In the October 1 edition of the Catholic News, I began to examine the issue of apologetics. I used my column to offer a summary history of apologetics.

I promised that in a subsequent column I would offer the readers of the Catholic News a consideration of the meaning of apologetics and some comments on the relevance of apologetics in the life of the Church today.

I stressed five points in my first column:
1) Cyberspace is filled with programmes about religious, Gnostic and new age philosophies and theologies that are competing for the minds and hearts of people, especially the young;
2) The impacting of cultures as a result of globalisation is irreversible;
3) People need to be able to source accurate information about the Catholic faith as easily as they can access inaccurate and confusing information about the Catholic faith;
4) A modern form of apologetics is needed.
5) Catholic Communications must be present and active in the world of cyberspace

Apologetics defined

The word “apologetics” means justification or to speak in defense of. There are many definitions of Apologetics.

To clarify the concept of apologetics I shall share with the reader just two of the definitions:
1) Apologetics is the intellectual defense of the beliefs of the Catholic Faith about God, Christ, the Church and the common destiny of humanity;
2) Apologetics is that part of theology which seeks to explain what believers do and think to those who do not share the Christian Faith. 

The contrast of the two definitions is helpful. Apologetics is not just a system of defense against opponents (first definition). It is also a positive science that would deserve to exist even if there were no opponents (second definition).

Apologetics accepts the fact of revelation and then uses intellectual insight to clarify and explain the value of the Catholic Faith. As Cardinal Dulles points out in his writings on apologetics, “If faith is a free and reasonable act, then reason must be able to demonstrate that it does not engage in faith unreasonably.” 

Directives for apologetics

The General Directory for Catechesis teaches that one of the concrete tasks in the process of inculturating the Gospel is to provide effective apologetics to assist the faith-culture dialogue.

The Directory states that this dimension of catechesis is indispensable today. It requests, therefore, that those responsible for proclaiming the Gospel must be prepared in such a way that they are capable of giving reasons for their hope to all people but especially to those who live in cultures that are pagan or post-Christian. (N. 110)

The Pastoral Letter of the Antilles Episcopal Conference on the Ministry of Catechesis also stresses the importance of apologetics and specifies three groups which are addressed by apologetics:
1) People who are not believers;
2) Members of other Christian traditions and members of other religious traditions; and
3) Catholics who have grown indifferent or even hostile to the Church.

The Pastoral Letter makes two important observations on apologetics in today’s Church. It notes that:
1) Too frequently Catholics do not feel capable of sharing or defending the faith. For that reason they will not become involved in the catechesis of adults;
2) An overlooked dimension of apologetics is the witness of the apologist/catechist. Unfortunately, the witness of some catechists undermines the effectiveness of their ministry.

The method of apologetics

One of the traditional goals for apologetics was to strengthen the faith of the Catholic believer by refuting criticisms or even “attacks” on the faith and the Church. Apologetics was reactive in nature.

 It produced booklets on “Most Frequently Asked Questions” and many pamphlets that responded to particular challenges to the Catholic faith e.g. The Catholic Answers Series. The reactive approach of apologetics is still helpful to people who are continually confronted by fundamentalists. Why? Because the fundamentalists still ask the same questions and still try to confront people with the same challenges.

The new apologetics

What is new about the new apologetics? The cultural situation is new. People who live in a secularised culture do not ordinarily attack or challenge the Catholic faith. People no longer care enough about faith to attack or criticise.

They have become indifferent to religion. They are much more influenced by culture than they are by faith. Theologians call these people “baptised non believers”. These people are the primary object of interest for the New Evangelisation that was called for by Pope John Paul II   

A change in strategy is needed. In a sense, responding to attacks on the faith is easy considering the depth of the Catholic tradition. The new apologetic challenge is much more complicated. An important issue for those involved in apologetics for our times is that they understand the questioning and the problems of the culture in which they live.

To give the viewpoint of the faith to the world, the apologist must now move more deeply into the reality of faith and theology.

Most importantly, the apologist must view the ministry of contemporary apologetics in a context of dialogue. Apologists must understand that media and cyberspace have become the stage for the dialogue.

Consequently, the pastoral method has to be changed along with the packaging of the theological message. People are still searching for God, for truth and for new meaning in their lives.

They are not looking to win an argument with the enemies of the Church (old apologetics). They are looking for an experience and an understanding of faith, spirituality and community (new apologetics).

Conclusion

Last week, the first step in the plan of the Antilles Episcopal Conference for Lifelong Catechesis began. It was presented on cable television, Internet radio and FM radio.

Within two weeks, each Bishop of the Conference and each parish in the Archdiocese will receive a copy of the programming on a DVD for communal viewing, study and discussion.

The method can and will be refined after evaluation. The point is that Adult Education/Formation has begun as promised. Hopefully, it will become part of the life of the Caribbean Church.

I invite participation in the process. Perseverance in the process will enable people to be apologists in both the reactive sense and in the proactive sense of the word.