Christ's final command was to "make disciples of all nations," a command we continue to respond to in our Catholic schools and religious education programs. But how are we to evangelize in a culture that is apathetic -- if not hostile -- to religious faith? Using the Year of Faith as a backdrop, this session will explore the history and meaning of the New Evangelization with an emphasis on practical strategies for parishes and schools.
This presentation was given at the 2012 CACE Annual Meeting in San Diego.
4. Jonathan F. Sullivan
Director of Catechetical
Services, Diocese of
Springfield in Illinois
Technology Committee
Chair, NCCL
Blogger and podcaster
Married father of five
5. Outline
1. What is the New
Evangelization?
2. Affirmative Orthodoxy
and the New
Evangelization
3. The Year of Faith as an
Expression of the New
Evangelization
4. Implementation of the
New Evangelization
5. Q&A
6. Suggested Resources
7. What is the New Evangelization?
No, it’s not like New Coke.
8. What is the New Evangelization?
Vatican Council II
Paul VI
Bl. John Paul II
Benedict XVI
Synod on New
Evangelization
9.
10. What is a disciple?
1. Living, growing
relationship with God
2. Excited Christian
activists
With this in mind,
3. Knowledgeable about
the faith, Sacred
what percentage
Scripture, etc. of the people in
4. Know and use their your school or
charisms parish are
5. Know their vocation and intentional
actively live it disciples?
6. Engage in fellowship
with other disciples
12. Affirmative Orthodoxy
Termed coined by John
Allen in 2008
“[A] tenacious defense of
the core elements of
classic Catholic doctrine,
but presented in a
relentlessly positive key.”
Image by arimorre/ FlickrCC
13. Affirmative Orthodoxy
“Christianity, Catholicism,
isn’t a collection of
prohibitions: it’s a positive
option. It’s very important
that we look at it again
because this idea has
almost completely
disappeared today. We’ve
heard so much about what
is not allowed that now it’s
time to say: we have a
positive idea to offer.”
- Pope Benedict XVI, 2006
14. Affirmative Orthodoxy
How does your
Not about soft-peddling
experience of
“difficult teachings”
catechesis in your
Emphasis on the
positive, affirmation parish or school
Joy as charism of New
reflect a spirit of
Evangelization Affirmative
Orthodoxy?
15. The Year of Faith
Proclamation, celebration, witness.
16. The Year of Faith
“To rediscover the content
of the faith that is
professed, celebrated, lived
and prayed, and to reflect
on the act of faith, is a task
that every believer must
make his own, especially in
the course of this Year.”
17. The Year of Faith
Faith in who?
What does faith call us
to?
• Proclaim
• Celebrate
• Witness
19. 1. Relentless Focus
on the Person of
Jesus Christ
• Use the Name
• Tell the Story
20. 2. Hire for
Evangelization
• Seven Qualities of a New Evangelist
• Evangelization in the Job Description
• Evangelization in Performance
Evaluation
Image by SpDuchamp / FlickrCC
21. 3. Invitation to
Discipleship
• Priority of Discipleship
• Within the Cultural Context
• High Standards
• Life-Long Process
22. 4. Utilize New
Media
• Go to Where the People Are
• Keep it Christocentric
• It’s About Relationships