A Civilization of Love
What Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World
Chapter One
The Power of Christ to Transform Culture
Pope John Paul II often spoke of the Christian's responsibility living in what he called the new "Areopagus of culture."1 The phrase recalls the apostle Paul's preaching to the citizens of Athens in the first century—one of the first great encounters of Christianity with pagan civilization. Today it is commonplace to speak of a "clash of civilizations." Several years ago, it was just as common to speak of "culture wars," and some people continue to do so. But such encounters between civilizations or cultural values are nothing new. They have happened over and over again in the course of history, in episodes that are sometimes cataclysmic, sometimes subtle, and almost unnoticed. One such moment is Paul's preaching in Athens as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.2 By recalling the Areopagus so often in the context of culture, I think John Paul II was suggesting to us that what St. Paul did in Athens remains an impor ... read full excerpt from: A Civilization of Love ebook
