The integrity of the Gospel message

111. In its task of inculturating the faith, catechesis must transmit the Gospel message in its integrity and purity. Jesus proclaimed the Gospel integrally: "...because I have made known to you all that I have heard from my Father" (Jn 15,15) This same integrity is demanded by Christ of his disciples in his sending them on mission to preach the Gospel: "...and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Mt 28,19). A fundamental principle of catechesis, therefore, is that of safeguarding the integrity of the message and avoiding any partial or distorted presentation: "In order that the sacrificial offering of his or her faith should be perfect, the person who becomes a disciple of Christ has the right to receive 'the words of faith,' not in mutilated, falsified or diminished form but whole and entire, in all its rigour and vigour". (³⁸⁰)

112. Two closely connected dimensions underlie this criterion.

– The integral presentation of the Gospel message, without ignoring certain fundamental elements, or without operating a selectivity with regard to the deposit of faith. (³⁸¹) Catechesis, on the contrary, "must take diligent care faithfully to present the entire treasure of the Christian message". (³⁸²) This is accomplished, gradually, by following the example of the divine pedagogy with which God revealed himself progressively and gradually. Integrity must also be accompanied by adaptation. Consequently catechesis starts out with a simple proposition of the integral structure of the Christian message, and proceeds to explain it in a manner adapted to the capacity of those being catechized. Without restricting itself to this initial exposition, it gradually and increasingly proposes the Christian message more amply and with greater explicitness, in accordance with the capacity of those being catechized and with the proper character of catechesis. (³⁸³) These two levels of the integral exposition of the Gospel message are called: intensive integrity and "extensive integrity".

– The presentation of the authentic Gospel message, in all of its purity, without reducing idemands for fear of rejection and without imposing heavy burdens which it does not impose, since the yoke of Jesus is light. (³⁸⁴) The criterion of authenticity is closely connected with that of inculturation since the latter is concerned to "translate" (³⁸⁵) the essentials of the Gospel message into a definite cultural language. There is always tension in this necessary task: "Evangelization will lose much of its power and efficacy if it does not take into consideration the people to whom it is addressed.". however "it may lose its very nature and savour if on the pretext of transposing its content into another language that content is rendered meaningless or is corrupted... (³⁸⁶)

113. In the complex relationship between inculturation and the integrity of the Christian message, the criterion to be applied is a Gospel attitude of "a missionary openness to the integral salvation of the world". (³⁸⁷) This must always unite acceptance of truly human and religious values with the missionary task of proclaiming the whole truth of the Gospel, without falling either into closed inflexibility or into facile accommodations which enfeeble the Gospel and secularize the Church. Gospel authenticity excludes both of these attitudes which are contrary to the true meaning of mission.