Asian Mission for the next Millennium?
Chances and Challenges
S. J.
Emmanuel
0.0
Towards A New Mission in the New Millennium
With the world celebrating
the birth of the new millennium by commemorating achievements of the closing millennium and by giving
expressions of hope for the new, so too the churches are exhorted to celebrate
the 2000 Jubilee Year of the
manifestation of salvation in Jesus Christ[1]. The
much younger churches in Asia, while joining the world church in their
celebrations, have their own task of taking stock of the few hundred years of
Christianity behind them and of envisioning for a new mission into the next
millennium. How has Asia accommodated or taken in Christianity till now? What
are the chances and challenges to the
churches for a new Evangelisation of Asia as inspired by the Spirit
active in Asia? With the Second Vatican
Council, the Pentecost Event of this century, as the turning point in modern
church history, especially for the younger churches of Asia, we look briefly
before and after that event in order to see ahead for the future.
Churches in Asia
were not part of the early Christianity, not even of the first millennium, nor
of the first half of the second Millennium leading up to the Reformation. They
did not exist then[2].
Charismatic churches born in Galilee and in Jerusalem were cradled in the world
of Hellenistic philosophy and later were brought up in the ritualism and rigid
institutionalism characteristic of the then Roman Empire. From the 16th.
Century onwards, they experienced the great Reformation and the Catholic Church
was engaged actively in a counter-reformation movement. It is from these
churches that the missionaries loyal to their experiences, transplanted the
churches on the Asian soil. Hence the birthmarks of the churches in Asia
are not from those of Jerusalem and Galilee but from the counter-reformation
churches of Portugal, Spain, Holland. The heroic and self-sacrificing efforts
of the European missionaries to Asia were planned, supported and co-ordinated
by the religious congregations working under the guidance of the Sacred
Congregation for the Propagation of
Faith[3]
In this century,
the modest pastoral Aggiornamento
intended by Pope John XXIII in calling the Second Vatican Council, a new
Pentecost for the “Mission-churches” of the Third world. Furthermore the Copernican-Ecclesial-Revolution initiated by
the Council for the Church to become
more and more a Church IN the world and FOR the world, as well its new
understanding and vision about peoples, religions and cultures, gave the Asian
churches the possibility of seeking a new self-identity, a new vision as well
as a new mission in Asia. With the post-Conciliar period as the Spring Time for this new birth, the Asian churches
launched on new efforts towards recognising the religious, cultural and secular
realities of Asia and making efforts for the new evangelising mission on their
own soil. These efforts were naturally characterised by challenges, problems
and tensions, both within the churches as well as with the Magisterium of the
world Church.
The recently concluded Special
Assembly of the Bishops’ Synod for Asia held in Vatican has brought to surface
many of these concerns and challenges. They are not mere regional issues or
problems decisive for the relevance and effectiveness of the mission of the
Asian churches but also signs and issues that challenge and
stimulate the theological vision of the world Church and its Magisterium
Hence
we propose to study historically and in stages, the nature and mission of the
Asian churches as unfolded during their journey towards the present seeking of
a New Identity and a New Evangelisation in Asia. In the first part, we will
briefly describe the First Phase of Evangelisation of Asia as carried out till
the Second Vatican Council. In the second part, we will show how the Asian
churches gained a new Vision at the Second Vatican Council for a New Mission in
Asia. In the third part, we will describe how that new mission enjoyed its
euphoria as well as faced new challenges. In the final part we will offer our
views about the pastoral and theological reflections that continue to accompany
the Asian praxis of mission
1.0 The first phase of Evangelisation and the
consequent birthmarks of the churches in Asia
Had Paul and
Barnabas travelled into the Asian continent, Christianity and Christian
churches in all probability would have taken a different shape and also their
relationship to the Roman or European churches would have developed
differently. But that was not to be so in God’s plan for the Asian continent.
Though the Spirit of God was already at work in Asia among God’s people in
their religions and cultures with designs unknown to us and beyond our
reckoning, it was left to the counter-reformation churches of Europe to undertake the mission of Christ
further into Asia. Except for the
churches of St. Thomas Christians in India, the first phase of the
evangelisation of Asia started only in the 16th. century and had
lasted almost five centuries. Though the churches have grown up to a certain
maturity marked with martyrdom and evangelical zeal, they still carry some
“birthmarks and burdens” of history. For our study of the future mission it is
useful to take note of these birthmarks and burdens of history still affecting
the churches.
1.1 European architecture and life-style
The European missionaries
who planted the churches in Asia were sons and daughters of the Church of the
time. Challenges for Reformation of the Church were met by a
counter-reformation Tridentine Council and the Council of Vatican I. The
pioneer missionaries who mostly accompanied colonial powers for the conquest of
new lands for their kings in Portugal or Spain went with an almost similar
scope of conquering souls for Christ and His Vicar in Rome. Besides teaching
some prayers and baptising the indigenous peoples, they planted and built
churches according to their understanding and experiences at home and loyal to
instructions from their superiors in Rome. It was not only the architecture of
the churches they built on the Asian soil but also the style of Christian life
and traditions and customs were all imported from Europe.
These pioneer missionaries deserve much merit and praise
from the present churches for the sacrifices they made and for the zeal and
devotion with which they planted the churches. Most of these missionaries are
buried in the Asian soil and are worthy of our respect. Though the challenges
facing today’s evangelising mission are different and their methods are out of
date, still missionaries like Francis
Xavier and de Nobili are venerated for their courageous zeal.
1.2 Polemic mission of the counter-reformation
church.
Losses to the
Catholic faith through a division of the churches in Europe appeared to have
been compensated by gaining new converts in the new missions which were opened
up with the help of colonial powers. Although Asia had nothing to do with the
Reformation[4] or
counter-reformation, the sons and daughters of a counter-reformation Catholic
Church could only plant the new churches according to their own understanding
of instructions given from their Roman mother houses and later the Roman Congregation for the
Propagation of Faith.
Missionary activity in Asia
was not in the first place the sowing of the seeds of the Gospel or the Bible
but more a teaching of the Tridentine Catechism and the prayers for the
liturgy. What gave the people the hope of salvation was not so much belief in
Jesus Christ and His Word, but becoming members of a Church that claimed that
salvation is possible only within the church
The dominant note of the preaching done in the vernacular through indigenous lay catechists and other lay
helpers was that it was only the Church, as the unique bark or saving boat of
salvation, that can save people from ruin and damnation caused especially by
the satanic forces operative in the false religions of Asia. It was an
anti-religion missionary activity.
1.3 Financial dependence and paternal supervision
Due to changes both in
Europe and in Asia, new missionaries for
Asia are neither available in Europe nor welcome in Asia. But the much
needed finances for initiating new activities and for building and maintenance
of institutions continue to flow from the western churches. Without this financial
assistance, many of the institutional buildings like Bishops Houses,
Seminaries, Catechetical Centres, Schools and Convents and the education of
priests and religious in Europe are not possible.
Much of this assistance is
facilitated and channelled through Rome. As a result the Asian churches have
not only to be loyal and faithful to the authorities in Rome, but also have to
be dependent on them for their survival
as an institutional church.
1.4 Minute Minorities among Asian Religions
Compared to the older religions like Hinduism, Buddhism,
Confucianism, Shintoism etc. of Asia,
Christianity enjoys only a
minority-status among religions. After nearly 400 years of missionary activity,
the Catholic population, including Philippines is only 2.27% of the Asian
population, and excluding Philippines only 1.47% of the Asian population!. The
exceptional situation of Philippines with its 84% catholic population, not only
boosts up the overall Asian catholic percentage but also often blurs the challenging
realities of Asia. With the growth of other churches and sects in the
Philippines as well as the prohibitive policies and laws introduced in many
Asian countries against conversion to Christianity, the minority character of
the Asian churches is bound to stay, if not further diminish. But how far is the minority
character an handicap for its true mission?
This minority character is often made an excuse for a
lack of prophetic courage and action vis a vis the sinful and unjust measures
by the majority religions and cultures. To be a minority is characteristic of
the prophets and their eloquent stance for truth and justice. It is often
forgotten that the Church is prophesied to be a “small flock”[5] and a “Lumen gentium”[6] and
still be faithful to its mission for truth, justice and peace Hence Asian
churches will do well not to be disheartened by “a minority position in a
massive continent” but to appreciate and discover the strategy and mission
present in their minority situation[7].
1.5 Respected services but suspected motives
With finances
flowing freely from their mother churches, the missionaries built up not only
churches, presbyteries and convents but also schools, hospitals, orphanages,
homes for the aged etc. More and more personnel from Europe and Asia were
educated and trained for specialised services in these institutions. The
unmarried status of the religious and priests enabled them to give a very
dedicated service that captivated the minds and hearts of the people of other
faiths. Many conversions were effected by the evangelical witness of priests
and religious.
All the same
these services evoked certain suspicions among the non-Christians. Since it was
believed that outside the Church there was no salvation, zealous missionaries
sacrificed everything to convert peoples from their “pagan” religions and
cultures and bring them into the fold of the churches. In most cases it was
direct invitation to conversion, baptism and membership in the churches while offering pre-evangelisation or
pro-evangelisation services as attractive incentives. Although missionary
convictions like – ‘no salvation outside the Church’ and ‘ salvation of souls
was the supreme law’[8]- justified their efforts, still the methods
used came under suspicion and resent. All the same it could be said that the
churches are appreciated and respected for their services to the poor and the
oppressed.
Numerically their presence in this massive continent
of peoples is far below the global average of 18%. But their influence in the Asian
countries is visibly over-proportional. Today if the churches command any
importance and respect among the peoples, religions and cultures of Asia, it is
not because of any power or superiority
of what they preach, not because of the massive institutions they have and the
influence they wield on the world scene, but because of the witness and service
rendered by many churches and their charismatic leaders[9].
1.6 Turning point for the Asian churches
By the middle of this
century under Pope Pius XII and his Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fidei,
the churches in Asia reached a turning point in history when the English,
French, Spanish and Dutch were
dismantling their colonial regimes in Asia and were granting autonomy status to
their subjects. The churches which were born under colonial regimes and enjoyed
privileged status under such regimes were called to go through the transition
of political power from the Europeans to the Asians. The post-colonial
resurgence of nationalism along with the revival of Asian religions and
cultures were making their initial moves. The churches felt the need for change
along those same lines, but how. It was at this juncture that Pope John XXIII
appeared as the man sent by God to call
a renewal- an aggiornamento of the
Church, through the Second Vatican Council.
2.0 The Second Vatican Council was the “The First
Council of Jerusalem” for Asia
For the world Church the Second Vatican
Council is the end of a counter-reformation period and the beginning of a new
era. For the churches in Asia, it meant even more than that. It was a radical
transition from an old vision of itself as well as of the Asian realities the
church is called to serve. This transition can only be compared to the break
through made in the First council of Jerusalem with regard to its transition
from a Judaic Church to a gentile Church. Karl Rahner compared the opening made
by the Second Vatican Council to be a world Church to that of the first council
of Jerusalem and referred to it as the fundamental interpretation of the
council[10]. And
this is true much more in the Asian situation than any where else in the world.
This does not mean that the
Asian churches articulated their problems of first evangelisation and
campaigned for a new vision. Not at all. The Spirit worked in other ways to
clear the way for Jesus Christ and his Church in Asia.
2.1 Asians were unprepared and passive participants
without particular demands
After the Second World War,
there were a number of movements within the European churches for the renewal of liturgy, study of the
Bible, apostolate of the laity and the unity of the churches. These were
practically forerunners to the Council and in a way succeeded in funnelling
most of their aspirations into the Council resolutions[11]. On the
Asian ground there were none. The planting of the churches and maintaining them
proceeded smoothly, especially with the help of the colonial powers.
Many of the European bishops
to the Council brought with them leading theologians from their countries. In
addition there were theological discussions arranged in the evenings outside
the Council Sessions to debate issues. Although many of the younger Asian bishops participated in these evening sessions in
English to learn of the new theological thinking from their European
counterparts, they did not actively take part or contribute directly to the
Council Sessions. Because of inadequate
preparations in their churches and with Latin as the official language of the
Council, only a few of the enthusiastic Bishops made oral submissions on the
floor. Few more others submitted their contributions in writing. But the
majority had to be satisfied in being enthusiastic hearers, if not spectators
of the historic events.
In its preparatory stage and
to a great extent in the Sessions, the Council was dominated by European
churches. Most of the Asian participants were either European missionaries or
young Asian Bishops [12].
Problems and difficulties of the churches in Asia did not figure in the Latin Schemas already prepared in Rome and
circulated before the Sessions. Themes like non-Christian religions and
cultures, figured only later during the Council while treating some European
issues[13]..
2.2 Still they were urged to go for an Asian
identity and mission
As individual bishops they
had been invited to Rome once in five years for their ad Limina visit to render
their reports to Rome and to take instructions home. But called to participate
in a decision-making world-event such as this Council, they all felt exhilarated
about their belonging to a world Church. Though they rejoiced over this global
identity yet they were not clear about their identity and mission in their
home-country.
But there was the
happy coincidence of parallel developments in the political and the religious
world of Asia. The euphoria of socio-political changes around them combined
with the opening and encouragement given by the Second Vatican Council urged
the churches too to seek their new identity in the changing conditions as well
as discover their new mission to Asian realities
3.0
Post-Conciliar Spirit, Euphoria and Mission.
The personal
experience and the outcome of the Council in the form of its sixteen documents
gave the Bishops of Asia a new spirit and courage, not to stop with initial
euphoria but to proceed along new paths
of mission. This outbreak of freshness, enthusiasm and commitment were helped
largely by the sharp increase in the
number of indigenous priests, religious and Bishops[14] during
the fifties and sixties. We will identify some of the landmarks of the last
three decades after the Council.
3.1 Spirit of Openness to the whole Man and to his
whole world
In the first two decades
after the Council, when the documents of the Council were scrupulously
translated and interpreted in the various national contexts through seminars
and studies, the Spirit of change was increasingly visible. There were efforts
made in studying, planning and making the churches to be really present IN
their world of religio-cultural and socio-political realities. The courage to
move forward with a Spirit of Openness - to the whole man, to his whole modern
world, and the enthusiasm to dialogue
with all these realities were visible in many ways. Besides the already
existing institutions for education and charitable works, by which the churches
were mostly known in Asia, new centres of theological and pastoral animation in
the field of Bible Study, Liturgy, Spirituality, Catechesis etc; new centres
for ecumenism and dialogue with other religions as well as centres for the
promotion of socio-political and cultural activities sprang up both at diocesan
and national levels.
The opening of the doors and windows of the Church after
centuries of a rigid and ghetto Christianity, naturally was felt also in some
quarters as a whirlwind of the Spirit, liberalising some traditional
structures and questioning some age-old practices of religious obedience and
clerical celibacy. But unlike in the west, fewer priests and religious in Asia
abandoned their ministry[15] during
this whirlwind-experience.
3.2
Initial euphoria with the vernacular
liturgy
For Asian churches which
grew up mostly as liturgy-centred institutions, the best of gifts the Council
Fathers brought with them appeared to be the use of the vernacular in the
liturgy. Though the churches ran well known educational and charitable
institutions, it was liturgy in their churches that stood out as the
distinguishing mark of Catholicism. Hence hearing the Word of God and singing praises in their mother
tongue, composing hymns and introducing new gestures were all a great
achievement. A good part of the resources by way of personal and funds were
devoted to translating, composing and rendering of liturgical music with due
cultural expressions.
Seminaries and
Centres for Pastoral and Liturgical renewal ventured with enthusiasm to
incorporate religio-cultural elements of the land and people into the catholic
liturgy. The paternal concern of the Magisterium
for the initiatives of the young churches allowed only a limited time of three
years for guided experiments in approved institutions like Seminaries and
liturgical centres. But this tended in practice to be a period of toleration
rather than an encouragement to venture out with the Spirit to express their
creative ideas and feelings in liturgy. Concern for preserving the Roman liturgy from syncretism
and fears of making them unclean by the rituals of pagan religions and
cultures, hardened the Roman attitude towards the liturgical renewal undertaken
by many of the local churches of Asia. What was initiated with much euphoria
and enthusiasm came soon to a grinding halt. At present the liturgy of the
Catholic churches in Asia has largely a translated but not a sufficiently
inculturated form.
The literal translations of Roman
Latin texts into the vernacular naturally brings dissatisfaction and impels the
talented of the local churches to venture into more meaningful and relevant
composition of texts for liturgy and its music. The insistence of Rome, with inadequate
resources on its power of validating translations from all over the world, was
not helpful. Liturgical translations and suggestions prepared by indigenous
experts and recommended by Episcopal
conferences were often incompetently handled by limited resources and personnel
in Rome. The vernacularisation of the
Liturgy is clearly a small step forward in giving an Asian face to the churches
hitherto seen as European churches. Even without having a true Asian identity,
the churches saw already that their New
Mission went far beyond this initial euphoria with the liturgy.
3.3
Mystery of the New Mission
In the world-view
promoted by the Second Vatican Council and in keeping with the new
self-understanding of the Church as the Light of the nations, the old concept
of missionary activity naturally had to undergo a radical change. To this end
the Council defined the whole Church to be missionary and not just the churches
of the mission territories[16].
Secondly, this activity was defined as salvific service to the whole man and to
his whole world. These had deeper consequences for the younger churches of Asia - to become new
missionaries of the Light to their lately discovered Asian man and his world of
realities. The concept of mission widened from a narrow-minded
conquest-activity into a deeper and broader involvement for salvation of man
and his world.
Missionary
activity meant no more a proclamation or teaching of a catechism for the
conquest of souls (parallel to the colonial conquests), for the conversion of
people of other faiths into the catholic fold, for taking the people away from
their native culture and heritage. It was no more an attempt introduce a way of
life that was largely European but alien to the local socio-political and
economic realities[17].
Instead the new missionary activities encouraged by the Council are not done
for the exclusive purpose of conversion
and planting or extending the Church but for giving to people
(proclaiming) the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ. Thus new missionary
activity, though ecclesiastically organised in some way, is no more
church-centred but gospel-centred. It is a proclamation and an invitation to
live the Gospel as a community that becomes
the church[18].
Through the new missionary activities conversion can take place, and churches
can grow, but the main focus of evangelisation is neither conversion nor
planting of churches, but enabling an encounter of the Asian man with the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
A clearly defined but narrow mission of conquering souls by “teaching,
converting and baptising” to extend the “European Church” in foreign
territories widened into a broader but
challenging mission of proclaiming the Gospel of salvation in Jesus
Christ to all the realities of Asia. . The Gospel and the Lord’s command to
preach it remaining the same and retaining its permanent validity for all
times, how is the new Church, to go ahead with its new mission to the realities of Asian peoples, religions,
cultures and other secular realities? By no means is that an easy task to
comprehend and still less to realise. Here lies the mystery of the Lord’s mission-command[19] and its
fulfilment.
In this perspective the new missionaries are not who go out with their
‘knowledge’ of the Gospel, with their skills and blue-prints for preaching, teaching and building the
church, but courageous prophetic missionaries of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
They venture into the unknown urged by the Lord’s command, and with faith that
Jesus accompanies them. They go where the Spirit prompts and guides them to go.
They carry not the mere light of their learning, nor the tactics of a
bible-promoter, but the Light and Love of Christ’s message as well as His
humble life-style to meet persons of other faith. They join seekers of other
faiths in their journey seeking answers
to the problems and challenges of modern man.
3.4 Proclamation and/through the three Dialogues
The Asian bishops slowly converged towards an understanding of Mission
by way of three Dialogues – namely, with religions ( interreligious dialogue),
with culture (inculturation) and with the poor (sociopolitical and economic
involvement). With regard to dialogue with culture and dialogue with the
sociopolitcal realities, though hard
work is demanded, the path of dialogue and mission was somewhat clear.
But the dialogue with and mission to the religions were fraught with questions and difficulties.
To what extent is interreligious dialogue compatible with proclamation? Is
proclamation weakened or replaced by dialogue? To what extent is dialogue
proclamatory? The consensus seems to grow that the old direct-proclamation
directed at conversion from other religions is no more compatible with
interreligious dialogue. Besides, conversion to Christianity has become more and
more provocative and offensive to other religions and vehemently opposed by
them.
Hence Asians tend to understand their proclamation of Jesus Christ and
his Good News of salvation in terms of enabling an encounter of the Salt and
Light of Christ with the Asian realities in the form of various dialogues –
with culture, with religions, with the poor and suffering,. But mission in Asia
through this type of salt-light-proclamation and not by direct proclamation,
has evoked dissatisfaction in Rome and continue to cast suspicions about the
missionary seriousness of the Asian churches. The centre complains that direct
proclamation is neglected, if not given up, in favour of interreligious
dialogue. Hence the dispute between the leaders of the Asian churches and the Roman authorities will
in the future be more and more about Asia’s mission to proclaim Jesus Christ
and the Good News of Salvation and the compatibility of this mission with the
mission to sincere dialogue[20].
3.5 Inculturation
- Encounter between Gospel and
Culture?
The Council clearly gave a
courageous vision and mission to the young churches of Asia to engage in “a
wonderful exchange” with the peoples, their religions and cultures. In order to
achieve this goal it encouraged also theological investigations to be
undertaken in each socio-cultural region, including even a fresh scrutiny on
the deeds and words of the scriptures as unfolded by the teaching authority of
the Church[21].
With the usual euphoria of returning to their “own native
context and richness”, the Asian churches undertook efforts at divesting the
churches of their colonial or western garb and trying to don an indigenous one,
at least in some areas of ecclesial and ecclesiastical life. With the European
missionaries winding up their pioneer efforts and handing over the
responsibilities increasingly to indigenous clergy and their Bishops, this
phase was easy, well taken up by the people and
financially supported by the West[22]
3.51
Inculturation: Corrective Accommodation
and Adaptation?
Inculturation,
though based on the new ecclesial vision of the incarnation and the contextual
demands of the churches for an Asian identity and mission, it was not to be a daring mission into all
Asian realities to be led by the Asian bishops and guided by the Spirit moving
in Asia. It was greeted with enthusiasm and hope but soon slowed down to
adaptation and accommodation with much caution[23]
As time went on
it became clear to the Asian churches that the inculturation they were allowed
by way of certain accommodation or adaptation though a move for the better from
the de facto situation of the churches, they were not sufficient to realise the
true vision of the Council as based on the incarnation. Often the question is raised whether inculturation
is only tolerated by the Magisterium as a necessary corrective of appearances and
attitudes left by the first evangelisation, or is it promoted as a
genuine encounter between the Gospel and the cultures.
However Asian
theologians continue to interpret the ‘wonderful exchange’ between Gospel and
culture – based on the incarnation and promoted by the Council, as not only the
enriching of the Gospel and the Christian faith through the cultural medium
(inculturation of the Gospel and doctrine),
but also the enriching of the cultures through the values of the Gospel (Evangelisation of cultures). The
growth of the local churches are so conditioned by the cultures and the
cultures themselves have to be evangelised by the life and witness of the local
churches, it is true to say that the local churches are realised only by a
continuous process of inculturation and evangelisation[24]
3.52
Inculturation – Way to Asian Identity
With the process of inculturation is also bound up the
effort of the Asian churches seeking their true identity in Asia. Christianity,
though originally non-western, yet as was then embraced in Asia was European.
Asian Christians had a Christian identity that was often suspected as
diminishing, if not disloyal, to their
national identity. Hence Asians have the need to harmonise two identities into
a single identity to live and act as Asian Christians. While Hindus, Buddhists,
Confucians or Shintoists find themselves in their “natural habitat” for their religious
practices, it is the Christians in Asia who are called to show their patriotism
and nationality. This suspicion over their true loyalty to the nation and a
consequent minority complex urge them to go further than mere adaptation
limited to liturgical decorations and some ‘dewesternisation’. They want to
follow the prompting of the Spirit as discerned by their Asian leaders for a
genuine encounter with the cultures of the land. If culture is the God-given
natural cradle of their birth and Christian faith too is a gift of God, why should we hinder
the encounter urged by the Spirit?
The long road for
Christians in Asia to become Asian Christians and live as Asian churches and
concurrently evangelise Asia depends much
on the co-operation extended to the Spirit at work in Asia. Some leaders
responsible for the institutional Church may frown on inculturation as fraught
with syncretism and as a threat to institution. But have the churches a future
mission in Asia without listening to the Spirit active in Asia? Without genuine
encounter with the cultures? Without finding their identity in Asia?
3.6 Inter-Religious Dialogue
Besides the encouragement
given by the Second Vatican Council to improve relations with the non-Christian
religions, to recognise all that is true and holy in them and to forge ahead
dialogue and collaboration with them[25], the
multi-religious situation of Asia demands dialogue as indispensable for the
future of the Asian churches[26].
Further the struggle of the Asian people towards liberation and wholeness need
common and complimentary (moral and religious) foundation as well as an active
interreligious collaboration. Asians feel that the churches can do all these
within the universal salvific plan of God the Father revealed through His Son Jesus Christ and realised by
the universal presence and action of the Spirit. Hence notwithstanding some
accusations and suspicions about the Christians having found a new way to
effect conversions through friendly and
subtle conversations, the churches have opened themselves up for better
relation through interreligious dialogue and interreligious collaboration.
Dialogue understood and undertaken as communication and
sharing of Divine Life, as journeying together in a common search of the work
of the Spirit, removes prejudices and helps mutual understanding and
enrichment. Involving both individuals and communities, dialogue proceeds from
exterior aspects of living and working to more interior aspects of spiritual
life[27]
Interreligious
dialogue, we repeat, is not against the
proclamatory mission of the church. In fact dialogue and proclamation are
integral but dialectical and complimentary dimensions of the church’s mission
of new evangelisation. Hence interreligious dialogue is an integral element of
the process of building up authentic local churches in Asia[28].
3.7 Dialogue with Socio-political and Economic
Realities
Along with the resurgence of post-colonial nationalism
and development of new nations in Asia there has been a growing awareness of
socio-political and economic problems in Asia[29]. The
problems and their tragic consequences naturally pose challenges to the
churches for immediate relief as well as for long term remedies or solutions.
They call the churches and their organisations to be genuine and compassionate
helpers. The humanitarian response of the churches which were financially
supported by the churches of the west were gratefully recognised by the
non-Christian governments and the people and have won acclamation and even
privileges for the churches. But this ecclesial response of helping “ to bury
the dead, heal the wounded and console the victims” amounts to treating only
the symptom and not the remedy or solution of the problems. And such an
approach is nothing more than that of Non-Governmental Organisations(NGOs) like
the International Red Cross (ICRC) or Medicine
sans Frontier (MSF).
With the
encouragement given by the Second Vatican Council to the churches to be IN the
world and FOR the world, to function in the heart of secularity through the
witness and services of adult laity, the churches are called to play a role far
beyond those humanitarian services. They are not only to participate in the
joys and sorrows of the world, not only to be in solidarity and in service to
the needy but also to become courageous witnesses to truth, advocates of
the poor, defenders of justice and so on. In spite of (or because of )
their minority-status in the country, they are increasingly demanded to be the leaven for change and to be the
light to dispel the darkness of sin (corruption, injustice, oppression). Their
leaders are called to be the voice of the voiceless and advocates of the
oppressed.
Here many
challenging questions await for an answer. Will the churches and their leaders
pay the price for their prophetic stance? Will they give up their safety and
security to go with the poor and stand up for them? Will they become living
martyrs for the truth they are called to witness? The martyrs of the early
churches were tested for their faith and that martyrdom became the seeds of the
later churches. The Asian martyrdom guaranteeing a future for the Asian churches will be one of witness to truth, justice and human dignity
in the context of socio-political and
economic upheavals[30].
4.0
Hopeful Structures and Reflections for the New Millennium.
The post-Conciliar decades
also saw the functioning of new structures and therefrom growing consensus in
pastoral and theological reflections. These will continue to serve the Asian
churches in their challenging and complex mission into the new millennium.
4.1 Bishops’ Synods offered new chances for the
Asian churches.
The Synods, unlike the Council, gave chances to
the Bishops from the younger churches of Africa and Asia to participate more
actively and make more specific contributions. The very first 1971 Synod on
Priesthood and Justice did not evoke much interest and enthusiasm, but the 1974
Synod on Evangelisation in the Modern
World was a more relevant one for the Asian churches. The theme chosen and
the preparation made for the Synod, all done in living languages, encouraged
the bishops to a more active participation[31]. of
this synod.
Though the
Extraordinary Synod for Asia in Rome had the usual limitations of a
central-steering, dogmatic preoccupation and western priorities, Bishops of
Asia frankly voiced their concerns and priorities for Asia[32].The
final proposals are now in the hands of Pope John Paul. They will influence his message to Asia on the eve
of the new millennium.
4.2 The FABC and its Offices
The formation of the
Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences- (F-A-B-C) officially in 1971 and
consequently their various Institutes and Offices[33] for
various apostolates brought in new
structures for Asian renewal and
commitment. The efforts of diocesan and national commissions with regard to
social, missionary, religious and lay efforts were animated and co-ordinated
through these FABC structures. Unlike in the earlier days when instructions
came down from Roman Offices and Mother Houses in Europe for implementation,
more initiatives, reflections and study-exchanges were done on a regional or
national basis. These built up regional consensus as well as initiatives to
make demands from the centre. Hence the themes of the Synods were also studied
before and after the event through these structures and a minimum of consensus
arrived at before participation in the events. All these activities at
different levels of the churches, were eloquent signs of the movements of the
Spirit in Asia and the cumulative effect of these was a gradual growth in
awareness of Asian realities as well as in self-confidence and self-identity[34].
4.3
Rethinking western aid to Asian churches
This dependence
has facilitated undue surveillance and
control done by the donors that the
freedom and space for new initiatives demanded by the Asian context are
narrowed down.
Most of the western aid
presently given to churches in Asia is for pioneer missionary activity and for
building and maintaining institutions for pastoral training. The former though
limited by the secular and anti-conversion feelings growing among the
non-Christians of Asia, the latter is becoming increasingly difficult for an
Asian economy. Further this dependence has facilitated the strict surveillance
and control done by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples over
these churches. As a result freedom and space for new initiatives demanded by
the Asian context are narrowed down.
Hence Church
leaders are more and more convinced that the institutions they build
and maintain with
foreign-aid are not only too expensive for them but they are also foreign to
the people of the land.
In the
perspective of the above considerations, the aid flowing from the western
churches into Asia needs rethinking. If the Asian churches continue to maintain
a church model that is too expensive for Asia, then they will continue to be
dependent in many ways on the western churches but alien to the Asian context.
They will be thankful to the European churches for the aid given and the European
churches will continue aid only those structures known to them as missionary
activity, but not to the genuine efforts of the churches to become Asian.
Hence
the churches in Asia should not be considered by western donors as branches of
a western institution functioning in Asia but as brothers and sisters who are
poor but who should be helped to grow to maturity and independence[35]
4.4 Growing
Dissatisfaction about past theological methods and priorities
In keeping with the spirit
of the churches transplanted from Europe, a scholastic philosophy and theology - in the form of Latin text-books
written by professors of the Roman universities - were taught to most of the
Asian clergy. A strong counter-reformation approach given in these books[36], kept
the Asian students under Roman control! Consequently academic dissatisfaction
as well as feelings of pastoral irrelevance were already growing among the indigenous bishops
and leaders of the churches.
It is at this
point that the Council awakened interest and gave hope of a better future not
only for the people as a whole but also to those leaders suffocating in
tight institutions and wanting to
breathe more of the Spirit present and active in Asia. With the Council Documents as the “new
scriptures”, courageous men and women of the Spirit walked out of traditional
structures, organised Seminars and Reflections, founded centres for regular
action and reflection and formulated the prompting of the Spirit as they
experienced on various issues of the Church. Bishops who were taught by the
Council not to curtail the Spirit, had a hard time in discerning the Spirit and
controlling spirit-filled persons! But such were the beginnings of biblical,
liturgical, ecumenical, dialogue and
socio-political centres as well as Ashrams, Study-Circles, Research Institutes
and so on in Asia. Though these efforts may suffer temporary setbacks due to
Roman scrutiny and financial pressures, but if they are truly of the Spirit
working in Asia, who can curtail them?
4.5 Asians taking to the new ways of the Spirit
Asians do have a right and a
duty to question and challenge the validity, relevance and suitability of a
theology formulated in Europe and imposed on Asia as the one and only theology.
If we believe that the Spirit is present in Asia too and moves Asian churches
to new missions of faith vis a vis Asian realities and these give rise to new
theological reflections and formulations, then who is to curtail this move?.
And what is
coming out from Asia in humble forms, without the tussles of a scholastic
theology, may be the beginnings of Asian theologies. These incipient
theological thinking, if they happen to disturb or question the methods and
contents of earlier theologies monopolised by European churches, it does not mean
that they are old rebels and heretics in new uniforms. It does not mean that
they emanate from an evil spirit from the East contrary to the good one from
the West. They need not evoke alarm signals at the centre nor be silenced for
the sake of uniformity and centrality. What is needed is a sincere dialogue in
a spirit of openness with the new thinking prompted by the Spirit in Asia.
Condemnations and excommunications from the centre without the least dialogue
cause unnecessary pain[37] New missions vis a vis new realities evoke
new reflections. As long as they are done in faith and with the guidance of the
Spirit, they have a value of their own, call them what you want.
What has emerged
on the Asian scene is the sincere and enthusiastic effort in theological
reflection starting from contextual realities and using Asian resources in
preference to western resources. The praxis-oriented search is to find an Asian
vision, understanding, formulation, motivation and spirituality for further
practice of faith in the Asian context. Guardians and architects of western
theology should not be over-critical and cynical but welcoming most of these
efforts as corrective, complimentary and
impulsive for further search[38].
4.6
Reflections from pastoral praxis
Pastoral
reflections arising from a growing concern for Asian challenges and issues and
from a praxis of faith in these Asian context have brought to the fore
individuals as well as groups to more theological reflection and formulation.
They take up issues vitally related to Christian life in Asia[39].
Deductive approach of reasoning downward from enunciated principles or teaching
of the church to reach out liturgical,
moral and pastoral conclusions are given up in preference for an inductive
approach of moving from a faith-oriented
praxis to a praxis-based reflection and formulation. Contrary to propping up reflections on enunciated principles or
statements with Scriptural quotations, Asians prefer identifying the
challenging realities around them and then bring relevant scriptural
reflections to bear on them. By further
enriching that biblical reflection of the issue in the light of other
revelations and manifestations of God,
Asians are trying to reap the harvest of God’s Revelation in its
fullness for that particular issue or challenge. Thus theological reflection by
Asians takes a serious look at the revelations of the Spirit in the
“non-Christian resources” too.
5.0
Conclusion: A courageous faith to walk over the rough waters of Asia
The churches in Asia are
moving into the new millennium, not with any confrontational or conquest
mentality to win over converts and save only those baptised from the millions
of followers of other faiths. They believe in the universal salvific will and
plan of God as well as in the unique mission of Christ in Asia. The lessons of
the first phase of evangelisation, as learnt and reflected in the Second
Vatican Council, had opened to them a new vision and understanding of Asian
realities, given them new directions and priorities and taught them new ways of spreading the Light
of Jesus Christ into the multi-religious and poverty-stricken continent of
Asia. With the help of the Spirit active in Asia, they are discovering their
own identity as Asian churches among other religions and are taking
responsibility for identifying the chances and challenges of Asia and to be a
new evangelising presence in Asia. Their presence can be evangelising only to
the extent that the Light of Christ is carried deep into the world of
religions, cultures and poverty of Asia.
Though the Lord of Asia
beckons and the Spirit in Asia urges the churches to move on, some questions
continue to lurk in the minds of leaders and hinder them from responding to the
call. May the Lord who calls and the
Spirit which urges grant to the Asian churches a courageous faith to walk over the rough
waters of Asia?
S.J.Emmanuel (65), is a catholic priest
and former Vicar General of the diocese of Jaffna (Sri Lanka). He has been
teaching theology at the National Seminary in Kandy and in Jaffna. For ten
years he served as a member of the Theological Advisory Committee of the
Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences. At present he is pastor in Germany,
visiting scholar at Heythrop College (London Uni.) and guest-lecturer in some
German Universities.
[1][1] Pope John Paul II
had given an Apostolic Exhortation Tertio millennio adveniente on
10.Nov.1994 for a three years preparation to the event and recent Declaration
of the Great Jubilee Year 2000 Incarnationis mysterium on 29.Nov.1998.
[2] Here we speak not
of the churches in Middle East, which took part in the Asian Synod in Rome. Nor are we speaking of the St.Thomas
Christians of Kerala(South India) who claim their existence from the 5th.
Century.
[3] After
Vat.II, it was renamed as the
Congregation for the Evangelisation of
Peoples
[4] Depending on the
country and the colonial power that helped in the missionary activity of the
churches, Asian churches were experiencing their own version of cuijus regio eijus religio. Some became
Catholics, others Dutch Reformed Catholics, others Anglicans, Methodists and so
on according to the confessions of the colonising powers..
[5] The biblical
image of the Church as the “pusillus grex”,
salt of the earth, leaven in the dough
is often forgotten
[6] The biblical
title chosen by the Second Vatican Council for its Dogmatic Constitution on the
Church – Lumen Gentium –speaks
volumes for the new self-understanding of the Church in the modern world. Light
understood as a centrifugal radiation of waves of energy help us to understand
the enlightening mission of the Church in a world of many darkness.
[7] The situation of
churches in lands where they are a majority is not that encouraging when it
comes to evangelisation and prophetic mission in their context
[8] Extra Ecclesia ist nulla salus and Salus
animarum ist lex suprema
[9] Mother Theresa of
Calcutta has won more accolades for the Indian Church than most of its church leaders.
[10]
Karl Rahner, Towards A fundamental
Interpretation of vat.ii in Theological Studies 1979,pp716...
[11] The influence of
theologians from Holland, Germany, France, Swizzerland into the hitherto dominant Italian-Latin
theology was described by an American writer as the Rhine flowing into the
Tiber.
[12] The number of
indigenous bishops from the mission lands increased rapidly during and after
the Council. Unlike for Apostle Paul in his missions, even after centuries of
Christianity in mission territories, indigenous clergy were considered not up
to the required standards to become bishops!
[13] For example,
inspired by Cardinal Augustino Bea and other German Bishops, the Council
attempted to rectify and renew relation between the Church and the Jews. But
the Council Fathers went on to discuss the relation of the Church with other
religions too. This gave birth to the document Nostra Aetatae on the Relation of the Church not only to the Jews
but also to believers of other Non-Christian Religions
[14] More and more
missionary Bishops of European origin
while recommending the documents of the Council felt the need to hand over the
leadership to indigenous bishops for better implementation. On the other hand
with the growth of seminaries and
secular clergy more indigenous bishops were appointed.
[15] This may be due
to two reasons: i) the fact that the new ways opened by the Second Vatican
Council for the churches in Asia were more attractive and promising than the
questions about chastity and obedience. ii) the values of obedience and
chastity are already well recognised values in Asian religions and cultures
[16] In this
perspective the older churches of Europe which were supporting missionary
activities in other parts of the world were called to their mission in their
context of atheism, secularism and other forms of socio-economic evils.
[17] Admirable
services done by the missionaries in education and charitable works were
probably seen, if not intended, as pre-evangelical or pro-evangelical leading
many beneficiaries to conversion and protecting the converted in their faith.
[18] Just as the love of
neighbour cannot be divorced from the love of God, community living of the
Gospel cannot be divorced from the following of Christ. Following of Christ
implies community living and becoming-church.
[19] The missionary
hears the Lord’s command “Go and teach/preach”
as were from behind and moves
forward to meet the new challenges ahead.
[20] Three important
Roman documents treat this post-conciliar problem. After the 1974 Synod on
Evangelisation, Pope Paul VI gave the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi which has gained
wider acceptance as the Magna Carta of
Evangelisation in the modern world. With growing concern about the disinterest
for direct proclamation, the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples
urged Pope John Paul II to write an Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Homini to warn about the christological errors involved
in Dialogue and insisted more on
direct proclamation. The Secretariat for Interreligious Dialogue simultaneous
to the Encyclical brought out its Statement on Dialogue and Proclamation
clarifying a certain type of dialogue that is not incompatible with
Proclamation. But all these have not solved the mystery of the new missionary
activity.
[21] A.G 22 Thus in
imitation of the plan of the Incarnation , the young churches rooted in Christ
and built on the foundation of the apostles take to themselves in a wonderful
exchange all the riches of the nations which were given to Christ as an
inheritance (cf.Ps.2.8). From the customs and traditions of their peoples, from
their wisdom and their learning,, from their arts and sciences, these churches
borrow all those things..... If this goal is to be achieved, theological
investigations must necessarily be stirred up in each major socio-cultural area
... a fresh scrutiny will be brought to
bear on the deeds and words which God
has made known ...and which have been unfolded by the teaching authority of the
Church.
[22] For the formation
of the indigenous clergy and religious financial assistance for building
suitable institutions and their further maintenance was given by the older
churches. But this had a long term effect of the West controlling and steering
a formation that was in many ways contrary to inculturation.
[23] A.G.22 Thanks to
such a procedure , every appearance of syncretism and of false particularism
can be excluded....and the churches be taken into Catholic unity....without
prejudice to the primacy of Peter’s See.
[24] Theses 5,6,10 of
the TAC-FABC Theses on the Local Church in Being
Church in Asia, Vol.1, Claretian Publication 1994
[26] The urgency of
interreligious dialogue prompted the Theological Advisory Committee of the FABC
to study this theme as their first task in 1987.
[27] Theses 1-5 of the
TAC-FABC Theses on Interreligious
Dialogue in Being Church in Asia
vol.1
[29]
Asia consists of three regions – Far-eastern (Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong
Kong), Eastern ( Philippines, Indonesia,
Thailand, Vietnam etc.) and South-east (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka). Socio-political and Economic situations vary a lot from massive poverty
in Bangladesh and India and Philippines to economic prosperity in Japan, Korea
and Singapore.
[30] Pope John Paul II
in his Declaration of the Jubilee Year 2000 states “our present century has had
as consequence of Nationalsocialism (Hitler’s), Communism and racial conflicts
many martyrs....the churches all over the world will be anchored to the witness
of martyrs...” Incarnationis mysterium
n.13
[31]
The valuable contributions from the three continents have appeared in three
volumes and the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii
Nuntiandi of Pope Paul VI –called
the magna carta for a new
evangelisation – was an outcome of this synod.
[32]
‘Asian Bishops were not to be steered by the priorities and plans prepared by
the Roman Secretariat through the Lineamenta and Instrumentum Laboris. The stimulus given by the FABC and it’s
various institutes during the last 27 years have prepared them to articulate
eloquently Asian contextual realities
and their vision of the Church to meet those realities. Hence efforts by curia
cardinals to draw them into discussions about old theological questions about
the divinity of Jesus Christ and how to deal with theologians who go soft on it
etc. did not bother them in their circuli minores. They preferred to talk about
inter-religious dialogue, dialogue with the socio-political realities of Asia,
inculturation etc. rather than to be on the hunt for theologians who breach the
dogmatic definitions of scholastic theologians’.
[33] BISA = Bishops’ Institute
for Social Apostolate; similarly, BIMA = for Missionary apostolate.; BILA = for
Lay Apostolate; OEIRA = Office for
Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs etc.
[34]
But the procedure of selecting bishops who will show more obedience to the
directives of Rome than to the cries of the people hinders this growth to this
self-identity. Immaturity is still seen in some bishops who expect more
directives about their particularities given by Rome and spurn the urges of the
Spirit in Asia.
[35] Fr.P.Divarkar S.J. ‘What
is clear from history is that as long as the present Catholic Church, with its
intricate structure and centralised control, claims Asia as an occupied
territory, the Saviours mission will not progress on the very continent where
Jesus was born and died “that they may have life and have it abundantly” Jn
10.10 at the Synod for Asia in Rome.
[36]
Many of the professors in the Asian Seminaries were trained in European
Seminaries or Universities. Even now the Asian Seminaries affiliated to Roman
Universities and financially supported by Rome are expected to follow strict
guidelines in the teaching of theology and philosophy.
[37] The recent
excommunication of Father Tissa Balasuriya OMI of Sri Lanka without sufficient
dialogue with the local Hierarchy, within the Oblate Congregation and with the
Roman Office, caused much pain and protest among theologians not only in Asia
but also world over. The belated dialogue facilitated by his religious
congregation to rehabilitate him in the church could have spared all
[38]
Missiology, earlier understood as the
learning of missionary methods and praxis was taught as a marginal
subject outside of dogmatic theology. But the new questions for dogmatic
theology arise truly out of the missionary-dialogues taking place mostly
outside Europe.
[39] During the first
ten years of their existence, the Theological Advisory Committee of the FABC
had not picked up dogmatic issues to split hairs with western theologians. They
have reflected On the following: Interreligious Dialogue, Local churches and
Inculturation, Church and Politics in Asia,
Towards a Theology of Harmony in Asia, The Spirit at Work in Asia Today.
Nor have the Asian Bishops at the Synod for Asia gave into attempts by the
centre to be drawn into dogmatic debates about older questions. Instead they
underlined dialogue, inculturation, poverty as
their own challenges and priorities for mission.
