Evangelisation

[LovingIt!]

Hi All,

I'm sure you've all seen those short tracts from Evangelical Protestants which explain the gospel message in a simple format. I'm thinking of things like [url="http://www.matthiasmedia.com.au/2wtl/"]2 ways 2 live[/url] and [url="http://findinggrace.com/gospel/bridge.htm"]The Bridge Illustration[/url].

I'm not a huge fan of either of those "explanations" because of the various theological shortcomings, but I like the idea of somehow explaining the basics of Christianity in a short memorable format. The "Pillar of Fire" tract from Catholic Answers is 38 pages long!

I'm particularly interested for those situations when somebody says "What do Catholic's believe?"

Very often, you have a couple of sentences at best. It has to be short, clear, easy to understand, memorable and true to Catholic teaching... Ideally I'd like something we can put on a leaflet and hand to strangers in the street.

Any ideas?

[CatherineM]

If you want to know what we believe in a few sentences, read the Creed, Apostles or Nicaean.

[LouisvilleFan]

I wonder if St. Francis de Sales' tracts can be found on the Internet anywhere? Tracts were his idea, after all.

[CatherineM]

The knights of columbus have stuff like that.

[thessalonian]

"Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and you shall receive the Holy Spirit" Acts 2:38 and then follow Christ through his Church.

[LovingIt!]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' post='1512587' date='Apr 28 2008, 11:16 AM']I wonder if St. Francis de Sales' tracts can be found on the Internet anywhere? Tracts were his idea, after all.[/quote]

I did a bit of searching around... St. Francis de Sale's tracts are combined in a book called "The Catholic Controversy" which I cannot find in it's entirety online... ah well. I found some in a couple of places:

[url="http://www.angelfire.com/ms/seanie/fds/fds_index.html"]http://www.angelfire.com/ms/seanie/fds/fds_index.html[/url]
[url="http://www.catholictradition.org/Classics/catholic-controversy.htm"]http://www.catholictradition.org/Classics/...controversy.htm[/url]

His writing is brief, to the point and compelling. However, he writes to an audience who seem already to have heard of words like "God" and "Jesus" and "Salvation". I'm looking for something a bit more aimed at total pagans.

[Ziggamafu]

[b]The Gospel in a paragraph: [/b]By the incarnation of God’s Eternal Word – that is, by the Conception & Life, Suffering & Death, Resurrection & Ascension of God’s only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and by his Eucharistic Presence – God has made a visible covenant with us; that we may mystically enter into Christ’s Body by baptism and so share in Christ’s Divine Sonship (and redemptive suffering), which enables communion with God as our own Father (1 John 3:1) & empowers us to live a life free of sin and the worldly attachments that enslave us. Christ’s bodily resurrection is likewise our guarantee that we too, being members of his Body, will one day share in that glorious bodily resurrection. What’s more, by uniting us in One Body, God has given us a heavenly Family that is constantly available for love, support, and prayer (Heb. 12:1, 22-24; Rev. 5:8; cf. James 5:16). In Christ’s Body, we are even given his Blessed Mother Mary as our own mother (John 19:27 cf. Rev 12:17). God has also given us his Spirit to live in our hearts and grace us with many spiritual gifts to help us on our journey to Heaven. Finally, this covenant makes God’s grace and forgiveness constantly, conveniently, and assuredly available so that no one should endure the eternal penalties of sin (John 3:16-18).

[b]Or, in one sentence: [/b][i]According to the witness of martyrs and miracles, God has become Man - has been born, died for us, and has raised himself to everlasting life - and has built a Church through which his living voice may still be heard; if, submitting ourselves to his Body, the Church, we repentantly receive him in his sacraments, we demonstrate an obedient faith by which we are saved according to his promises.[/i]

Edited April 29, 2008 by Ziggamafu

[Altari]

[quote]"Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and you shall receive the Holy Spirit" Acts 2:38 and then [b]follow Christ through his Church[/b].[/quote]
Always gotta sneak that one in there and amend the word of God. I prefer to follow Christ through Christ's teachings.

[djninja2005]

I think that the best way to explain Catholicism in a breif format would be the Apostles Creed.

[Selah]

[quote name='Altari' post='1515621' date='May 1 2008, 12:11 AM']Always gotta sneak that one in there and amend the word of God. I prefer to follow Christ through Christ's teachings.[/quote]

And you follow his teachings by loving and serving the church He established.

[Lord Philip]

[quote name='Altari' post='1515621' date='Apr 30 2008, 09:11 PM']Always gotta sneak that one in there and amend the word of God. I prefer to follow Christ through Christ's teachings.[/quote]

I Timothy 3.15

"...if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth."

If the Church is the pillar and foundation of the truth, then I had better not DARE go against it. Since it the the truth which sets us free, then we would do well to submit to the Church. It is in submission that we become free: an interesting paradox, and a true one.

So I reiterate what my venerable brother in Christ, thessalonian, says, which is what the Scriptures teach.

God bless,

Philip

[Altari]

[quote name='Selah' post='1537650' date='May 22 2008, 04:55 PM']And you follow his teachings by loving and serving the church He established.[/quote]
That's kinda like saying "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?"

I do not believe that Christ established any specific institution upon the earth, and, as such, have no reason to "love" or "serve" any specific institution. I "love" and "serve" Christ alone.

[CatherineM]

"I for my part declare to you, you are ‘Rock,’ and on this rock I will build my church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it.” If you want to follow Christ, then listen to his words. He said "my church."

[Selah]

[quote name='Altari' post='1537785' date='May 22 2008, 07:46 PM']That's kinda like saying "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?" [/quote]

In what way?

[quote]I do not believe that Christ established any specific institution upon the earth, and, as such, have no reason to "love" or "serve" any specific institution. I "love" and "serve" Christ alone.[/quote]

Yes, Christ did in fact establish a church when he said, "You are Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my church."

That sounds like establishing a church to me. You serve the body of Christ, and that is serving Christ. We are a family. He's OUR father, not just yours. It's not exclusive. We are a body, are we not?

[Veridicus]

Is the phrase "personal Lord and Savior" in the New Testament anywhere? Did Paul admonish people for belonging to a true and extant church institution that his letters sought to universalize?

No & No.

I think the modern viewpoint of a personal Jesus outside of a living Church community is precisely that: modern.