8/4/2019 RCT Apologetics October 2011

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RESOURCESFORCREATIVETEACHINGOfficeofEvangelizationandCatechesis NorthernArea

October2011http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministriesoffices/evangelizationandcatechesis

http://resourcesforcreativefaithformation.wordpress.com/

ApologeticsisawordoftenusedtodayinCatholiccircles. Itisarelativelynewword(introducedaround1733)in

Catholictheology. Itissometimesusedtospeaktotheurgencyofmakingsureouryouthknowtherefaithwell

beforetheyheadofftocollegeortheworkplace. Itcantranslateintoacrashcourseonthemeaningof

Catholicism.

WhatistheChurchsunderstandingofapologetics? Whatdoesitmean? ItcomesfromtheGreek"apologia,"a

legaltermmeaning"defense" isthebranchofChristiantheologyconcernedwiththeintelligentpresentationand

defenseofthehistoricalChristianfaith. (http://www.apologeticsindex.org/a13.html) Itisasystematic

argumentativediscourseindefense(asofadoctrine),abranchoftheologydevotedtothedefenseofthedivine

originandauthorityofChristianity. (http://www.merriamwebster.com/)

We

certainly

want

our

children,

youth

and

adults

to

be

able

to

intelligently

present

and

defend

the

Christian

faith.

Andwehopethattheywillbeabletodothatinwhateverscenariotheyfindthemselves. Resourcesareplentiful.

However,alackofknowledgemaynotbetherealissue.

FromOctober728,2012PopeBenedictwillleadtheXIIIOrdinaryGeneralAssemblyoftheSynodofBishopsto

discussthetopic: TheNewEvangelizationfortheTransmissionoftheChristianFaith. Thesebishopswillcontinue

thereflectionthathastakenplacethusfar. ItispartoftheefforttorenewtheChurchsevangelizingactivity.

Whatisthenewevangelization? ItisatermintroducedbyPopeJohnPaulIItospeaktotheneedtoreawakenandrenewtheChurchsefforts

torevitalizethefaithfulwhohavebecomeconditionedbythecultureto

beChurchinthateverchangingculture. ItmeanstoanimatethelivesofChristianssothattheyarewillingandfree

toproclaimthegospel. ItisaimedatthosecountriesthatwereonceChristianwhonowlivewithindifferencetoreligion.

Theworkingdocument,lineamenta,forthissynodisonlineat

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20110202_lineamentaxiii

assembly_en.html. Itisaneasyreadwithquestionsforreflection.

Whatdoesthishavetodowithapologeticsyouareprobablyaskingatthispoint? Ibelievethereisaconnectionto

whatwewanttoaccomplishwhenwetalkaboutteachingapologetics. Wewantchildren,youthandadultsto

knowtheirfaith. Wewantthemtobeabletostandupforwhattheybelieve. Wewantthemtotaketheirfaithand

usetheirChristianvaluesinsportcompetitions,intheworkplace,insocialsettings,attheshoppingmalls,etc. The

sameoutcomesofwhatPopeBenedictXVIisaskingforinthenewevangelization.

Whataretheresourcesavailabletous?

1. Wellformedandinformedcatechistswhoknowhowtousetheirtextbooks2. TheMediaCenterisfilledwithDVDandvideosthatcantellthefaithstory.3. CatholicFlicks,ouronlinevideoresource.4. Manyresourcesinourprintlibraryforfaithformationofadults.5. CheckthemedialibrariesoutontheOECwebsite.6. Catholicradioandtelevision.

Alwaysbereadytogiveanexplanation[defense]toanyonewhoasksyouforareasonforyourhope,butdoitwithgentlenessandreverence,keepingyourconscienceclear,sothat,whenyouaremaligned,thosewhodefameyourgoodconductinChristmaythemselvesbeputtoshame.Foritisbettertosufferfordoinggood,ifthatbethewillofGod,thanfordoingevil.(1Peter3:1517)

http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/evangelization-and-catechesishttp://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/evangelization-and-catechesishttp://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/evangelization-and-catechesishttp://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/evangelization-and-catechesishttp://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/evangelization-and-catechesishttp://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/evangelization-and-catechesishttp://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/evangelization-and-catechesishttp://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/evangelization-and-catechesishttp://resourcesforcreativefaithformation.wordpress.com/http://resourcesforcreativefaithformation.wordpress.com/http://www.apologeticsindex.org/a13.htmlhttp://www.merriam-webster.com/http://www.merriam-webster.com/http://www.merriam-webster.com/http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20110202_lineamenta-xiii-assembly_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20110202_lineamenta-xiii-assembly_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20110202_lineamenta-xiii-assembly_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20110202_lineamenta-xiii-assembly_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20110202_lineamenta-xiii-assembly_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20110202_lineamenta-xiii-assembly_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20110202_lineamenta-xiii-assembly_en.htmlhttp://www.merriam-webster.com/http://www.apologeticsindex.org/a13.htmlhttp://resourcesforcreativefaithformation.wordpress.com/http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/evangelization-and-catechesis