Facing the Pastoral Challenges Posed To Catholics by New Movements
Date
2009
Authors
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Publisher
Tangaza College
Abstract
The general aim of this long essay is to find ways of facing the pastoral
challenges posed to Catholics by the New Movements. A 'threefold rediscovery' of the
Nflystagogy, the baptism vocation and movements in the Church (mainly the charismatic
renewal) is discussed. The main pastoral challenge posed to the Catholic Church is that
there is a great exodus of the faithful to these New Religious movements. The research
shows how gospel-culture integration within the New Religious Movements has
remained their main tool hi getting Catholics to join them. Indeed, such integration
makes them feel at home in the New Movements. In the first Chapter, I will seek to find
out if the New Religious Movements are places for Africans to feel at home, either in the
manner of worship, teaching, belief and thought systems, structures, community
experience or in any other ways.
I will thus discuss the place of gospel and culture integration in their success.
Chapters two, three and four will mainly discuss the three major rediscoveries as ways to
face the challenge. Therefore the particular aim of this long essay is to search and
recommend a way forward for the Catholic Church. My primary source material for this
research is the interviews among the members of Revival Ministries Church in Dandora.
The members were interviewed either in the church premises, in their homes or in their
job places especially the shop owners. My secondary source material includes literature
review from relevant books.
I Iowever, the study has limitations. To begin with, establishing a more objective
truth would require longitudinal studies over a long period of time. A major limitation is
that I am mainly focused on one NRM which is in a poor region of the city; however the
many people of diverse backgrounds will lessen the possible prejudice that may come
with interviewing people of a particular creed and experience. Another limitation is the
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fact that I am mainly focused on just the aspect of 'how homely' the New Religious
Movements are to Africans with an aim to propose a way forward for Catholics
Description
Keywords
Catholic church, Pastoral challenge, Mystagogy