New World, New Pentecost, New Church: Pope John Paul's II's understanding of 'New Evangelisation' (original) (raw)
2010, eJournal of Theology
Pope Benedict XVI's recent announcement of the establishment of a Pontifical Council for New Evangelisation once more raises the question of the meaning of 'new evangelisation'. The aim of this essay is to establish just what is 'new' in 'new evangelisation'. This will be done through an analysis of how Pope John Paul II used the term and employed the concept. The author argues that although in Redemptoris Missio John Paul II used the term to refer to the reevangelisation of formerly Christian nations in the 'developed' world, his initial use of the term was in the context of the 'developing world', and that his use of the concept extended to the whole of the Church's mission, including the mission ad Gentes. He also maintains that Benedict XVI's understanding of 'new evangelisation' is essentially the same. The author concludes by giving his own 'synoptic' account of John Paul II's understanding of 'new evangelisation'-how in that understanding the Holy Spirit is bringing about a 'new world' more open to receive the Gospel, and that the same Spirit, through a 'new Pentecost', is giving birth to a 'new Church' better prepared to proclaim the Gospel.
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