II. AD GENTES

Now we enter into a timely topic. The word "gentes" can be found in the New Testament, and particularly in the missionary texts: euntes e docete omnes gentes (Mt 28:19; Lk 24:47; see RM 23).

This word is the translation of the Greek "eznê" which is used to mean all the peoples not belonging to the chosen people (the latter is designated in Greek by the word "laos"). The Greek also follows the terminology and ideology found in the Old Testament: in the New Testament "eznê" is used more than 100 times to translate the Hebrew "goyim", indicating the pagans in contrast to the Jews. "Gentes" always indicates universality, and often emphasises the distinction from the Jews, as can be found in the parables (e.g. Mt 21:23). Paul is called to become the apostle of the "genti" (Acts 13:47), the "gentes" are the pagans in antithesis to the Christians (1 Cor 5:1; 12:2; however sometimes the people converted from paganism to Christianity are referred to as the "gentes"). As an influence of classical Greek, the term has a geographic meaning, the barbarian peoples, who were far removed from the "Hellenistic" influence.

The geographical idea, a result of universalism, is used without ever really forgetting the distinction with Judaism. Very early on St. Irenaeus would speak of the "ecclesia ex gentibus", which had a place alongside the Churches which had received the promise (Adv. Haer, V, chapt. 34, n. 3). And soon the geographic idea would lead us to speak of the "gentes" in contrast to the "Christians", the people living in the lands where the Gospel has not yet arrived.

The phrase "mission ad gentes" is rather recent, and began to enjoy widespread use in the 19^th century. In the 13^th century St. Francis of Assisi spoke of "Those who go among the Saracens and other infidels". In the 16^th century St. Ignatius of Loyola used the noun "mission" or "missions" as an act by which the Pope or a superior sent someone, finding its inspiration in the "apostolic missions". At the beginning of the 17^th century the Carmelites, in speaking of the "missio" or "missiones", used the term not only as a "sending out", but also as an activity for saving the gentiles. In the middle of the 17^th century St. Vincent de Paul founded the Congregation of the mission in order to evangelise rural areas. It is the encyclicals of the 10^th and 20^th centuries which, beginning with the missionary mandate, describe the mission ad gentes as an activity aimed at those who do not know Christ because they have not heard the Gospel and live in distant lands. Mission now has only one direction, go from one land to another, in order to proclaim Christ. Instead of the mission ad gentes, expressions such as infidels, ethnic groups and pagans are used. The 1917 Code of Canon Law speaks of the "terrae missionum". There are many texts that use this type of expression: the greatness of a vocation open to "educating the remote pagan regions (etnichorum gentes) in the Gospel... "apud exteras gentes"..., "current needs of the Church in the mission lands". Although the new Code of Canon Law maintains the geographical dimension (canons 781-792), it also has a certain novelty in introducing the idea of the responsibility of the particular Churches and of all the members of the Church in the universal mission, in particular the responsibility of members of institutes of consecrated life in this regard (can. 783).

Now we come to Vatican II. The Council legitimated the expression. In the Decree Ad gentes alone the word "gentes" appears more than fifty times, and "missio" thirty times in its noun form and 101 times as an adjective. In the Council the geographic meaning is still present: "in terris missionum" (SC 65, AG 38), "in locis missionum" (PC 3), etc., as the Pope acknowledges (RM 39). It is true that the theology of Vatican II, especially as it is expressed in AG, has enriched missionary theology, mainly with a perspective of mission seen in the light of the Trinity, and in the light of the Holy Spirit in particular: missionary activity derives from the Trinitarian mission itself. Ecclesiology has an important role, the Church is the source of the mission, the means for achieving it, and its goal. The Church "by its very nature is missionary" (AG 2). Something new is brought about by the fact that, according to the circumstances in which it is conducted or the immediate goals to which it aims, mission becomes pastoral, ecumenical or missionary activity. Specifically missionary activity is described as follows:

The special undertakings in which preachers of the Gospel, sent by the Church, and going into the whole world, carry out the work of preaching the Gospel and implanting the Church among people who do not yet believe in Christ, are generally called "mission" (AG 6).

Now "missions" mean primarily an activity characterised by the first proclamation, and its purpose is to form a Church. Missionaries must "go into the whole world", especially to the peoples "who do not yet believe in Christ" . "De opere missionari ad gentes" (AG 17) can be presented as a recapitulation which preserves the two traditional terms, "mission ad gentes".