On Talking to Others About Jesus Christ

My 7-year old son Sev, from time to time, talks to Siri (an iPhone feature). One day he asked, "Siri, 'you know Jesus Christ?"  Siri replied, "I eschew theological disquisition." I was surprised by the answer.  I was expecting Siri to at least point to Google for results. But the question really was directed to Siri -- which is a computer software and without a soul.

If we were asked the same thing, what would be our answer?  How would we answer? Are we simply going to say "yes?" How are we going to present Jesus? Are we going to be like Siri; eschewing the question?

St. Paul, in order to preach about Jesus Christ to the Gentiles had to take off from Philosophy and their culture:

“Athenians,” he said, “I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, 'To an unknown god'. What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:22-23). From this starting-point, Saint Paul speaks of God as Creator, as the One who transcends all things and gives life to all. (John Paul II, Fides et Ratio 24)

  Unlike the Jews who had the background of all the books of what we now call the Old Testament, the Greek speaking world did not. He had to speak in terms that were relevant and easily understood:

"After preaching in a number of places, St. Paul arrived in Athens, where he went to the Areopagus and proclaimed the Gospel in language appropriate to and understandable in those surroundings (cf. Acts 17:22-31). At that time the Areopagus represented the cultural center of the learned people of Athens, and today it can be taken as a symbol of the new sectors in which the Gospel must be proclaimed." (Redemptoris Missio 37)

To find the appropriate and effective answer to the question, "Do you know Jesus Christ?", it may be best to first attempt in asking possible relevant questions:

1. As a jump-off point to present Jesus, what are the current philosophical or popular thinking today that are not contrary to the Gospel? (e.g. trending movies, news, books, etc.)

2. In what "language" can we be understood? How do we talk to the youth, the academe, the government, the masses, and the other sectors?

3. How are we bearing witness to the reality of Jesus in our lives?

The answers vary from person to person; from situation to situation; and from generation to generation -- but one thing is clear: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8)."