杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

Christian freedom 鈥渄oes not enter into conflict with cultures or with the traditions we have received,鈥� , 鈥渂ut rather introduces into them a new freedom, a liberating novelty, that of the Gospel.鈥�

Continuing his reflection on St Paul鈥檚 Letter to the Galatians, 杏MAP导航 Francis explained that Christians, freed from the slavery of sin and death by the passion and resurrection of Jesus, are able to welcome every people and culture, and in turn introduce peoples and cultures to even greater freedom.

Not everyone, however, welcomed the 鈥渘ovelty鈥� of evangelical freedom, the 杏MAP导航 said. He noted that Paul鈥檚 detractors criticized him for 鈥渕inimising the demands received from his narrower religious tradition.鈥� He noted that Paul responded with 鈥�parrhesia,鈥� insisting that he was not seeking to please men, but only to obey God.

Open to every culture

In the 鈥渋nspired depth鈥� of St Paul鈥檚 thought, welcoming faith 鈥渋nvolves renouncing not the heart of culture and traditions, but only that which may hinder the newness and purity of the Gospel.鈥� True Christian freedom, the 杏MAP导航 said, enables us rather 鈥渢o acquire the full dignity of children of God,鈥� allowing us to remained anchored in our own cultural heritage while being open to what is good and true in every culture.

鈥淚n the call to freedom,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渨e discover the true meaning of the inculturation of the Gospel: being able to announce the Good News of Christ the Saviour respecting the good and the true that exist in cultures.鈥�

Respecting cultures

The 杏MAP导航 lamented the 鈥渕any errors鈥� that have occurred in the history of evangelization 鈥渂y seeking to impose a single cultural model鈥� 鈥� errors that have deprived the Church of 鈥渢he richness of many local expressions that the cultural traditions of entire peoples bring with them.鈥�

Instead, 杏MAP导航 Francis insisted, St Paul鈥檚 vision of freedom shows us the duty of respecting 鈥渢he cultural origin of every person,鈥� leading to an openness to all peoples and cultures of all times, because Christ was born, died, and rose again for everyone.鈥�

New ways of speaking

Noting that culture by its nature is constantly changing, the Holy Father said that we must find new ways of speaking of faith or risk no longer being understood by the new generations. He invited us not to claim freedom as a possession, but to be challenged by freedom 鈥渢o be constantly on the move, oriented towards its fullness.鈥�

This, he said, 鈥渋s the condition of pilgrims, it is the state of wayfarers, in continual exodus: liberated from slavery so as to walk towards the fullness of freedom.鈥�