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Introduction |
1. |
Why does the Catholic Church consider the mission of evangelization an imperative? |
2. |
How would you define evangelization? |
3. |
Explain how evangelization contributes to the good of the individual as well as society. |
4. |
What advantages are gained by using models to describe the work of evangelization? |
5. |
From your personal perspective, do you see the Catholic Church as fully engaged in the work of evangelization? Explain. |
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Chapter 1: The Saint Stephen Model |
1. |
Do Catholics in general feel it is important to spread the faith? Explain. |
2. |
In your estimation, where is the Church placing its primary efforts and resources in its mission to spread the Gospel? |
3. |
How would you judge the success of the Jesuit mission to the North American Indian? |
4. |
How does witnessing to Christ relate to the personal holiness of the believer? |
5. |
Where does the Christian derive the courage to witness publicly to Jesus Christ? |
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Chapter 2: The Jerusalem Model |
1. |
Do you find the liturgical life at your parish to be a compelling means of drawing others to the Lord? Explain. |
2. |
Why does the Church believe its liturgy contains the potential to convert people to Jesus? |
3. |
What are the controversial features of the Spanish reduction method of evangelization? |
4. |
What can be done on the practical level to enhance liturgical worship and make it more attractive to the fallen-away Catholic or the unbeliever? |
5. |
How would you explain the principle of "full, active and conscious participation" in the sacred liturgy? |
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Chapter 3: The Proclamation Model |
1. |
Is the idea of proclaiming the Gospel in the traditional manner still valid in today's secular and pluralistic world, or does Christian proclamation now need to be modified in some way? Explain.
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2. |
Generally speaking, how would you evaluate the effectiveness of Catholic catechetical programs and texts today?
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3. |
Have you ever attended a parish mission? If so, what impact did it have on you and the parish? If not, do you see any value in attending one?
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4. |
Could the Catholic Church in America today be revived through a broad parish mission movement like it was in nineteenth century? What could the Bishop's of the United States do to initiate such a program?
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5. |
How would you rate the preaching at Sunday Masses in this country?
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Chapter 4: The Fraternity Model |
1. |
Are you aware of any small, vital communities working in the Church today to spread the faith?
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2. |
What was the centerpiece of Fr. Isaac Hecker's plan for evangelizing America?
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3. |
How have the Paulist Fathers adapted Fr. Hecker's charism to meet the needs of the Church in America at different phases of the congregation's history?
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4. |
Explain how the "principle of continuity" and the "hermeneutic of reform" relate to the Church's mission of evangelization.
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5. |
How could the Fraternity Model be implemented in your parish or diocese?
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Chapter 5: The Areopagus Model
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1. |
What is meant by the term "inculturation"?
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2. |
Describe how the process of inculturation evolves in a newly Christianized society.
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3. |
How do Catholics identify the "semina verba" in a non-Christian culture?
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4. |
What was the essence of evangelization in the mind of Bishop John Lancaster Spalding and how did he attempt to actualize it?
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5. |
Explain Christopher Dawson's vision for the re-evangelization of Western culture.
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Chapter 6: The Loaves and Fishes Model
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1. |
How does service to the poor and the marginalized advance the Gospel?
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2. |
What does Rose Hawthorne mean when she says that concrete acts of charity may elude Christians if they expend all of their energy and resources on trying to eliminate the causes of poverty?
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3. |
What is the connection between evangelization and social justice?
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4. |
What is meant by the statement that the process of evangelization can sometimes be "subversive" in a given culture?
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5. |
Have there been instances in recent Church history when the work of missionaries was reduced to the temporal reformation of a society?
Is this reduction of mission possible today?
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Conclusion:
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1. |
Explain how the six models of evangelization proposed in this book can interact with each other in the work of advancing the Gospel.
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2. |
What are the limits of using models to describe the work of evangelization?
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3. |
In light of the Second Vatican Council, how does the Catholic Church view the evangelization of non-Christian peoples?
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4. |
What is the dynamic between proclamation and dialogue in the mission of the Church?
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5. |
How does a Catholic profess his faith to others in the pluralistic, ecumenical, and globalized world in which we live? Can you cite any contemporary examples of individuals who are successful at this besides Pope John Paul II?
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