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The New Areopagi of Mission: I. Cultural Sector

The document discusses the "New Areopagi" or new spaces for evangelization in the modern context. It identifies two types of new Areopagi - Christian spaces requiring internal evangelization, and secular spaces requiring external evangelization. The challenges are to reengage secular humanity in the search for meaning and give it fresh focus in a post-Christian society. The new sectors of evangelization are identified as cultural, social, economic, civic, scientific/technological, communications, and religious - and the laity are called to participate in evangelizing these sectors.

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1K views2 pages

The New Areopagi of Mission: I. Cultural Sector

The document discusses the "New Areopagi" or new spaces for evangelization in the modern context. It identifies two types of new Areopagi - Christian spaces requiring internal evangelization, and secular spaces requiring external evangelization. The challenges are to reengage secular humanity in the search for meaning and give it fresh focus in a post-Christian society. The new sectors of evangelization are identified as cultural, social, economic, civic, scientific/technological, communications, and religious - and the laity are called to participate in evangelizing these sectors.

Uploaded by

Queen Valle
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

The New Areopagi of Mission

The New Evangelization is the announcement of the Good News


of Jesus Christ in the midst of the post-Christian and post-
secularist situation of our time. The "New Areopagi" is a metaphor
John Paul II used in a missionary context, defining them as spaces
opened to mission. There are two kinds of New Areopagi: one that is
Christian-ecclesial which requires an ad intra evangelization , and
another that is mundane or neopagan, addressed by the ad extra
evangelization. The New Evangelization demands both a new personal
experience of faith, considered as a free encounter with Jesus
Christ, and also the discovering of the communal aspect of that
faith. From this strong position we might hope for the recovery of
the public dimension of Christianity.

The challenge for mission, hence, is how re-engage western


secularized humanity in the search for meaning — or, rather, to give
it fresh focus. One of the advantages for mission in a post-
Christian society is that the phenomenon of "Christianity" has lost
the weight of its baggage of history to a large extent, and along
with many of the negative connotations of "Church" and
"Christendom".
"The time is ripe for a new evangelization, speaking with the
technology of the digital age that addresses the search for meaning
that surpasses all ages, that respects human freedom and autonomy
that is comfortable with and can dialogue with diversity. And that
witnesses to the Kingdom present amongst us through quiet but
persuasive example."

Therefore, the Church at present is challenged to be involved in


the new sectors of evangelization — the new Areopaguses (Areopagi) of
mission.
"Mission today is described as crossing boundaries. It is going
to the public square. It is described as going to the new Areopagi of
contemporary times (RM 31-37)". The sectors of evangelization as:
cultural sector, social sector, economic sector, civic life sector,
scientific research and technology sector, communications sector, and
religious sector. These new sectors of evangelization involve new
techniques and circumstances whereby the laity are called to
participate. Javier went further saying, "the modern equivalents of the
Areopagus, therefore, define the parameters of the identity and mission
of the laity in the contemporary word."

i. CULTURAL SECTOR
Today, we are called to give witness to the personal transcendent
God. That is, God being alive and part of human affairs.

ii. SOCIAL SECTOR


Recognizing that the world today is the world of mega-migration,
the laity hence are invited to enter into collegiality
(interconnected and interdependent) with other peoples and
cultures.

iii. ECONOMIC SECTOR


In this age of commodification (everything has tag price/for
sale), the laity are called to live the evangelical idea of
poverty (you have nothing hence, you have everything).

iv. CIVIC SECTOR


In this age of strife, the laity are called to participate in the
pursuit for peace, liberation of people, promotion of the
indigenous peoples' rights and the integrity of creation.

v. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION SECTORS


There is no doubt that at the present, science, technology and
communications have been making great innovations. They seem to
become everything for the human person. However, the laity are
challenged to live their lives in aid of virtual reality and not
to defy virtual reality.

vi. RELIGIOUS SECTOR


Finally, the laity are called to return to religion that promote
peace and inter-existence and not on fundamentalism and violence.

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