and the family."95. The central concern is the identity and nature of Jesus Christ. Missionaries and Religious Institutes Ad Gentes. If we go back to the beginnings of the Church, we find a clear affirmation that Christ is the one Savior of all, the only one able to reveal God and lead to God. (c) Cultural sectors: the modern equivalents of the Areopagus. At the first Council, which gathers the members of the different churches together with the apostles in Jerusalem, a decision is taken which is acknowledged as coming from the Spirit: it is not necessary for a Gentile to submit to the Jewish Law in order to become a Christian (cf. Not only in cultures with strong religious elements, but also in secularized societies, the spiritual dimension of life is being sought after as an antidote to dehumanization. The four Societies - Propagation of the Faith, St. Peter the Apostle, Holy Childhood and the Missionary Union - have the common purpose of fostering a universal missionary spirit among the People of God. All the members of the laity ought to devote a part of their time to the Church, living their faith authentically. "12, Proclaiming Christ and bearing witness to him, when done in a way that respects consciences, does not violate freedom. The Mission of Jesus Christthe Atonement His mission was the Atonement. His action is preeminent in the mission ad gentes, as can clearly be seen in the early Church: in the conversion of Cornelius (cf. Christ prayed for this at the Last Supper when he said: "Even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (Jn 17:21). Before leaving his disciples, he gives them a "new commandment": "Love one another; even as I have loved you" (Jn 13:34; cf. Two gestures are characteristic of Jesus' mission: healing and forgiving. cit., 446.66. Cf. Cf. After Peter's first proclamation on the day of Pentecost and the conversions that followed, the first community takes shape (cf. Building the kingdom means working for liberation from evil in all its forms. [19] Andreas J. Kstenberger, The Challenge of a Systematized Biblical Theology of Mission: Missiological Insights from the Gospel of John, Missiology 23, no. Cf. It is true that the "option for the neediest" means that we should not overlook the most abandoned and isolated human groups, but it is also true that individual or small groups cannot be evangelized if we neglect the centers where a new humanity, so to speak, is emerging, and where new models of development are taking shape. cit., 52.67. cit., 892.33. The image of Jesus breathing new life into his followers in John 20:22 indicates that this emphasis in Johns theology of the Spirit continues here.[26]. "63 The Church is thus obliged to do everything possible to carry out her mission in the world and to reach all peoples. She comes to know and to express better the mystery of Christ, all the while being motivated to continual renewal. "65 This same advice is valid today for the particular churches: Open the doors to missionaries, for "each individual church that would voluntarily cut itself off from the universal Church would lose its relationship to God's plan and would be impoverished in its ecclesial mission. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 4.44. The contextual studies approach features the Messianic Christ and the Jewish readers at Johns time. Ibid., 6.82. If we look at today's world, we are struck by many negative factors that can lead to pessimism. "38 The Spirit, therefore, is at the very source of man's existential and religious questioning, a questioning which is occasioned not only by contingent situations but by the very structure of his being.39, The Spirit's presence and activity affect not only the individuals but also society and history, peoples, cultures and religions. The coming of the Holy Spirit makes them witnesses and prophets (cf. The Acts of the Apostles records six summaries of the "missionary discourses" which were addressed to the Jews during the Church's infancy (cf. On the one hand, we must recognize that "the division among Christians damages the holy work of preaching the Gospel to every creature and is a barrier for many in their approach to the faith. In our heavily secularized world a "gradual secularization of salvation" has taken place, so that people strive for the good of man, but man who is truncated, reduced to his merely horizontal dimension. Indeed, it is necessary to recognize - and it is a title of honor - that some churches owe their origins to the activity of lay men and women missionaries. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross" (Phil 2:5-8). I recommend that such studies be undertaken especially in seminaries and in houses of formation for men and women religious, ensuring that some priests or other students specialize in the different fields of missiology. "172 This he does by a poverty which sets him free for the Gospel, overcoming attachment to the people and things about him, so that he may become a brother to those to whom he is sent and thus bring them Christ the Savior. In carrying on these activities, however, she never loses sight of the priority of the transcendent and spiritual realities which are premises of eschatological salvation. As she carries out missionary activity among the nations, the Church encounters different cultures and becomes involved in the process of inculturation. cit., 46-49.84. 30. Encyclical Letter Evangelii Praecones: loc. I earnestly recommend that their promotional work be increasingly directed to this goal. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 16: loc. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 20.118. Is it not possible to attain salvation in any religion? Immediately after the event of Pentecost, Peter spoke convincingly to the crowd: "When they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, 'Brethren, what shall we do?' Whereas the foundation of a new church requires the Eucharist and hence the priestly ministry, missionary activity, which is carried out in a wide variety of ways, is the task of all the Christian faithful. Generally, preference has been given to other means of preaching the Gospel and of Christian education, while the mass media are left to the initiative of individuals or small groups and enter into pastoral planning only in a secondary way. Throughout Christian history, martyrs, that is, "witnesses," have always been numerous and indispensable to the spread of the Gospel. Cf. "140 History witnesses to the outstanding service rendered by religious families in the spread of the faith and the formation of new churches: from the ancient monastic institutions, to the medieval Orders, up to the more recent congregations. cit., 458.154. The ultimate purpose of mission is to enable people to share in the communion which exists between the Father and the Son. Born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father, He was the only one who could voluntarily lay down His life and take it up again (see John 10:14-18 ). Reihe 31 (Tbingen: Mohr, 1988), 56. 20. He finds answers to problems in the light of God's word and in personal and community prayer. by awakening their consciences through the Gospel. It is to be hoped that authentic religious freedom will be granted to all people everywhere. They help missionaries and follow their work with interest. First, they are silent about Christ: the kingdom of which they speak is "theocentrically" based, since, according to them, Christ cannot be understood by those who lack Christian faith, whereas different peoples, cultures and religions are capable of finding common ground in the one divine reality, by whatever name it is called. Faith is born of preaching, and every ecclesial community draws its origin and life from the personal response of each believer to that preaching.74 Just as the whole economy of salvation has its center in Christ, so too all missionary activity is directed to the proclamation of his mystery. These include individuals, groups and communities. How are these converted Gentiles to live their faith in Jesus? It is manifested in a total commitment to evangelization, a commitment which involves the missionary's whole person and life, and demands a self giving without limits of energy or time. Cf. 33. It is true that the inchoate reality of the kingdom can also be found beyond the confines of the Church among peoples everywhere, to the extent that they live "gospel values" and are open to the working of the Spirit who breathes when and where he wills (cf. Cf. These communities are a sign of vitality within the Church, an instrument of formation and evangelization, and a solid starting point for a new society based on a "civilization of love.". Eerdmans, 1998), 51. Both inductive method and deductive methods are important in analyzing the Johannine theology of mission, with emphasis on inductive bible study method which pays more attention to the text itself than reading into the text and rushing into conclusions. John emphasizes the incarnation: the fully divine and fully human characteristics of Jesus Christ the Word became flesh (John 1:14). The Second Vatican Council acknowledged the territorial dimension of the mission ad gentes,59 a dimension which even today remains important for determining responsibilities, competencies and the geographical limits of missionary activity. The Lord is always calling us to come out of ourselves and to share with others the goods we possess, starting with the most precious gift of all - our faith. But what moves me even more strongly to proclaim the urgency of missionary evangelization is the fact that it is the primary service which the Church can render to every individual and to all humanity in the modern world, a world which has experienced marvelous achievements but which seems to have lost its sense of ultimate realities and of existence itself. Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35). cit., 15.27. The prayer of Jesus for the disciples in John 17isextended to the church beyond them: "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word" (17:20). Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 31.163. 1 Cor 12:3); of those who draw near to him through faith Jesus says: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (Jn 6:44). There are many other forms of the "Areopagus" in the modern world toward which the Church's missionary activity ought to be directed; for example, commitment to peace, development and the liberation of peoples; the rights of individuals and peoples, especially those of minorities; the advancement of women and children; safeguarding the created world. Jn 14:6). Acts 13:1-4). The person who wishes to understand himself thoroughlymustdraw near to Christ. [The] Redemption that took place through the cross has definitively restored to man his dignity and given back meaning to his life in the world."3. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 5.23. He can say 'no' to Christ. In other words, the focus of the Johannine theology of mission is not a simplified statement of saving the lost souls of the world. "100 Indeed Christ himself "while expressly insisting on the need for faith and baptism, at the same time confirmed the need for the Church, into which people enter through Baptism as through a door." Is 6:8). Just as Jesus communion with the Father never ceased during his mission, so the disciples communion with Jesus is vital to their fruitful mission, as Jesus said, Apart from me you can do nothing (15:5). 43. Jn 10:10). The older churches, involved in new evangelization, may think that their mission is now at home, and thus they may risk slackening their drive toward the non-Christian world, begrudgingly conceding vocations to missionary institutes, religious congregations or other particular churches. On the eve of the third millennium the whole Church is invited to live more intensely the mystery of Christ by gratefully cooperating in the work of salvation. Speaking of the future, we cannot forget the young, who in many countries comprise more than half the population. Thirdly, there is an intermediate situation, particularly in countries with ancient Christian roots, and occasionally in the younger Churches as well, where 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. Cf. Mk 1:15), and not merely by reason of ethnic background. Paul and Barnabas are impelled by the Spirit to go to the Gentiles (cf. She must necessarily "go the same road that Christ went-namely a road of poverty, obedience, service and self-sacrifice even unto death, from which he emerged a victor through his resurrection. Parameters of the Church's Mission Ad Gentes. It is within this overall perspective that the reality of the kingdom is understood. Every community, if it is to be Christian, must be founded on Christ and live in him, as it listens to the word of God, focuses its prayer on the Eucharist, lives in a communion marked by oneness of heart and soul, and shares according to the needs of its members (cf. , 874.45. Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Ecclesiam Suam (August 6, 1964): AAS 56 (1964), 609-659; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 11, 41; Secretariat for Non-Christians, Document L'atteggiamento della Chiesa di fronte ai seguaci di altre religioni: Riflessioni e orientamenti su dialogo e missione (September 4, 1984): AAS 76 (1984), 816-828.100. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 24.173. As I think of this serious problem, I appeal with great confidence and affection to families and to young people. Christ is the one mediator between God and mankind: "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was borne at the proper time. I know several people with significant economic needs, yet they are rich in faith and progressing economically. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 11, 15 .105. The call to mission derives, of its nature, from the call to holiness. Christian martyrs of all times - including our own - have given and continue to give their lives in order to bear witness to this faith, in the conviction that every human being needs Jesus Christ, who has conquered sin and death and reconciled mankind to God. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 34: loc. Amen. The specific nature of this mission ad gentes consists in its being addressed to "non-Christians." It is demanded by deep respect for everything that has been brought about in human beings by the Spirit who blows where he wills.103 Through dialogue, the Church seeks to uncover the "seeds of the Word,"104 a "ray of that truth which enlightens all men'';105 these are found in individuals and in the religious traditions of mankind. This love, even to the point of giving one's life, is a focal point for him. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 35; cf. By virtue of Christ's universal mandate, the mission ad gentes knows no boundaries. Generosity in giving must always be enlightened and inspired by faith: then we will truly be more blessed in giving than in receiving. The kingdom of God is at hand (cf. 86. Baptism is not simply a seal of conversion, and a kind of external sign indicating conversion and attesting to it. Yet, while remaining distinct from Christ and the kingdom, the Church is indissolubly united to both. The temptation to become isolated can be a strong one. Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (December 30, 1987), 41: AAS 80 (1988), 570f.109. Jesus' Way of Doing Mission: Christian Mission Revisited (Luke 10:1-11) January 2012 Publisher: CISRS, Bangalore Editor: Theologizing in India Today: Interpreting the Signs of Times, ed.. So equipped the disciples are sent to carry on Jesus ministry in the world.[11] Furthermore, the disciples mission was not without the continuous empowerment and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Church is effectively and concretely at the service of the kingdom. Chapter II, 10-18.69. She wishes to teach this truth and she wishes to put it into practice, just as Jesus came to do and to teach. In the early centuries, Christianity spread because Christians, traveling to or settling in regions where Christ had not yet been proclaimed, bore courageous witness to their faith and founded the first communities there. 57. [T]wo other important missionary motifs raised in the dialogue but not sufficiently developed concern the issues of fellowship (vv 9, 2) and that of the gift of God.[16] In the story of Jesus interaction with the Samaritan woman and her later interaction with the Samaritans in town, the mission image is the viewing of the disciples mission essentially as harvesting, where sower and reaper rejoice together (vv 35-38).[17]. "123 The same responsibility is reflected to varying degrees in Episcopal Conferences and their organisms at a continental level, which must make their own contribution to the missionary task.124, Each bishop too, as the pastor of a particular church, has a wide-ranging missionary duty. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 38.120. 77. Firsthand knowledge of the missionary life and of new Christian communities also can be an enriching experience and can strengthen one's faith. Lk 5:30; 15:2), treating them as equals and friends (cf. This is an emptying of self which is permeated by love and expresses love. cit., 71-75; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptor Hominis, 12: loc. In its origins, then, mission is seen as a community commitment, a responsibility of the local church, which needs "missionaries" in order to push forward toward new frontiers. Indeed, the Church refuses to allow her missionary presence to be hindered by geographical boundaries or political barriers. Through the gospel message, the Church offers a force for liberation which promotes development precisely because it leads to conversion of heart and of ways of thinking, fosters the recognition of each person's dignity, encourages solidarity, commitment and service of one's neighbor, and gives everyone a place in God's plan, which is the building of his kingdom of peace and justice, beginning already in this life. Similarly, there have been recent commemorations of the centenaries of the first missions in various countries of Asia, Africa and Oceania. I do it all for the sake of the Gospel" (1 Cor 9:22-23). The Church and her missionaries also promote development through schools, hospitals, printing presses, universities and experimental farms. Scholars have identified several diverse approaches to the Johannine theology of mission. Nevertheless, all the Evangelists stress that the mission of the disciples is to cooperate in the mission of Christ; "Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Mt 28:20). "130 Missionaries must always meditate on the response demanded by the gift they have received, and continually keep their doctrinal and apostolic formation up to date. Then there are the special envoys sent out to proclaim the Gospel. The entire missionary sense of John's Gospel is expressed in the "priestly prayer": "This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (Jn 17:3). cit., 490.133. (Mk 15:39) In Matthew, the missionary emphasis is placed on the foundation of the Church and on her teaching (cf. The Church strives for this in all countries, especially in those with a Catholic majority, where she has greater influence. The Council makes frequent reference to the Church's role in the salvation of mankind. Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 13.18. Before Easter, the scope of his mission was focused on Israel. Jesus chooses and sends people forth to be his witnesses and apostles, so that they may share in his mission and continue in his saving work: "You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Some have decided to betray him, deny him, stone him, and others chose to accept him, and follow him (John 8:59). Cf. PDF Missio Dei T Mission of G Since the "Good News" is Christ, there is an identity between the message and the messenger, between saying, doing and being. Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem (August 15, 1988), 20: AAS 80 (1988), 1703.144. The urgency of missionary activity derives from the radical newness of life brought by Christ and lived by his followers. Based on a comprehensive semantic field of study that integrates biblical studies, theology, and missiology, this volume represents the first time such an approach has been .
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