New religious movements: a pastoral challenge to evangelization in Kampala archdiocese. A case study of Jinja Kaloli parish

Abstract

study was conducted on the topic- New Religious Movements: A Pastoral Challenge to Evangelization in Kampala Archdiocese: A case study of Jinja Kaloli Parish. NRMs are a real pastoral challenge to the work of evangelization because some members from the mainstream Churches run away to these movements. Ideally, all the faithful ought to be stable in the mainline Church. Much as there is religious freedom, human beings ought to look for and adhere to truth which subsists in the Catholic Church according to Vatican Council II. General objective was to determine the challenges the NRMs pose to evangelization establish the Pastoral response to these challenges .The specific objectives were: to show the meaning and methods of evangelization used in Jinja Kaloli Parish, to show the meaning, and discover the causes and effects of the NRMs, assess the challenges NRMs pose to evangelization and, and to suggest possible solutions to these challenges. Research findings revealed that evangelization is a proclamation of the Gospel to those who do not know it and its contents are: true witness to God the Father, proclamation of Jesus Christ as the redeemer, proclamation of the message of hope, liberation and conversion. The methods of evangelization used are: witness of life, living preaching, homily, catechesis, retreats and recollections, youth seminars and workshops, ecclesial basic communities, personal contact among others. NRMs are understood as mushrooming sects and cults that break away from mainline churches. People join them because of biblical illiteracy, love bombing, peer pressure, cult naivety, life transitions, and irrational Worldview. The challenges NRMs pose to evangelization are leading Christians away from mainline Churches, creating divisions, bringing about lukewarmness in the faith, also leading Christians to syncretism and the solutions given were helping Christians to have a sense of the community, formation and ongoing formation, personal and holistic approach, cultural identity, prayer and worship, participation and leadership. The researcher recommended renewal of Methods and adequate training of agents of evangelization, collaborative ministry in the Church, and renewal of the Catholic Life, Sacramental life, the Liturgical life, authentic Christian living, continuous conversion, and conscious discernment.