I’m glad somebody has picked up on this topic. I hear about it frequently from a friend in Brazil. Protestant Evangelical churches are making HUGE inroads amongst the young populations of South America. Mainly because they preach the Good News in a joyful manner and in simple language that can be understood and which the people relate and respond to.
By contrast Benedict’s wish for a smaller, more insular church expressing itself with arcane pre-Vatican II language
would have a very difficult time keeping up.
I have read what Benedict/Ratinger wrote years ago about the Churhc being stripped of every worldly benefit and conducting itself as it did before it had any earthly power. Smaller, simpler, closer to the ground, purer.
This was not a call to "arcane pre-Vatican II language." It was a call to the Gospels.
I have read what Benedict/Ratinger wrote years ago about the Churhc being stripped of every worldly benefit and conducting itself as it did before it had any earthly power. Smaller, simpler, closer to the ground, purer.
This was not a call to "arcane pre-Vatican II language." It was a call to the Gospels.
actually, the problem is that too many in south American clergy preached liberation theology and marxism...and so folks preferred to find jesus elsewhere.
This is similar to the drought in many American Catholic diocese: dryness from lack of faith among the clergy, and indeed often a low grade persecution of “renewal” groups that were not PC (One diocese where I lived discouraged the Marian prayer groups and the charismatic fellowships in the church, whitewashed beautiful murals and threw out statues, while ignoring the gay friendly priests and new age nuns who preached liberation theology and enneagrams to our children.)
Another reason is that it is a “folk” religion, i.e. grass roots outreach in the slums and among business folk, who want rules on how to cope with modern life. Catholicism in many countries still is embedded in village traditions which no longer exist in our cities.
Actually, going back to a church that emphasizes Jesus will be the answer. Benedict stressed emphasis on the worship of God at mass, not “celebrating ourselves”...
I love the Pentecostals, but too often they have a shallow theology, and often give easy answers to the hard questions of life.
And when you grow up, you need something stronger than spiritual milk...