THE EVANGELIZATION EQUATION | KAIROS GLOBAL | APRIL 2021

Author: Noel Benno Joseph

In 1979, Pope John Paul II told his fellow Poles that ‘a new evangelisation’ has begun. It was later in 1983, in an address to the Latin American Bishops he said that what South America needed was not ‘a re-evangelisation ’, but a ‘new evangelisation, new in its ardour, method and expression.’ The Holy Father was beginning to recognise the changing landscape of peoples’ living conditions and called for ways to bring the Good News to people in a more effective manner. The next wave hit when Pope Benedict XVI announced the Synod in 2012 to be discussing the Church’s mission of new evangelisation. It is in this context that Fr. James Wehner, a former rector of the Pontifical College Josephinum in Ohio authored The Evangelization Equation: The Who, What and How in 2011 to throw light on the then hot topic. Praised by Archbishop Rino Fischella, President, Pontifical Council for Promotion of the New Evangelisation, the book is an excellent introduction for anyone who wishes to arrive at a fuller understanding of what is meant by ‘New Evangelisation’.

Fr. Wehner has wonderfully crafted a narrative in the context of changes in culture including modernism and postmodernism, the challenges that come with it and the ever growing relevance of the mission of the Church to proclaim the Truth. He pitches new evangelisation as a response to secular humanism, recognising the damage done by it to all those living in contemporary culture. Christian humanism, as argued in the book, promotes an authentic development of culture in which all people discover their vocation in life without being suppressed from the ‘freedom’ that secular humanism promises. The case for evangelisation in a post-truth world is presented so passionately throughout the entire book and topped with practical ways to go about growing in, and sharing the faith. Particularly interesting is the derivation of ‘how’ from the ‘who’ and ‘what’ of new evangelisation which makes the book qualify for a borderline page-turner. References to ‘culture’ shows up more than one would expect as the book captures and gracefully presents the essence of Pope Benedict’s exhortation to the US Bishops in 2008, that evangelising in [American] culture means ‘recapturing the Catholic vision of reality and presenting it in an engaging and imaginative way to a society which markets any number of recipes for human fulfilment.’ With references to communio, there is an emphasis on the key role of a loving community of the faithful being the face of all evangelisation efforts in a changing cultural landscape.

For those who love to do a bit more of a deep dive, the book offers a glance into four foundations or rather cornerstones of evangelisation – the Soteriological, the Christological, the Ecclesiological and the Anthropological. Though the book runs the risk of losing readers’ interest halfway through the foundations, the author does a stupendous job of navigating this through a very personable style of narration ensuring that the key messages are not lost in the weeds. With ample number of references to encyclicals and apostolic exhortations from Popes Paul VI, St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI, the book is rich in its content, fresh in its approach and brisk in its delivery. The author acknowledges that evangelisation is a mystery and not a programme but makes a genuine effort of weaving personal anecdotes around what has worked and what has not and is successful in developing a sense of curiosity in his readers. Overall, with an emphasis on inculturation and catechesis, the message is exquisitely crafted around the need of a community proclaiming truth and furthering authentic humanism that guarantees freedom for all. Be it with engaging the new media, building a Catholic identity or even organising a meal program for the needy, the focus is on building a community of witnesses who live the faith day in and day out.

Overall, a very handy introduction to New Evangelisation, a highly recommended read and a valuable resource for youth workers, priests and anyone who is curious about the Catholic Church and deepening their understanding of the mission of ‘Evangelisation ’. 

A former William J. Clinton Fellow and TEDx speaker, Noel Benno is a Technology Strategy Consultant and enjoys cooking fish and meat while not busy with charts and excel sheets.