This document discusses paradigms and the need for paradigm shifts in catechesis and teaching Scripture. It provides context on paradigms from Thomas Kuhn's work and explains that a paradigm is a set of implicit or explicit rules that shape one's perspectives. The document outlines that catechesis and religious education need paradigm shifts to move from an academic focus to a personal encounter with Jesus. It discusses various meanings of "Word of God" and how Scripture invites paradigm shifts. The role of women in relation to the word of God is highlighted from Verbum Domini. Overall the document examines shifting perspectives and approaches in teaching and learning Scripture and faith.

1. DR. NATIVIDAD B. PAGADUT
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
EPISCOPAL COMMISSION ON THE BIBLICAL APOSTOLATE

2. 3rd objective of this 15th
Annual Meeting of
Catechetical Ministers
 3. To engage in a friendly
exchange with theological experts
in the areas of Scriptures, Doctrine,
Morality and Liturgy so as to be
updated in the sources (content) of
catechesis.

3. Purpose?
to be updated in the
sources (content) of
catechesis.

4. My Topic

5. Outline of my Friendly
Sharing
1. What is a paradigm?
Paradigm Shift?
2. Why do we need paradigm
shifts in catechesis and
religious education?
3. How/what are necessary
paradigm shifts in teaching
Scripture?

6. paradigm
Popularized by Thomas
Khun in a book which
came out in 1962 entitled
“The Structure of Scientific
Revolutions”

7. A paradigm signifies an
implicit or explicit set of
rules that molds a person’s
perspectives, affects the
way he sees and shapes his
view of the world.

8. Paradigm shift
A change in the basic
assumptions within the
ruling theory of science.
It is what members of a
scientific community,
and they alone, share.

9. Outline of my Friendly
Sharing
1. What is a paradigm?
Paradigm Shift?
2. Why do we need paradigm
shifts in catechesis and
religious education?
3. How/what are necessary
paradigm shifts in teaching
Scripture?

11. Paradigms
of the
World
Paradigms
of the
Word

12. His encyclical, Redemptoris Missio
New Evangelization:
Saint John Paul II
describes a situation
between
the first two options “where entire groups of the
baptized have lost a living sense of the faith, or
even no longer consider themselves members
of the Church, and live a life far removed from
Christ and his Gospel. In this case what is
needed is a ‘new evangelization’ or a ‘re-
evangelization.’”

13. •Year of Faith
•New Evangelization
•Year of the Laity
File C of NBPagadut 2014

14. Year of the Laity

15. VERBUM DOMINI
Post-Synodal Apostolic
Exhortation of Benedict XV

17. The New
Evangelization?

18. •Laudato Si

19.  All Christian people must make
a fundamental paradigm
choice: the decision between
what is and what seems to be,
the eternal and the temporal.
 Shift from a cultural way of
seeing life to a biblical way of
seeing life.

20. OUR PARADIGMS
(to be noted in
relation to Scripture)

21. VERBUM DOMINI NO. 74
An important aspect of the Church’s
pastoral work which, if used wisely, can
help in rediscovering the centrality of
God’s word is catechesis, which in its
various forms and levels must
constantly accompany the journey of
the People of God. (See Luke 24: 13-
35)

22. Various meanings of “Word of God”
1.The Logos refers in the first
place to the Eternal Word,
the Only Son, begotten of
the Father before all ages
and consubstantial with
him: the word was with
God and the word was God.
(Jn 1,1) (VD 7)

23. Various meanings of “Word
of God”
2. Voice of Creation
3. Word of men and
women in the history
of salvation: prophets,
apostles, saints
4. Jesus Christ, the
Incarnate Word.

24. Various meanings of “Word
of God”
5. The living Tradition of
the Church
6. The Holy Bible, the
written Word of God.
7. Our Conscience

25. Scripture invites us to
paradigms and
paradigm shifts

26. While in the Church we
greatly venerate the
sacred Scriptures, the
Christian faith is not a
“religion of the book”:
Christianity is the “religion
of the word of God,” not of
a “written and mute word,
but of the incarnate and
living Word” (VD 7)

27. VERBUM DOMINI NO. 74
Here I wish first and foremost to stress that
catechesis “must be permeated by the
mindset, the spirit and the outlook of the
Bible and the Gospels through assiduous
contact with the texts themselves; yet it also
means remembering that catechesis will be
all the richer and more effective for reading
the texts with the mind and heart of the
Church” and for drawing inspiration from the
two millennia of the Church’s reflection and
life.

28. Paradigms and
paradigm shifts
start with the
evangelizer
himself/herself.

29. VERBUM DOMINI NO. 74
A knowledge of biblical personages , events
and well known sayings should thus be
encouraged; this can also be promoted by
the judicious memorization of some
passages which are particularly expressive
of the Christian mysteries. …. Catechesis
should communicate in a lively way the
history of salvation and the content of the
Church’ faith and so enable every member
of the faithful to realize that this history is
also part of his or her own life.

30. No. 85 VD on women
 I would like to highlight the recommendations
of the Synod concerning the role of women in
relation to the word of God. Today, more than
in the past, the “feminine genius”, to use the
words of John Paul II, has contributed greatly
to the understanding of Scriptures and to the
whole life of the Church, and this is now also
the case with biblical studies. The Synod paid
special attention to the indispensable role
played by women in the family, education,
catechesis and the communication of values.

31.  “They have an ability to lead people
to hear God’s word, to enjoy a
personal relationship with God, and
to show the meaning of forgiveness;
they communicate wars and of
evangelical sharing.”
They are likewise messengers of love,
models of mercy and peacemakers;
they communicate warmth and
humanity in a world which all too often
judges people according to the ruthless
criteria of exploitation and profit.

32. Prepare the
Way of
Pope Francis
Discover the
Joy of the
Gospel
Preparing the Way of the Pope: Discovering the Joy of the Gospel Seminar/Workshop (November 15, 2014)

33. Our encounter with Jesus gives
rise to a desire to share our joy
with others. Pope Francis is
inviting us “to go forth from
our own comfort zone in order
to reach all the ‘peripheries’ in
need of the light of the
Gospel”.
Preparing the Way of the Pope: Discovering the Joy of the Gospel Seminar/Workshop (November 15, 2014)

34. Preparing the Way of the Pope: Discovering the Joy of the Gospel Seminar/Workshop (November 15, 2014)

37. Simply put, the new evangelization is all
about Jesus Christ and living out the
faith that draws us closer to him. It’s
about your relationship with Christ, as
well as helping others to continually
develop a relationship with him, too.

38. Movement
From
academic,
cerebral
knowledge
To a personal
encounter
with Jesus

39. ….. this supreme duty:
to proclaim Christ to all peoples"

40. As men and women who
believe in and proclaim the
Gospel, we have a
responsibility towards
creation. Revelation makes
known God’s plan for the
cosmos, yet it also leads us
to denounce that mistaken
attitude which refuses to view
all created realities as a
reflection of their Creator, but
instead as mere raw
materials, to be exploited
without scruple. (VD 108)

41. Co-responsibility?
• Co-responsibility demands a change in mindset
especially concerning the role of lay people in the
Church. They should not be regarded as
“collaborators” of the clergy, but, rather, as people
who are really “co-responsible” for the Church’s
being and acting. It is therefore important that a
mature and committed laity be consolidated,
which can make its own specific contribution to
the ecclesial mission with respect for the
ministries and tasks that each one has in the life of
the Church and always in cordial communion
with the bishops.
(MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI ON THE OCCASION OF THE SIXTH
ORDINARY ASSEMBLY OF THE INTERNATIONAL FORUM OF CATHOLIC ACTION) Aug 2012

42. St. John Paul II, Ecclesia in America,
no. 73
• "To this end, it is more necessary than ever for
all the faithful to move from a faith of habit,
sustained perhaps by social context alone, to a
faith which is conscious and personally lived.
The renewal of faith will always be the best
way to lead others to the Truth that is Christ"

43. The newness that Pope
Francis wishes to restore
in the Church’s
Mission of
Evangelization:
JOY

44. Inviting, first of
all,
To view the world
from the
perspective of
those
“in the underside of
history”

45. Exactly
1) What Jesus did for
first century Judaism
2) What Francis of
Assisi did for
medieval Christianity

46. JESUS’ Gospel
Not about himself
as
“Christ”
“Son of God”
But about the reign
of God

47. “GOSPEL”
Meaning,
“good news”
Vocabulary of
Isaiah 61

48. Good news to the Poor
Isaiah speaking
as a prophet of
Hope
Consolation

49. As God’s
“mouthpiece”
He relied only
on “anointing
by the Spirit”

50. Not possible to proclaim God’s
GOOD NEWS
without
being
“anointed by
the Spirit”

51. “Anointing” at the
Core of Christian Life
It is what
Baptism is
about!

52. Mark 1:8
“I have baptized
you with water;
but he will
baptize you with
the Holy Spirit."

53. Acts 10:38
“…how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Spirit and with power;
how he went about doing
good and healing all who
were oppressed by the
devil, for God was with
him.”

54. Too much focus on
Baptism as
cleansing
Makes us forget
the essence of
baptism as
crossing

55. “Crossing over”
went with
Anointing by the
Spirit
The opening up of
heavens
God’s voice being
heard

56. It is what people
experienced
When they
encountered
Jesus

57. Anointing by the
Spirit
Heaven opening up
Hearing God’s voice

58. Experiencing Rebirth
From a child of
one’s parents
To God’s
Beloved Child

59. In Short
“The Joy
of the
Gospel”

60. Jesus brought the Joy of the
Gospel
Not through
long speeches
but through
short sound
bites, like:

61. To the woman caught in
adultery (John 8:3-11)
“Neither do I
condemn you,
go and sin no
more…”

62. To Zaccheus (Luke 19:1-
10)
“Hurry and come
down! For I must
stay at your
house today!”

63. To the Children (Mark 10:14)
“Let the little
children come to
me; it is to such as
these that the
kingdom of God
belongs.”

64. To the Paralytic (Mark 2:5)
“My son,
your sins are
forgiven.”

65. To the Leper (Mark 1:41)
“I do will it;
be made
clean!”

66. To the woman with hemorrhage
(Mark 5:34):
"Daughter, your
faith has made you
well; go in peace,
and be healed of
your disease."

67. To the disciples in the midst of
a storm at sea (Mark 6:50)
“Do not be
afraid; it is I.”

68. To the tax-collectors
(Luke 15:7)
“…there will be more
joy in heaven over
one sinner who
repents than over
ninety-nine righteous
persons who need no
repentance.”

69. To the repentant thief (Luke 23:43)
“Today, you
will be with
me in
paradise.”

70. To the Canaanite Woman
(Mat 15:28)
"Woman, great is
your faith! Let it
be done for you
as you wish."

71. To the Poor (Luke 6:20)
“How blessed
are you…, the
kingdom of God
is yours!”

72. To the weary (Matthew
11:28):
“I will
give you
rest.”

73. “God News”?
It is good news
because
it brings about
an encounter
with God.

74. An experience of:
God’s forgiveness
God’s healing
God’s peace
God’s power
God’s presence

75. Good news to the
Poor
The POOR as
the privileged
recipients of the
GOOD NEWS

76. Good News as Bad News
for those not
disposed for it
(i.e., “not
poor”)

77. Example:
“He went
away sad for
he had many
possessions.”

78. 2) Francis of Assisi
Image of that rich
young man who
was sad,
despite his many
possessions…

79. The Joy of the
Gospel
Set him free
from the
prison of
sadness and
grief

80. Isaiah 61:
Good News = Joy
Liberty to captives
New sight to the blind
Release to prisoners
Jubilee year of debts
canceled

81. Francis of Assisi
At a time when the
Church had
deteriorated into a
pile of ruins:
“Rebuild my
Church.”

82. It was a time
When people
had gotten used
to proclaiming
the Gospel
without Joy.

83. Stripped
To his barest necessities
Freed from superfluities
He discovers
a hidden treasure,
a pearl of great price.

84. Now clothed
again:By the grandeur
of nature
Taking from the
words of the
Gospel:

85. Mat 6:26
“Look at the
birds of the air;
they neither sow
nor reap nor
gather into
barns…”

86. “…and yet your
heavenly Father
feeds them. Are
you not of more
value than they?”

87. Mat 6:28-29
“Look at the lilies
of the field, how
they grow; they
neither toil nor
spin…”

88. “…yet I tell you,
even Solomon in
all his glory was
not clothed like
one of these.”

89. It was poverty
That made
Francis discover
true wealth
That brought him
closer to nature

90. closer kinship to the
elements
Brother sun
Sister moon
Brother wind
Sister air

91. Brother wind and sister
air…
“Open my eyes
to visions pure
and faith that I
may see the glory
around me…”

92. “I am God’s
creature; of you I
am part. I feel His
love awaken in
my heart.”

93. “Brother Sun, sister
Moon, I now can see
you, I can hear your
tune, so much in
love with all that I
survey.”

94. From St. Francis
to Pope Francis:
with the same
timeless
message of
the Gospel.

95. For people who pursue
wealth
but end up poor:
living a shallow,
meaningless, joyless
existence of broken
relationships
(with nature, with one
another, with God)

96. Losing a sense
of God’s Amazing Grace
which alone awakens
FAITH in us
i.e., the human ability to
respond
to the God who speaks to
us,
the God who loved us
first.

97. An Experience of
AWAKENING
To God’s Love
To the Sweet Sound
of God’s Voice
Of God’s Amazing
Grace

98. This is what
THE JOY OF
THE GOSPEL is
about!

99. A Joy that amazes…
I once was
lost but now
I’m found…

100. “I’m found.”
I did not
find him. He
found me.

101. Like a lost sheep
whom the
Shepherd did
not give up
on.

102. Just when you thought
He had left you to
die in the cold dark
night…
(It was after all your
fault that you had
gotten lost…)

103. You suddenly hear His
Voice:
Which makes you realize:
He had not stopped
looking for you.
You were blinded, but now
you see:
the Shepherd’s Joy in
finding you and bringing
you home…

104. Sing Along: Stanzas 1 &
3
Amazing grace
how sweet the
sound that
saved a wretch
like me.

105. I once was
lost but now
I’m found; was
blind but now I
see.

106. Through many
dangers, toils and
snares… I have
already come.

107. T’was grace that
brought us safe
thus far… and
grace will lead
me home.