MISSION AND EVANGELIZATION

Abstract

Mission is integral to Christian existence. “The pilgrim Church is
missionary by her very nature.”1 From its very inception, the Church
has considered evangelization its basic mission: “Go therefore and
make disciples of all nations…” (Mt 28:19). However, this very
command has been understood, interpreted and put into practice
differently in different times. The demands of the mission and its
implications have undergone drastic changes from time to time. The
present era is not an exception to this. The Church’s understanding of
the “mission command” and its approaches to evangelization have
been crucial in its relationships with other religions and cultures.