Dialogue with Attitude

All Christians are called to "(a)lways be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." -1 Peter 3:15-16. Throughout history, the Catholic Church has been the foremost agent of evangelism, apologetics and living by example for the conversion and charitable consolation of all people. While I believe these methods are highly commendable, successful and good, I think there is another side to religious dialogue that is often forgotten, except perhaps in living by example: attitude.

Apologetics specifically uses reason, which attempts to elucidate God's presence in the universe through its logical order and philosophical nature, and to connect this with His Revelation, answering the endless que of intellectual arguments and issued posed to the Church. Catholics and non-Catholics alike have intellectual problems that Church apologists, and Christians in their daily lives, try to answer with reason and faith. But the intellect is often not the deepest motivation people have for their worldview and choices. In my experience, their intellectual arguments are frequently a facade to cover their personal, emotional motivations. This creates an attitude that colors the very way they view the Church, and distorts the reasoning until they are completely unreceptive to Catholicism - what the Church calls "invincible ignorance". However, most people's ignorance is not invincible; only preferable to them. All of us, even the most devout, have this problem to a degree, but some let it affect their entire religious and philosophical beliefs to take them away from the Church.

Many people prefer what they were "raised in" over the Church; many have a certain sin or sins which they have a deep affection for and so create logical excuses and doubts to distract from guilt and Christian repentance; many prefer to appear "intelligent", "mature" or "cultured" by not being Catholic or even Christian, this often leading university students away from the faith; and many Catholics let their personal biases, culture and sinful inclinations taint their worldview and actions, whether towards fundamentalism or liberality. Though pride prevents admission of this fact, it creates a rift in religious dialogue and apologetics. When reason is implemented purely as a facade to present intellectual excuses for some deeper attitude problem, apologetics breaks down and is virtually useless, beyond the planting of a spiritual seed in the person's soul.

I believe that the Church should continue publishing apologetic documents open to the public, so that anyone acquiescent to the pull of the Spirit to their true Home can have a resource for their genuine intellectual dilemmas. But I also believe that Catholics should focus on their personal holiness and living by example, being as devout and charitable as possible, while understanding their faith as deeply as they can, only giving a rational response when specifically asked, or in a more open, unsolicited theological publication as "faith seeking understanding" rather than specifically for apologetics. When in a discussion and it is evident that the non-Catholic is emotionally biased, I think the Catholic should "agree to disagree" and move on, praying for the person and remaining open, but living by example primarily.