Redemptoris Missio

Redemptoris Missio ( The Mission of the Redeemer dt ) of 7 December 1990, the eighth encyclical of Pope John Paul II. Pope ties it to the Apostolic Letter " Gospel Nuntiandi " of his predecessor Paul VI. from the year 1976 and writes about the continued validity of the missionary mandate (Subtitles). The encyclical is divided into eight chapters.

Content

With a clearly Christ-centered approach ( "No one comes to the Father except through me " John 14:6), faith in Christ as an offer to the freedom of the people and the Church is presented as a sign and instrument of salvation. This salvation is addressed to all people and is proclaimed by those who have experienced it myself and therefore " can not keep silent" (Acts 4, 20 )

Christ, the presence of the kingdom with its specific characteristics and needs. In it, it also comes to completion and through him it is announced. The Church is at the service of the kingdom.

The mission of the Spirit "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1, 8 ) indicates the leading role that the mind has on the mission of the Savior. He proves the church as a whole as a mission church and is currently at any time and at any place and at work. Therefore, one can also say that the missionary activity actually is only just beginning.

Although the mission to the nations ( vergl.Ad Gentes ) is perceived as a complex and fallen into motion religious image, it retains its value as such if they all nations is despite difficulties, loyal stand for Christ and promotes the freedom of man. In this case, the South and the East special attention was turn.

The first form of evangelization is the personal testimony, as it was Christ the Redeemer shown us in his initial proclamation. It discusses the importance of conversion and baptism and the formation of local churches. " Ecclesiastical Base Communities are the preachers of the Gospel, through which the Gospel comes alive in the cultures of the peoples. Neither the dialogue with our brothers from other religions nor the promotion of development through the formation of conscience was an opposition to the mission ad gentes. The Love is the origin and scale of the mission.

This chapter clarifies the responsibilities. Reference is made to the primary responsibility of all Christians, and on the specific responsibility of the missionaries and institutes ad gentes and the diocesan priest for world mission. Particular importance was doing the consecration. But already by baptism were all lay missionaries. A chapter turns to the work of the catechists and the diversity of offices. Finally received on tasks and structures of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, and the other structures of the missionary activity.

First, it comes to prayer and sacrifice for the missionaries, to the creation of a missionary consciousness. It is the particular responsibility of the Pontifical Mission Societies highlighted and that mission is a two way street, but a giving and receiving. The Pope concludes this chapter with the thought that it is actually God who is " the gospel of a new springtime " prepares.

Pope John Paul II sees the missionary spirituality is to be guided by the spirit and the mystery of Christ, the " envoy " to live, to love the Church and the people, as Jesus has loved and to live in holiness, because " the true missionary is the Holy "