Prethodno priopćenje

Toward New Discourse of Faith in Catechesis

Ružica Razum orcid.org/0000-0002-8215-8404 ; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska

Sažetak

The speech of faith in catechesis has fallen into crisis. The reasons for that crisis are varied and complex ranging from social-cultural, theological-ecclesial, pastoral-catechetic to simple language and communication, etc. Catechesis is insufficiently effective because it does not communicate its message comprehensibly and significantly for the men and women of our times. Religious speech is often considered to be incomprehensible, archaic, boring, insignificant, uninteresting. In the first section of this article the author considers the very essence of the word and of the external causes that effect the (in)comprehensibility of religious speech. This primarily refers to context where there is an evident gap between the Gospel and culture. Even though not all elements and features of Christian culture have disappeared, nevertheless we can refer to an evident distancing in modern Western culture from Christian faith. One of the factors that help us to understand the existing gap between the Gospel and culture is the fact that modern mentality has expanded man's horizontal vision, an anthropology which is placed and exhausted within the boundaries of this world. Furthermore, in a secularised world it is not evident in itself that all people believe in God. Secularisation which has caught social and church levels leads to the situation where the clear line that separates belief from heresy is no longer that obvious. Religious and ideological pluralism has become a fact. More than ever in the past, today life without God seems possible. In order to understand modern man and his (un)openness towards Christian messages it is worth mentioning the crisis of »truth«. More and more we see the attitude that the question of »truth« is not that important when referring to religion. We must emphasise the fact that the word »Christian« today does not evoke an element of surprise. It is not possible to define catechetic itinerary while neglecting aggressiveness and progress that are imposed on the new model of man, a man who thinks, feels, reacts and behaves in a way that is vitally different from previous man. Many authors speak about how Christians are immersed in missionary context. In the modern cultural environment often we catechise persons who in fact do not even possess initial belief. The second part of the article ponders on some negative and problematic views of today's religious discourse in catechesis. The author points out how in the modern European environment marked with several features and complex current processes in opposition to Christian faith, catechesis and concrete catechetic practise are on the most part placed in unknown areas. In other words, catechesis and catechetic practise are not familiar with the pulse of the discourse of those they are addressing. One of the most significant causes of problems with contemporary discourse is the fact that catechesis still presumes a Christian society. The third section of the article defines and explains three fundamental preconditions to create new religious speech. This refers primarily to the need to accept changes that have occurred. To approach the modern believer with language and methods that do not account for transformed states of sensibility, mentality and spirituality of the believer result in incomprehensible speech and solutions that do not solve real problems. In contradiction to expansion and depth of modern changes that have not left the Christian community untouched, we cannot continue »as it once used to be«. Identical actions in history in completely different conditions lead to problems of modern incontemporariness that could have catastrophic repercussions. The second important precondition to create new religious speech is accepting one's own responsibilities. The question of co-responsibility for the current state needs to be asked by all in the Church. The lack of self-criticism of those responsible in the Church could additionally hamper modern catechetic communication. The third precondition to create new religious speech is to renew the Christian community. It is conditio sine qua non to admit God, Jesus Christ. The existence of credible Christian communities, even though they still do not represent communication of faith, are a vital precondition for successful religious communication. In the fourth section the article brings some fundamental directives to promote new religious speech in catechesis that relate to the issue of catechetic content and working methods. In that regard special focus is given to catechesis as a communicational and dialogical act, the need to disclose news and joys that are brought to us in the Gospel and the awareness that the centre of Christianity - therefore catechesis - is not doctrine but the person of Jesus Christ.

Ključne riječi

catechesis; new religious speech; missionary context; transmission of faith; religious communication; renewal of the Christian community; self-criticism

Hrčak ID:

72524

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/72524

Datum izdavanja:

19.10.2011.

Podaci na drugim jezicima: hrvatski

Posjeta: 1.870 *