This is a summary of the some of the key ideas that Cardinal Dulles has elaborated in his book,"Evangelization."
The Cardinal mentions that Jesus is the content and the principal bearer of the Gospel.
Catholic evangelical theology seeks to renew the entire life of beleivers through the leaven of the Gospel.
He points out that there are seven major trends against Evangelization.
They are the following:
1.The Radical separation between faith and belief.
Faith according to this view can exist without any definite set of beliefs and without the Gospel.The implication is that there is no need to proclaim the Gospel. According to these , all the articles of the Creed and the Dogmas of the Church are human constructs.
This attitude is against a vigorous program of evangelization. But, for the early Chrsitians, it was not so. The Gospel preached by the Apostles is the word of God.(1 Thes.2:13).
Faith is more than the acceptance of the Transcendent(.Rom.10:17).Faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes from the preaching of Christ.(Rom.10:17)
2.Metaphysical Agnosticism:
Anything we say about God is a metaphor. Cardinal Dulles points out that it is through analogy that we have to look at revealed truth and not through metaphor.
3.Religious pragmatism:
Here faith is seen not as a neccessary thing for salvation but as a means to have peace of mind.
4.Cultural Relativism:
This attitude tells us that no dogmas are permanent.Everything has to be adapted to each region or period.This view is wrong.There are constants in our faith.In Christ , there is no East or West.
5.Religious Pluralsim:
In this view, Jesus Christ is not the only Savior of the world.Each religion has its own way of salvation.Acts 4:12--Only one Name.; One mediator(1Tim.2:50
6.False concept of Freedom:
Here, faith is a private matter.Hence ,children are free to choose.We see in this attitude the privatization of religion.Evangelization , of course, should not be aggressive.Chrsitian faith is to be presented in an inspiring way.
7.Antiauthoritarianism:
