The world needs the testimony of believers, not their endorsement

From Christianity to apostolic mission is one of the most interesting essayistic books published in recent years. This volume, published by the University of Mary and edited in Spanish by Rialp, contains an incisive and profound reflection on the identity of the Church and its “being in the world” today. A world characterized by an undeniable reality: “that we are Christians of pagan times”. A characteristic especially visible in what we know as the West, our society which, at one time was culturally, socially and even politically framed in Christianity, is not so today. 

The reality is this, and today's Christians should not yearn for “those times”. Christianity is not synonymous of greater witness of Christian life in the faithful, nor of more holiness in its structures, nor even of more success in its apostolic mission. “Success” is a concept that is hardly compatible with the times and ways of God and, therefore, of his Church. 

Since the beginning of the apostolic mission, Christians have been clear (at least in a theoretical way) that we preach “to Jesus Christ, and this crucified”.” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Crucified, humanly failed, alone, with only a dozen or so somewhat cowardly followers. 

Yes, on paper this premise holds, but our Western mentality is often permeated by the fallacy of considering that the key value is success, numbers, as if the world's approval carries with it conversion. As Charles J. Chaput points out in Strangers in a strange land, The search for worldly approval leads to an accommodation of the Christian life: “reduce the beauty of Christian truths about marriage, sexuality and other uncomfortable issues to a series of attractive ideals...”. And concludes that “what the world needs from believers is their witness of love and truth, not their approval”. Living the life of faith with the underlying idea that, in reality, it is an impossible ideal ends up weakening it, replacing commandments and beatitudes with values, and morals with consensus. 

To return to another of the central ideas of the volume mentioned at the beginning of this articleIn the face of a disbelieving world, the fundamental attitude of the Church is not to impose the law - taking for granted the knowledge of its existence and its ends - but to invite, with a merciful and hopeful attitude, to a relationship with the living God and to join the new humanity, to a completely new way of being and vision that liberates and brings meaning and happiness“.”. To encounter the living God in order to offer him to others in freedom. 

Will we return to Christianity? It is not possible to guess and, in a way, it would not be fair either, since the world is not the same today as it was yesterday. If Christianity and the pagan world share one thing in common, it is that those who really revolutionize the Church and make it more vibrant, stronger, cleaner and more fruitful are the saints.