Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 72 No. 4, 2002.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
Baptism and (New) Evangelization. Baptism - the Foundation and Obligation of Christian Existence According to St. Paul
Ivan Dugandžić
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Pope Paul IV’s speech about the necessity of renewal of the Church through baptism in order that we are able to bring the new evangelization into the new millennium, poses theological questions about baptism and its place and role in the lives of individual believers and the Church as a whole.
By examining the original sources of Christian faith and theology, the New Testament, the author endeavors to answer the question about the relationship between announcing the Good News and baptism, and their consequences for practical Christian living. St Paul's epistles were purposely chosen, not only since they were written by the most powerful propagator of the Gospel, but because in Paul's epistles baptism is always discussed theologically as well as concretely in the context of his various communities.
St Paul does not develop a complete theology on baptism and he does not produce a catechism of preparation for baptism, nor does he describe the necessary procedure that a believer must undertake from initial contact with the Gospel to actually receiving the sacrament of baptism. Paul, instead, commences from baptism as the initial sacrament of Christian existence, and it is in this light that he solves particular problems in the life of his Christian communities. While doing so, he concurrently makes a profound theological analysis of baptism in his consideration of »the baptism of Christ«, »baptism in his death«, baptism as the unifying factor of all believers in Christ and baptism as a new covenant and new creation in Christ. Paul cautions his faithful that this profound theological reality has consequences for Christians with respect to their behavior in every day life, that is, concrete moral challenges and admonishments. This may serve as an inspiration and a challenge for the contemporary Church in her search for the realization of the new evangelization of the world. If Christians credibly achieve closeness with Christ, realized through baptism, as well as unity with other believers in everyday life, then the Church as such represents »new creation« that will permeate the world. This is the only possible way for the new evangelization.
Ključne riječi
new evangelization; baptism; faith; »to be in Christ«; new covenant; circumcision; new creation
Hrčak ID:
28800
URI
Datum izdavanja:
8.4.2003.
Posjeta: 2.411 *