“Evangelization with Spirit” (Eg 261): The Unity of Theology, Spirituality and Pastoral Serving the Proclamation of the Gospel

Abstract

One of the great “masters in theology” in Argentina in recent times, the late Lucio Gera (+07.08.2012), whose second anniversary we honor in this issue of Teología, spoke of the essential post-conciliar requirement of integrating theology, spirituality and pastoral. Chapter V of Evangelii gaudium, “Missionaries with Spirit”, situates itself in this particular horizon of convictions, because it has a distinctive theological content, a strong spiritual focus and a clear guidance and pastoral language, but mostly because it expresses an intimate link between these three dimensions. This article revises and extends an oral presentation given in a series of lectures about Evangelii gaudium, organized by the Faculty of Theology of the UCA on the 5th of June of the present year. We assume the strength of the proposed “evangelistic spirit” (EG 261) and offer a consideration on four aspects related to it: 1. A theology of “evangelization in the spirit or the Holy Spirit”; 2. A contemplative spirituality: the love of the Word and the fondness of being a People; 3. A Marian pastoral style of evangelization; and 4. The dance of theology, spirituality and pastoral at the service of the joy of evangelizing.