Man, I love Papa Beni. "Hey Jack, what is he talking about?" Pope Benedict is referring to the Catholic Christian's role in the New Evangelization. If you are a follower of Christ, you are rapidly becoming a minority in a rapidly secularizing world. Take Europe for example. The continent once synonymous with "Christendom" is chock full of nominal Christians. They are good people who make delicious beer, design beautiful sports cars, and interrupt sporting events with great hilarity (do yourself a favor and look up "Jungle Bird US Open" on YouTube), but they are failing miserably in living their faith (nota bene: we all, myself more than others, fail to accept Jesus' Great Commission to spread the Gospel. This is not a judgment on our brothers and sisters, but a very real observation.). Catholicism is becoming more of a heritage. The faith is treasured during baptisms, weddings, first communions, and national feast days, but is disregarded in daily life. Enter this guy:
(I Love My German Shepherd.)
Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that it is our obligation to confront this growing tide of relativism, secularism, cynicism, and straight-up apathy. But our methods must do our righteous intentions justice. As disciples and missionaries, if we are not culturally relevant, we will be culturally disregarded. I once heard a great story at Marquette about the Jesuits' first attempts to bring Christianity to China. This story may or may not be true, but it proves a point. The Jebbies built a chapel which featured an image of St. Michael slaying Satan, personified in the image of a dragon. GREAT image for Europeans. TERRIBLE image for the Chinese. You see, the dragon was a symbol of the emperor. The Jesuit missionaries were roundly criticized for their picture of a pale-faced angel stabbing the Chinese ruler.
(Badass Picture + Right Intention / Wrong Vehicle = Epic Missionary Fail)
The Jesuits learned from their mistake. They became a creative minority. Matteo Ricci traded in his cassock for the robes of a Chinese scholar and instantly commanded more respect from his pupils. It is important to note that while he changed his clothes, he did not change his convictions.
(You're rocking those scholarly robes, Matteo.)
Where does leave us? How can we engage the culture? Mad Men yourself:
(I did.)
The show's protagonist Don Draper is an amazing marketer. His genius is shown as he makes an advertising pitch to Kodak for their Carousel slide projector product. Check it out:
Smooth. But if you're like me, you are not nearly as articulate as Don Draper and his isms. Here's the great thing. We're not advertising for jai lai or Lucky Strike cigarettes. We are exclaiming the Truth! We are proclaiming Christ crucified, as Paul writes in 1 Cor. 1:23. St. Paul goes on to say that our faith in our crucified Lord (and even the life given to us through His Resurrection) is a stumbling block to Jews and a foolishness to Gentiles. The faith is constantly mocked and ridiculed. Just turn on your TV. So its clear that our message isn't always easy to preach, especially when "the harvest is plenty and the laborers are few." This is where the creativity comes in. Let me give you some examples of how different groups have marketed the truths of our faith.
1. Theology on Tap: This is an amazingly simple, yet effective concept. I participated in ToT sessions with a young adult group at St. Monica's parish in Milwaukee. The same group also sponsored a "Church Crawl" (church tours interspersed with drinks and food at local watering holes). There is an enormous appetite among young adults to discuss and debate values and religion in the pursuit of Truth. There is also an enormous appetite for socializing over beer(s). Throw in a dynamic, articulate priest and...ta-da! Instant evangelization!
2. Theology of the Body: Blessed Pope John Paul II wrote and spoke extensively on the divine beauty and wonder inherent in human sexuality. Sexual expression has been hijacked. Author and speaker Christopher West wants to right the ship. He has done an amazing job of making these teachings accessible to Catholics in the United States. No theology degree required. Along with the band Mike Mangione and the Union, West expresses the Church's liberating teachings on marriage and sexuality. He is helping Catholics "bring sexy back" by reclaiming a genuine understanding of God's gift of sex and how human beings participate in the very life of God through the marital act. Our society is sorely in need of this kind of evangelization.
3. 1flesh.org: Is it edgy? Mmhmm. Is it attention-grabbing? 10-4. Effective? Yup. Remember what I said about engaging the culture. While we never want to twist the pure to profane, it is important that we capture attention. 1flesh.org, created by the same Franciscan University student who writes at the blog Bad Catholic, thinks within the heart and mind of the Church. This website is designed to appeal to young couples using or thinking about using contraceptives inside and outside of marriage. Contraception is widespread, but the Church teaches that it denies the full expression of love between spouses. Most people have not thought of this. Most people wouldn't expect to find a really cool graphic with an amazing quote from Gandhi decrying the use of contraceptives. The website has taken knocks from some for being too "in-your-face." Let it be known that 1flesh does not sugar coat the Truth, but it cuts straight to the myths and dangers of contraception, points that are often overlooked by a culture lacking a clear moral compass.
4. Bakin' it to the Streets: My cousin Nick and his wife Carina are amazing parents. Do Carina a favor and boost her numbers by reading her blog, A Punk, a Pumkin, and a Peanut (click the "Reaching Out" tab to read more about Bakin' it to the Streets). You will not be disappointed in reading about her adventures in adoption, raising three boys, the culinary arts, and the faith of Jesus Christ. Carina came up with Bakin' it to the Streets after reflecting upon what she could do to share the love of Christ with the homeless and hungry of Seattle. So, she and her boys bake assorted goods, make lunches, and drive around the city providing food and fellowship for those hungry for physical and spiritual sustenance. What an amazing witness to the men and women they meet! What an amazing witness Carina gives to her children! I cannot begin to tell you about the beautiful simplicity in this idea. Anyone can do it. I was fortunate to Bake it to the Streets with my middle school students last year. It was an amazing experience. They will know we are Christians by our love.
I challenge you to use these ideas to give witness to your faith. Creativity is necessary for the New Evangelization, but you do not have to reinvent wheel. Maybe these examples will help you develop your own methods of Evangelization. If so, great! Allow me to offer four simple steps to follow as you put the creative in creative minority. Remember "POET," or, if you prefer, "Penguins Operate Extreme Tanks."
(I can't believe I actually found a picture for this acronym. "Penguins Conquer All.")
P-Pray (Ask the Lord to help you make Him known, loved, and served through the use of your gifts.)
O-Organize (Invite some friends to join you. It is always more fun to minister as a group. Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Make preparations. Communicate. Advertise your events.)
E-Execute (If it is worth doing, it is worth doing well. Be the face of Christ for others.)
T-Thank (Thank the Lord for His blessings and for the people you encountered. Thank God for sending His Spirit among us. Thank God for shedding light on those who may be in the darkness.)
Get out there, good Christians. Preach Jesus always. Be creative. Have fun. Use words if necessary. Let me sweeten the pot a little. I want you to post an idea for evangelization in the comments section. The best idea wins a gift of your choice from our Benedictine friends at Mystic Monk Coffee in Wyoming. This stuff is amazing! 