The New Evangelization as a Theological Boundary Concept: An Interpretative Reconstruction of Papal Emphases

Michał Wilkosz

doi:10.21697/ct.96.3.06

Published: 2026-09-28

Vol. 96 No. 3 (2026)

The New Evangelization as a Theological Boundary Concept

An Interpretative Reconstruction of Papal Emphases

Michał Wilkosz

Collectanea Theologica

Section: Articles

https://doi.org/10.21697/ct.96.3.06

Abstract

The article offers an interpretative reconstruction of the functions of the concept of the new evangelization in selected texts of four successive popes, treating it as a theological boundary concept situated between fundamental, pastoral, and social theology. It argues that under the pontificate of John Paul II, the term functioned primarily as a mobilizing category intended to rekindle the Church’s missionary zeal. Benedict XVI offered an intellectual deepening of the concept, focusing on the relationship between faith and reason and on the defense of objective truth in a secularized world. In Pope Francis’s approach, the concept acquires an existential dimension, emphasizing the witness of mercy and outreach to the social peripheries. The article also advances a hypothesis concerning Leo XIV, suggesting a shift towards a socio-structural recontextualization in which poverty becomes a key locus of discernment. Ultimately, the new evangelization is defined as a boundary concept whose future depends on maintaining a balance between theological precision and social relevance.

Keywords:

boundary concept, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV, faith and reason, secularization

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Wilkosz, M. (2026). The New Evangelization as a Theological Boundary Concept: An Interpretative Reconstruction of Papal Emphases. Collectanea Theologica, 96(3), 591–619. https://doi.org/10.21697/ct.96.3.06

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