The paths of the Gospel

The future of Christianity in Europe depends on “a greater involvement of the people of God in understanding their own future”, and hence “a better balance between the leaders of the community and the lay faithful” in a practice of real co-responsibility and “renewed interpretation of belonging” to the Christian community. This is, in essence, what emerged from the congress of the European Équipe of catechesis which was recently held in Graz (in Austria) and which examined the relation between catechesis and popular religion. Some figures: Europeans who consider themselves Christians form 34% of the continent’s population, as against 35% who define themselves as agnostic, 20% as atheists and 11% who confess forms of private religion. The Équipe, a forum for European catechists for over half a century, has left its stamp, albeit in an informal way, on catechetical aggiornamento before and after Vatican Council II. FOUR FORMS OF SPIRITUALITY. According to the Viennese pastoral theologian PAUL ZULEHNER, we are witnessing “a renewed demand for spirituality” in Europe today. It takes, he said, four different forms: “the spirituality transformed by or assimilated to the market”, which consists in the use of religious symbols by the advertising industry; “the spirituality fostered by the political authorities” with the aim of “realizing new forms of social contract and of civil religion”; the spirituality expressed in individual processes (mainly aimed at personal consolation or gratification); and, lastly, the so-called “spirituality of personal search and personal conversion” which understands the Gospel as a way of guiding the person and life. If the third perspective, observed Zulehner, “may constitute a basis for evangelization, it is essential for the future of Christianity that pastoral care be capable to assuming with decision the category of spirituality as conversion”. POPULAR RELIGION. An appeal to overcome “the classic antithesis between popular religion as the personal expression of subordinate and oppressed classes and the religious expression of the élite of the ruling classes” was made by the Italian pastoral theologian ENZO BIEMMI , head of the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences in Verona. “Popular religion – he explains – crosses over social divides”, hence “it is at once popular and non-popular”. Biemmi therefore proposes that popular religion should be considered the “product of the interaction between the three subjects involved: the man of the people, the educated person and the institution”. The main feature of popular religion is “the need for simplicity faced by the cultural complexity” of our time. Replying to the question whether it “expresses faith in Christ and is characterized by this profession”, Biemmi remarked that popular religion “reminds theology that faith is expressed according to both an objective and a subjective criterion” and that “feeling for God is just as important as being able to understand God”. Evangelising and letting oneself be evangelised: in this reciprocity, according to Biemmi, “a popular Christianity can be affirmed that permits everyone to experience a faith that is culturally expressible and existentially vital”. RE-INTERPRETING RELIGIOUS NEEDS. In the view of the catechetical expert P.JAQUET (Lausanne), “future catechesis will favour the birth of a new popular Christianity only if it able to re-interpret itself in the light of the primacy of God”, respond “to man’s struggle to live today”, “develop links with the parish and local community”, and place “people in relation with God”. The question is also addressed by LUCIANO MEDDI in the latest number of the Italian pastoral weekly “Settimana”. He points out that the question is not “whether a pastoral ministry is needed for popular religion, but what objectives ought to be pursued”. Since “ evangelising popular religion has often been confused with maintaining in the Catholic area, or restoring to it, forms of popular religious experience”, it would be preferable, according to Meddi, “to speak of popular religion in terms of aid to the re-interpretation of religious needs with the aim of raising the awareness of those who make use of it about their own personal and social aspirations”. “Perhaps – he adds – one could speak of the birth of forms of religious pluralism also in Europe”. “In any case – Meddi concludes – both popular religion and a further reflection on the popular dimension of the Christian experience cannot forget the figures of popularity described in the Gospels. Many – he points out – have drawn close to Jesus with freedom… the community welcomes them all and places itself at their service, but it remains composed of disciples and apostles”.