Redemptoris missio

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Redemptoris Missio (Eng. The Mission of the Redeemer ) of December 7, 1990 is the eighth encyclical of Pope John Paul II. In it, the Pope ties in with the Apostolic Exhortation "Evangelii Nuntiandi" of his predecessor Paul VI. from 1976 and writes about the continuing validity of the missionary mandate (subtitle). The encyclical is divided into eight chapters.

content

Chapter I.
Jesus Christ, only Savior

With a clearly Christ-centered approach (“Nobody comes to the Father except through me”, Jn 14.6), faith in Christ is presented as an offer to human freedom and the Church as a sign and instrument of salvation. This salvation is addressed to all people and is proclaimed by those who have experienced it themselves and therefore “cannot remain silent” (Acts 4, 20)

Chapter II
The kingdom of God

Christ brings about the presence of the kingdom with its particularities and requirements. In him it also comes to completion and through him it is proclaimed. The church is at the service of the kingdom.

Chapter III
The Holy Spirit as a champion for mission

The sending in the Spirit "to the limits of the earth" (Acts 1, 8) indicates the leading role that the Spirit has in the sending of the Savior. He shows the church as a whole as a mission church and is present and at work at all times and in every place. Therefore, one can also say that missionary work is only just beginning.

Chapter IV
The unlimited scope of the mission ad gentes

Even if the mission to the peoples (cf. Ad gentes ) is perceived as a complex religious image in motion, it retains its value as such if it applies to all peoples despite difficulties, is faithful to Christ and promotes human freedom . Particular attention should be paid to the South and the Orient.

Chapter V
Ways of mission

The first form of evangelization is personal witness, just as Christ the Redeemer demonstrated in his first preaching. The importance of conversion and baptism and the formation of local churches are discussed. Basic church congregations are the heralds of the gospel through whom the gospel comes to life in the cultures of the peoples. Neither the dialogue with the brothers from other religions nor the promotion of development through the formation of conscience is a contradiction to mission ad gentes . Love thus becomes the origin and standard of mission.

Chapter VI
Those responsible and employees of pastoral care in the missions

This chapter clarifies the responsibilities. Reference is made to the primary responsibility of all Christians and to the special responsibility of the missionaries and institutes ad gentes and the diocesan priests for world mission. Consecration is of particular importance . But already through baptism all lay people are missionaries. One chapter turns to the work of catechists and the diversity of ministries. Finally, the tasks and structures of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the other structures of missionary activity are discussed.

Chapter VII
Cooperation in missionary work

First of all, it is about prayer and sacrifice for the missionaries, to create missionary awareness. The special responsibility of the Pontifical Mission Societies is emphasized and that mission is not a one-way street, but rather a giving and receiving. The Pope closes this chapter with the thought that it is actually God who "prepares a new spring for the Gospel".

Chapter VIII
Missionary Spirituality

Pope John Paul II sees missionary spirituality in being guided by the Spirit and in living the mystery of Christ, the "Messenger", in loving the Church and people as Jesus loved them and in living holyly because the "true missionary is the saint".

Web links

literature

  • Horst Bürkle: The man in search of God - the question of religions. Bonifatius, Paderborn 1996 (AMATECA; Vol. 3), ISBN 3-87088-894-6 , pp. 87-91.