Boldly Proclaiming the Gospel

It is the task of every baptized Christian to boldly proclaim the Gospel. However, many of us feel ill-equipped to do so, perhaps from a lack of knowledge or confidence. The following articles are a summary of the Christian kerygma as articulated by Bishop Donald Hying in his booklet “Boldly Proclaiming the Gospel” which based on a series of articles in the Madison Catholic Herald in Advent 2020. Bishop Hying describes the Christian kerygma as an “elevator speech” that one can use to describe the Christian faith and how it effects your. The kerygma consists of four simple points that answer the fundamental questions that all humans have.

The first part of the kerygma addresses the most fundamental questions of philosophy and human existence: Why am I here? Why is there something rather than nothing? The order and beauty of the universe is astounding. There are hundreds of billions of galaxies in a universe so vast that we are unable to comprehend it. The functional complexity of the human body over millions of years of evolution is a marvel. The simply beauty of a sunrise and the stunning diversity of plants and animals point to an intelligent Creator who loves beauty, order and surprises. The fact that humans since the beginning of the evolutionary leap from mere animal to an inquisitive self-intelligent being who can ask these questions point to a God who wants to be in relationship with us. God made us in His image so that we can enter into relationship with God. Our existence is a gift that we did not ask for. We live, move and have our being only because we participate in the very Being of the Trinity.

The second part of the kerygma acknowledges the gap between the divine harmony that is supposed to be and brokenness of the world as it exists today. Humans are designed to be psychologically and spiritually whole and to live in harmony with God, with neighbor and with creation. The reality is often very different. We only need to read the news to see the violence and selfishness that is prevalent in our world. We only need to look into our own hearts to see the separation that exists between our current condition of selfish desires and our destined for harmony with God, others, creation and our authentic selves. This estrangement is often referred to as the effects of original sin. When we reflect on the state of the world and ourselves, we realize that we need a savior as we are not able to heal the brokenness on our own.

The third part of the kerygma recognizes that it is Christ that bridges the existential gap between God’s divine plan and the brokenness of original sin through Christ’s incarnation, life, death and resurrection. We are not able to heal ourselves so God takes the initiative. God sends Christ so that we can participate in the life of the Trinity. As the Catechism (460) states:

“The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”. For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God. For the Son of God became man so that we might become God. The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.”

We express our gratitude for the Incarnation during the Nicene Creed that we profess each Sunday that we bow at the words “and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” We participate in the life, death and resurrection of Christ when we participate in the Easter Triduum.

The fourth part of the kerygma asks us to respond to God’s call to share his unconditional love with others by becoming missionary disciples. Believers focus on their own relationship with God whereas missionary disciples share the good news through the actions and words. Ongoing Christian formation through prayer, service and life-long learning.

Links:

Understanding the kerygma. Bishop Hying column in Madison Catholic Herald.

The second movement of the kerygma. Bishop Hying column in Madison Catholic Herald.

The third movement of the kerygma. Bishop Hying column in Madison Catholic Herald.

The fourth movement of the kerygma. Bishop Hying column in Madison Catholic Herald.