CONCERN 1
Asian Churches for a New Evangelization:
Chances and Challenges
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 evangelization 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 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 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 and Holland. The
heroic and self-sacrificing efforts of the European missionaries to Asia were
planned, supported and coordinated 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 was intended by Pope
John XXIII by 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 as 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 new efforts towards recognizing the religious, cultural and secular
realities of Asia and towards anchoring a new mission on their own soil. These
efforts were naturally characterised by challenges, problems and tensions, both
within the churches themselves as well as with the Magisterium of the world
Church.
The recently concluded Special Assembly of the Bishops’ Synod for Asia
held in the Vatican has brought to the 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 with its Magisterium
Hence, we propose to study historically and in stages, the nature and
mission of the Asian churches as developed during their journey towards the
present, seeking a new identity and a new evangelization in Asia. In the first
part, we will briefly describe the first phase of the evangelization of Asia as
carried out until 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
Evangelization 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 and promote the mission of Christ further into Asia. Except for the
churches of St. Thomas Christians in India, the first phase of the
evangelization 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 the 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 zeal for conquering souls for Christ and His Vicar in Rome.
Besides teaching some prayers and baptizing the indigenous peoples, they
planted and built churches according to their understanding and experiences at
home and were 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 that 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 on
Asian soil and are worthy of our respect. Though the challenges facing today’s
evangelizing 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 by their
Roman mother houses and later the Roman Congregation for the Propagation of the
Faith.
Missionary activity in Asia was not in the first place the sowing of the
seeds of the Gospel or the Bible but consisted more of teaching 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 maintaining 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 the Philippines is only 2.27% of the Asian population,
and excluding the Philippines only 1.47% of the Asian population! The
exceptional situation of the 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 to further diminish. But how far is
the minority character a 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 of 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 Ôsmall flock’(6) and a Lumen Gentium(5) and still
is 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 specialized 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 Ôpagan’ religions and cultures to bring them into the fold of the
churches. In most cases it was a direct invitation to conversion, baptism and
membership in the churches while offering pre-evangelization or pro-evangelization
services as attractive incentives. Although missionary convictions like - “no
salvation outside the Church” and - “salvation of souls is the supreme law”(8)- justified their efforts, still the methods
used came under suspicion and resentment. 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 Fide, 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 as the “The First Council of Jerusalem”
for Asia
For the world Church the Second
Vatican Council was the end of the 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 which 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 launching made by the Second Vatican Council of the Church of the
world to that of the First Council of Jerusalem and referred to the latter as
the fundamental interpretation of Vatican II(10). And this is true much more in
the Asian situation than anywhere else in the world.
This does not mean that the Asian churches articulated their problems of
the means of their first evangelization 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 soil 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 gave oral submissions on the floor. A few 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 some European issues were dealt with.(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 being 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 to 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 bishops14
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 Person and to the Person’s 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
person, to the person’s whole modern world, and the enthusiasm to dialogue with
all these realities was visible in many ways. Besides the already existing institutions
for education and charitable works, by which the churches were mostly known in
Asia, new centers of theological and pastoral animation were established in the
field of Bible Study, Liturgy, Spirituality, Catechesis etc. New centers for
ecumenism and dialogue with other religions as well as centers 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 was naturally felt also in some quarters as a
whirlwind of the Spirit, liberalizing 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-centered
institutions, the best of the 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 the 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 personnel and funds were devoted to translating,
composing and rendering of liturgical music with due cultural expressions of
community celebrations.
Seminaries and centers 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 creative ideas and
feelings in liturgy. Concern for
preserving the Roman liturgy from syncretism and fears of making it
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 a largely translated but not a sufficiently inculturated form.
The literal translations of Roman Latin texts into the vernacular
naturally bring dissatisfaction and impel 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 vernacularization 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 already saw
that their new mission went far beyond this initial euphoria with the liturgy.
3.3 Mystery of the New Mission
In the worldview 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 person and to the person’s whole
world. This salvific service had deeper consequences for the younger churches
of Asia - to become new missionaries of the Light to their lately discovered
Asian brothers and sisters and to their world of realities. The concept of mission
widened from a narrow-minded conquest-activity into a deeper and broader
involvement for the salvation of the person and the person’s world.
Missionary activity no longer meant a proclamation or teaching of a
catechism for the conquest of souls (parallel to the colonial conquests) or for
the conversion of people of other faiths into the Catholic fold or for taking
the people away from their native culture and heritage. It was no longer an
attempt to 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 nor for 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 organized in some way, is no more
church-centered but gospel-centered. 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 evangelization is neither conversion nor planting of
churches, but enabling an encounter of the Asian person with the gospel of
Jesus Christ.
A clearly defined but narrow mission of conquering souls by “teaching,
converting and baptizing” 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 remain the same and retain its permanent validity
for all times. How is, then, 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 those who go out with
their knowledge of the Gospel, with their skills and blue-prints for preaching,
teaching and building the church, but rather those with courageous prophecy 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 people.
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 (socio-political and economic
involvement). With regard to dialogue with culture and dialogue with the
socio-politcal 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
longer 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 continues to cast suspicions about the
missionary seriousness of the Asian churches. The center complains that direct
proclamation is neglected, if not given up, in favor 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 of 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 also encouraged
theological investigations to be undertaken in each socio-cultural region,
including even a fresh scrutiny of 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 become an indigenous one, at least
in some areas of ecclesial and ecclesiastical life. With the European
missionaries winding up their pioneer efforts and increasingly handing over the
responsibilities 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 conducted by way of certain accommodation or adaptation was
not sufficient to realize the true vision of the Second Vatican Council as
based on the incarnation. Often the question arises whether inculturation is
only tolerated by the Magisterium as a necessary corrective of appearances and
attitudes left by the first evangelization, or it is 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 (evangelization of cultures). The
growth of the local churches are so conditioned by the cultures and the
cultures themselves have to be evangelized 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 evangelization.(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
harmonize 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 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 de-westernization. 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 evangelize 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 the institution. But do the churches have 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 recognize all that is true and
holy in them and to forge ahead to 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 needs a 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 realized by the
universal presence and action of the Spirit. Hence, notwithstanding some
accusations and suspicions about the Christians who have 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
evangelization. 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 organizations
to be genuine and compassionate helpers. The humanitarian response of the
churches which were financially supported by the churches of the west were
gratefully recognized 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 Organizations (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 a 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 Ministerial and Justice in
the World did not evoke much interest and enthusiasm, but the 1974 Synod on
Evangelization 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 1998 had the usual
limitations: 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 FABC and its
Offices
The formation of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences- (FABC)
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 coordinated
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 center. 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 is 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. While the former is 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 Evangelization 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 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 to 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
who, suffocated in tight institutions, want 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,
organized seminars and reflections, founded centers 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 centers 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, 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
formulation -- who is, then, 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. This
incipient theological thinking, if it happens to disturb or question the methods
and contents of earlier theologies monopolized by European churches, does not
suggest that its proponents are old rebels and heretics in new uniforms. It
does not mean that such things emanate from an evil spirit from the East
contrary to the good one from the West. It need not evoke alarm signals at the
center 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
center 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
welcome 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 up
more theological reflection and formulation. They take up issues vitally
related to Christian life in Asia.(39) A deductive approach of reasoning
downward from enunciated principles or teaching of the church to reach
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 bringing 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. 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
baptized 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 evangelization, as learned
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 evangelizing presence in
Asia. Their presence can be evangelizing 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.
NOTES
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 Evangelization 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 colonizing 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 much darkness.
7.The situation of churches in lands where they are a
majority is not that encouraging when it comes to evangelization and prophetic
mission in their context.
8.Extra ecclesia est nulla salus and Salus animarum
est 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,” Theological Studies, 1979, pp. 716.
11.The influence of theologians from Holland, Germany,
France, Switzerland 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 relationship
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 recognized 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 neighbor 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 evangelization, Pope Paul VI gave the
Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi which has gained wider acceptance as
the Magna Carta of evangelization in the modern world. With growing concern
about the disinterest for direct proclamation, the Congregation for the
Evangelization 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 own 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,
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.
25.N.A. 1-2
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.
28.Thesis 7.
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 national
socialism (Hitler’s), Communism and racial conflicts many martyrs....the
churches all over the world will be anchored to the witness of martyrs...”
Incarnationis Mysterium, no. 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
Evangelization - 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 and so on. 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 the 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 centralized control, claims Asia as an occupied territory, the Savior’s
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).
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 Fr. 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 attempted to be drawn
into dogmatic debates about older questions. Instead, they underlined dialogue,
inculturation, poverty as their own challenges and priorities for mission.
