What is evangelization?

I was invited to be on national Catholic radio yesterday, not because any of my merits - but because my director, Dave, couldn't do it - so I stepped in. The theme was the "call to evangelize." The focus seemed to be apologetics though - and specifically apologetics aimed at helping Catholics defend the Faith against Protestants. Which, I think, is something necessary, when put in proper perspective.

But, first, let's get something clear. Evangelization does not = apologetics. Nope. Apologetics, from its very root, means defending one's position - and has everything to do with convincing people through argument and logic - of one's position.

All that I find is good, when its put in its proper place, as a subsection of the broader brush of evangelization. And, at the very root and foundation of it all, Catholic evangelization is proclaiming the person and saving work of Jesus Christ - NOT "converting" people to our way of thinking or "converting" people to practice liturgy or doing whatever in our way - but it is bringing them to conversion to Jesus Christ. Pope John Paul II wrote that "conversion is accepting by personal decision the saving sovereignty of Jesus Christ and becoming his disciple" (Mission of the Redeemer, #46)

It's lifting up the fact that Jesus is Lord of all things, and all situations. He is the only one that saves; the one who forgives; the God who heals; the way, the truth, and the life! And that he came "that we may have life and have it to the full." (John 10:10) Catholic evangelization, Christian evangelization should in it's core be a proclamation of contagious joy - not a teeth-pulling exercise of me changing your mind about some element of doctrine. Apologetics has a place, put it should be put in proper perspective. Check out Peter Kreeft's articles or Archbishop Chaput's article on our Web site for more on apologetics.

Finally, for a great example of evangelization and witnessing to one's faith, let's read what Pope Benedict told a journalist in his first public interview after becoming Pope (he was summarizing his deepest wish for young people and the whole world):

“I want them to understand that it is beautiful to be a Christian! The generally prevailing idea is that Christians have to observe an immense number of commandments, prohibitions, precepts, and other such restrictions, so that Christianity is a heavy and oppressive way of living, and it would therefore be more liberating to live without all these burdens. But I would like to make it clear that to be sustained by this great Love and God’s sublime revelation is not a burden, but rather a set of wings – that it is truly beautiful to be a Christian. It is an experience that gives us room to breathe and move, but most of all, it places us within a community since, as Christians, we are never alone: first of all, there is God, who is always with us; secondly, we are always forming a great community among ourselves: a community of people together on a journey, a community with a project for the future. All of this means that we are empowered to live a life worth living. This is the joy of being a Christian; that it is beautiful and right to believe!”

Good stuff. Help us Lord be joyful in our faith, that others may see, you are the one who saves!