The Resplendent Joy of the Gospel
What if Pope Benedict wrote Evangelii Gaudium....
One of the cool things about ChatGPT is that you can ask it to play out the alternative history scenarios that pop into your head. For example, you can ask it what might have happened if Archduke Franz Ferdinand had not been assassinated in 1914, or how history might be different if Nixon had defeated Kennedy in the 1960 US Presidential election.
You can also ask it to mimic writing and speaking styles, perhaps to generate a script for Shrek if it had been written by William Shakespeare.
My little thought experiment today was what Pope Francis’s landmark exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, might have been like if his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI had attempted it. Unfortunately, no matter what I tried, I couldn’t get it longer than a few paragraphs.
Just long enough for a Substack post!
(Also, for whatever reason, the AI seemed dead set on making it an encyclical, rather than an exhortation.)
So here it is.
(Note, I did not write this, it was AI generated)
Encyclical Letter of His Holiness
BENEDICT XVI
The Resplendent Joy of the Gospel
1. The Christian life is fundamentally marked by joy, a joy that stems not from fleeting worldly pleasures but from the profound encounter with the Risen Christ. This joy, often lived in simplicity and hiddenness, becomes a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel, inviting others to share in this divine joy.
2. The role of the Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church is indispensable. It is in the Bible that the Word of God is made accessible to us, becoming a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. A profound engagement with the Scriptures helps us to discern the divine will and enables us to echo the joy of the Gospel in our lives.
3. Liturgical beauty, deeply rooted in the tradition of the Church, is an expression of the divine beauty, drawing us towards a higher reality. This beauty, manifest in our worship and sacred art, speaks to the human heart and stirs within it a longing for God, becoming a silent yet powerful proclamation of the joy of the Gospel.
4. The task of evangelization is not the sole responsibility of the clergy, but of all the baptized. The laity, living their faith in the midst of the world, can bear witness to the Gospel in their day-to-day lives in a unique way. This "ordinary" witness of faith, lived with authenticity and consistency, becomes a potent channel of grace for others.
5. The Church must also engage in respectful and fruitful dialogue with other religious traditions. This dialogue, while upholding the unique claims of Christianity, promotes mutual understanding and respect, contributing to the building of a civilization marked by peace and fraternity.
6. The Church in the modern world is challenged to remain faithful to her mission amidst changing societal norms and values. In these changing times, we must find a balance between affirming the timeless truths of the faith and engaging in pastoral creativity to respond to the signs of the times.
7. Finally, in all our evangelization efforts, let us remember that it is not us, but God who brings about the growth. We are but co-workers in God's vineyard. Even in the face of apparent failures, we must not lose heart, for the triumph of the Gospel is ultimately in God's hands.
I conclude this encyclical with a prayer that the joy of the Gospel may continue to inspire the Church in her mission, instilling in all hearts a renewed zeal for the Kingdom of God. May we, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, remain steadfast in this mission, bearing witness to the joyous news of Christ’s Resurrection, and bringing His light into the world that so desperately needs it.