Catholic Church Communication in the Post-Truth Era: Intra-Religious and Inter-Religious Dimensions

February 16, 2019. Available at SSRN: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3335641
Abstract

The digital era has presented the world with many things, among them fake news and a post-truth mindset. The tendency to disregard truth and the uncontrolled propagation of fake news about religion hold serious ramifications for the Catholic Church and the Church’s relationship with other religions. This essay explores the nature of the post-truth mindset and the negative impact that fake news present to the Church and interreligious relationship. It proposes that the way for the Church to respond to the present social milieu is by taking a proactive approach in its communication strategies. On the ad intra front, the Church needs to counter the post-truth mindset by upholding the authoritative and trustworthy position of the Church through the proclamation of Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. More than proclaiming with words, however, the Church must also reflect Jesus in these regards in the day-to-day life and activities of the Church. On the ad extra front, the Church must redouble its effort at interreligious dialogue, which in view of the modern context, must be seen as the way of being Church. Without this two-pronged communication approach, the Church risks having its voice being drowned out by the great plethora of voices both inside and outside of the Church, many of which aim to disrupt unity within the Church as well as with other religions.

Keyword: Post-truth, fake news, Catholic Church, interreligious dialogue

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