Synod for Asia
By THOMAS C. FOX and GARY
MacEOIN
The following is one of a series of articles published in
preparation for the Synod for Asia, which opens April 19 at the Vatican. This
week NCR looks at the Vaticans lineamenta, or preparatory
document, and the responses to it from bishops conferences in East and
Southeast Asia. Next week NCR looks at the instrumentum laboris, the
synods final working document prepared by the Vatican. To read these
documents and other resources, go to the Documents section of NCR
Online.
In advance of the Synod for Asia, set to begin April 19, the
Vatican is telling Asian Catholics that their primary task is to proclaim the
uniqueness of Jesus Christ, as the one and only savior. The Asian bishops, in
return, are saying the way to proclaim faith in Jesus Christ is to be less
declarative -- to make the proclamation, instead, by service and by being in
dialogue with the other great religions.
The Vaticans view and the view of the Asian bishops
delineate a fundamental breach as preparations are completed for the upcoming
synod.
Some surprisingly feisty Asian bishops will arrive in Rome later
this month determined to press hard on behalf of their visions of church, as
well as to warn Rome that its views appear out of touch with Asian
realities.
Based on their writings, many Asian bishops also think that a
truly global Catholicism requires more local autonomy and greater respect in
the West for Asian spirituality and cultural attitudes.
The Asian landmass and related islands is home to some 50 nations
and 3.5 billion people, two-thirds of the worlds population. The area has
97 million Catholics.
An examination of more than a dozen responses from East and
Southeast Asian bishops conferences to the synod preparatory document
reveals serious differences between the Asian bishops and Vatican officials
regarding church theologies and governance -- starting with the purpose and
process of the synod itself.
The degree of Eastern disillusionment with Vatican leadership is
underscored by a request contained in the Indonesian bishops response
calling upon the synod to establish a mechanism responsible for exploring
the possibility of an East Asian patriarchate, at least endowed with autonomy
comparable to that of the patriarchates in Oriental churches of the near
East. This would, the suggestion reasoned, relativize the primacy
of the Western church and enhance authentic inculturation of
Christian faith.
A patriarch has jurisdiction over all bishops, clergy and people
in a territory or in a specified rite (such as the Roman, Melchite or Syrian
rite). The division of the church into patriarchates goes back to the
beginnings of Christianity. The Council of Nicea (325) recognized the
patriarchal status of Alexandria and Jerusalem in its canons, and by inference
that of Rome. By the time of Justinian, the title was reserved to these three
sees plus Constantinople and Antioch.
Patriarchates are an example of subsidiarity in church government.
Each patriarch is responsible -- according to the New Catholic Encyclopedia --
for the election of the bishops of his patriarchate in the best possible
way.
The Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Asia is to run
April 19 through May 14. It was called by Pope John Paul II in his November
1994 Apostolic Letter, Tertio Millennio Adveniente. Bishops
conferences represented at the synod will include those from the Middle East,
the Persian Gulf countries, South Asian countries, the Central Asian countries,
the Southeast Asian countries, Asian Siberia and the countries of the Far
East.
The Vatican first circulated its 24,000-word synod
lineamenta, or preparatory document, throughout Asia in 1996. Asian
bishops sent their responses to Rome last year. While the length and tone of
these documents vary, most share common visions, including strong commitments
to the poor, to social justice and to dialogue with other Asian religions. They
also share frustrations with perceived Vatican efforts to pull back from Second
Vatican Council reforms aimed at decentralizing church authority.
The Asian bishops are sending a strong message to Rome:
Evangelization efforts not grounded in Asian realities and Asian sensitivities
are certain to fail. This theme arises repeatedly in Asian bishops
responses to questions posed by the Vatican in the synod lineamenta,
whether the issue deals with inculturation, interfaith dialogue, missionary
work or the role of Mary in church life.
On the social front, the Asian bishops are sending out warnings as
they see growing disruption on the Asian continent stemming from the spread of
Western consumer values brought on by new economic forces. They also see a
growing gap between rich and poor, further dividing the peoples of Asia.
While many Asian bishops conferences have taken exception to
aspects of the lineamenta, the Japanese bishops were its strongest
critics. They saw the lineamenta as so inadequate for Asian realities
that they simply refused to answer the questions posed in it. Instead, they
drew up their own questions and answers for the synod (NCR, March 27).
The stark tone of the Japanese document revealed serious tensions between the
Japanese bishops and the Vatican on issues of culture, theology and
mission.
In dismissing the document, the Japanese bishops said its
questions were composed in the context of Western Christianity.
They wrote, From the way the questions are proposed, one feels that the
holding of the synod was like an occasion for the central office to evaluate
the performance of the branch offices.
They called for all synod proceedings to include Asian languages,
that the synods agenda be determined by the Asian bishops after it has
been convened, that committee chairpersons be chosen by the Asian bishops and
that participating bishops be permitted to consult with experts, including
women, whom they would choose to attend.
Other Asian bishops conferences also made it clear to Rome
that they are not satisfied with some key suppositions in the synod preparatory
document.
The bishops conference of Indonesia, among the most critical
of the Vatican, in a response sent to Rome last September, took issue with the
growth in centralized church authority. Citing Vatican II collegiality
initiatives, the Indonesian bishops stated that the specific responses of
Asian churches should come out clearly as their contribution to the universal
church as a communion of communities.
They also said that evangelization as outlined in the
lineamenta does not adequately reflect the longtime approach
of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences, which has encouraged a
triple-dialogue with the poor, other religions and cultures.
The Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences was formed in
the wake of the Second Vatican Council. It includes bishops from some 20 Far
East and Southeast Asian nations. It has been the primary international Asian
episcopal network and has published important documents on Asian church life
over the years. The federation convenes formally every four or five years.
Preparatory document
The Vatican lineamenta is divided into six chapters and is
followed by questions the Asian bishops were asked to answer. The chapters are
mission-oriented, including: Asian Realities,
Evangelization, Gods Salvific Design in History,
Jesus Christ as Savior to All, Church as Communion and
The Churchs Mission of Love and Service in Asia. Some
bishops conferences criticized the format for being too institutionally
oriented and not stressing enough the pastoral nature of the church.
The document depicts Asia as a continent facing severe material
and spiritual challenges but one populated with resourceful people. Economic
progress, the document notes, has not been uniform. The poor are getting
poorer. It sees the church as helping to carry the burdens of Asia.
Much of the document deals in abstractions. For example, it states
in Chapter I, In a humble way, the church wants to take upon herself the
burdens of Asia and carry them along with her brothers and sisters and have
them redeemed in Jesus Christ through His saving death and
resurrection.
The lineamenta attempts to focus the synod on Jesus Christ
as savior of Asia. The lineamenta states that the task of the bishops of
Asia is to proclaim Jesus Christ to all. Proclamation becomes the
primary church task, and dialogue with other religions is rooted in the clarity
of this proclamation.
The church in Asia has and wants to proclaim Jesus Christ to
her brothers and sisters on the continent so that they may be enriched by the
inexhaustible riches of Jesus Christ, the preparatory document states.
In turn, the church shall be enriched by the profound seeds of truth and
goodness present among them through dialogue, the lineamenta
states in Chapter III.
The Asian bishops repeatedly respond that dialogue with other
religions comes first and that it is the means of effective proclamation.
The lineamenta, however, takes a cautious, even, at times,
suspicious, approach to interfaith dialogue. For example, it warns the Asian
bishops against false inculturation, which, it says, can occur when
the focus of dialogue is not placed on Jesus Christ. The church cannot
abandon her faith in Jesus Christ for the sake of a false inculturation or
irenicism, despite the fact that Asia has such a wide variety of cultures and
religions, the lineamenta states in Chapter IV. If she did,
the church would not be true to herself. It must be admitted that a Trinitarian
faith may indeed be a stumbling block to cultures that are so diverse. Yet, if
this faith is lived in love, service and humility, it will receive increasing
acceptance, as it has at all times in the history of evangelization.
The lineamenta goes on: This lays a heavy
responsibility on church leaders that they become truly Christlike in their
lives. A life of witness wins hearts, not theoretical doctrines. ... The
Christian apostle is not just a social worker; nor is the Christian faith
merely an ideology or a humanistic program.
This central issue of contention arises again when many Asian
bishops conferences respond to the lineamentas view that the
missionarys primary task is to proclaim Jesus Christ as
Savior. The lineamenta laments that for several theoretical and
historical reasons, an opinion has been expressed from some quarters in Asia
during the last three decades that the age of mission is over. Now is the time
for dialogue and inculturation. Radical pluralism of religion and salvation
seems to become a dogma itself. At times, ones culture is so absolutized
that conversion is looked upon as violence done to the other. Others claim that
the churchs mission is only the proclamation of the values of the
Kingdom, human promotion and liberation.
The lineamenta insists this is the wrong path. It stresses
that the primacy of the proclamation of Jesus Christ in all evangelizing
activities has been repeatedly stressed by the [Second Vatican] council and the
magisterium of the church because it is of the essence of the faith and the
very continuation of the saving event of Jesus Christ. ... In the current
theological, missiological and missionary situation of Asia, the proclamation
of Jesus Christ is the central issue of the faith and life of the church. It is
incumbent on the pastors of the church to give priority to proclamation in all
their pastoral planning. They must be seen primarily as evangelizers and only
secondarily as administrators.
The Vatican document allows a place for dialogue but a secondary
place. Even though dialogue is essential and forms part of every
evangelizing activity of the church, it does not exhaust the whole reality of
evangelization, nor is it a substitute for mission ad gentes [to
the nations], and much less is it to be seen as something in opposition to the
proclamation of Jesus Christ.
Addressing the subject of Mariology, the lineamenta reminds
the Asian bishops that the church must look to Mary for her intercession,
example, guidance and strength. ... On the eve of the third millennium, the
church in Asia, therefore, turns to Mary for fresh inspiration, guidance and
intercession for her challenging mission of proclaiming her Son to the peoples
of Asia.
Most Asian bishops conference responses allowed Mary
considerable respect but did not echo the Vaticans bold admonitions. To
the contrary, some conferences, including the Philippine conference, warned
that Marian devotions sometimes are overemphasized and take the focus off a
Christ-centered church. They also noted that these devotions often become
tainted with superstitious beliefs.
Asian realities
Responding to Chapter I, Asian Realities, the Asian
bishops depict increasingly harsh economic conditions across the continent.
Conference after conference condemned the pernicious influence of growing
consumerism and spreading economic hardships and stressed a church committed to
social justice.
The Indonesian bishops stated that besides its positive aspects,
industrialization in Indonesia has produced such negative effects as the growth
of materialism, consumerism, secularism, unemployment, poor working conditions,
unjust remuneration, exploitation of women and children, restriction on labor
organizations, inadequate land distribution and the rapid increase of the
tourism and sex industries.
Industrialism, they wrote, is increasingly showing its effect on
traditional ways of life, causing many, especially the younger generation, to
disregard ancient cultural values. Many still profess a religion but have
no genuine faith, the bishops stated.
The Indonesian conference was one of several that saw a need for
the church to emphasize Jesus Christ as liberator.
The Korean bishops warned of the decline of the family structure
and a growing individualism caused by rampant materialism, the breakdown
of the traditional hierarchy of values.
The Malaysian bishops said the church has not been able to stop
the negative influences arising out of economic development, affluence,
consumerism, individualism.
Taiwanese bishops warned that money is becoming a god. There
is no equal progress in morality and education. ... Though the economic boom
extends right through Asia, the plight of workers (local and foreign), which
has become a global problem, hardly gets the attention of either civil or
church leaders.
The Taiwanese bishops added that the whole of society is
dominated by the quest for profits and consumerism. The traditional spirit of
hard work and the simple life has been lost; the hierarchy of values is
confused and disoriented; most people feel a spiritual emptiness. Unemployment
is high, therefore people are more anxious to make money than to search for
truth.
The Philippine bishops spoke of the massive poverty of the
people, often caused by injustice; the scandalous gap between rich and poor;
the concentration of power in the hands of the elite.
The Indian bishops added another concern -- rapid population
growth. No matter which way our national population is looked at, we
admit that our country is approaching the limits of national resources as they
are now being systematically abused. India has more than doubled her population
within the first 50 years of her independence. ... The countrys
population problem is not just a challenge for the Indian subcontinent; it is a
problem for Asia and the world as well.
Also addressed in responses to the realities chapter
were more parochial church concerns. A sampling includes:
- The Taiwanese bishops: The church is still very
hierarchical in structure. Though accepting some degree of democratization, she
is not facing enough the equality of men and women.
- The Sri Lankan bishops: The faithful need to understand the
important difference between performing mere acts of charity and carrying
out the churchs evangelizing mission of love and service inspired by the
social doctrine of the church. Very few in the Sri Lankan church, including the
clergy, realize this difference.
Responding to Chapter II, Evangelization, many Asian
bishops conferences expressed serious concerns that the lineamenta
failed to understand or reflect Asian religious conditions.
The Indonesian bishops began their response to the issue by
listing current challenges to evangelization efforts. These include new
pressures from science and technology, a growing mass media culture, growing
materialism and the atmosphere of secularization. All these, the bishops
stated, obscure precious traditional cultural values.
They took on the lineamenta, saying its approach to
evangelization simply disregards the many years of experience contained in the
writings of the Asian bishops since Vatican II. The lineamenta
does not adequately reflect the [Federation of Asian Bishops
Conferences] view since its First Plenary Assembly in Taipei [in Taiwan]
1974, the Indonesian bishops lamented. There -- as also in the
Fifth Plenary Assembly of the FABC in Bandung [in Indonesia] 1990 --
Evangelization is linked with the triple dialogue: dialogue with the poor,
dialogue with the religions and dialogue with the cultures.
Structural problems
The Indonesian bishops cited structural problems in the
lineamenta saying its assessment of Asian realities appears divorced
from what follows. Chapter I of the lineamenta on Asian realities, the
Indonesian bishops wrote, does not flow into the following chapters (it
seems juxtaposed), whereas it is the FABCs main concern that
evangelization should immerse itself in concrete life situations in order to
save humans within the very conditions of their lives.
The bishops of Thailand criticized the Vatican evangelization line
from another angle, saying it did not support interfaith understanding enough.
Evangelization must establish good relationships with other religions
through respect and acceptance of each others values, they wrote.
Evangelization must recognize the traditions of other religions as
friends or even relatives living together.
The Vietnamese bishops questioned the lineamentas
suppositions as they pertained to evangelization in Asia and recalled
approaches encouraged at the Second Vatican Council. The first reason is
that this continent is not virgin or fallow soil on which one can sow any kind
of seed, they wrote. It is a land of very ancient religions and
civilizations when compared to Europe. ... The inhabitants are not without
knowledge of God, quite the opposite: they have a certain experience of His
presence, and invoke Him under different names such as Sky,
Heaven, Brahman, etc. Consequently, to
evangelize in this particular case does not mean to present a God,
a Christ, as totally unknown, but, in a certain way -- perhaps borrowing from
Buddhist language -- it is to make shine more brightly the Light
present but hidden; it is to help in seeing the truth illuminated,
which Vatican II recognized was partially present in other religions.
Responding to Chapter III, Gods Salvific Design,
a number of the conferences raised questions dealing with church imagery
contained in the lineamenta.
The Japanese bishops wrote that the imagery is not as rich
or deep as that [in the documents] of Vatican II. Especially, the images of
the church as people of God and the church as servant
are not stressed. These two images have special meaning for the church in Asia,
which in order to serve Gods kingdom lives in a minority position with
and for others. Their absence would be unfortunate for the synod.
Japans bishops continued: The central issues of
service and dialogue developed by the [the Federation of Asian Bishops
Conferences] are two very important points for the Catholic church in Asia that
are not sufficiently stressed in the lineamenta. ... The
lineamenta still reflects an ecclesiological pattern from
above and somewhat abstract. For the synod of Asian bishops, clearly the
most appropriate model will be the church as communion of
communities.
The Philippine bishops also called for use of Vatican II imagery,
saying the main image of church that should be used in this section and
throughout the document should be that of a co-pilgrim, companion and servant
accompanying the peoples of Asia in the journey to full life.
The Indian bishops said their completely indigenous
hierarchy helps their church image. More than 90 percent of the
nations clergy and religious are Indian. This has been a
plus, the Indian bishops wrote. However, they added, being
an overly clerical institution, the churchs ways of thinking,
speaking and acting not infrequently hinder her communication and hurt her
credibility.
The Indian bishops cited a contradiction within the church, saying
the church rightly proclaims freedom of conscience and religion, but in
matters of grievances within the church her public image at times appears harsh
and therefore one of counterwitness.
Also on the negative side, the Indian bishops lamented that
the spiritual and mystical elements of Asian religions have been
practically ignored in the lineamenta. In place of
understanding, appreciation and promotion of this different yet complementary
world-view, we regret to observe that today within the church there is an
atmosphere of fear and distrust. These are destructive of communion and
collaboration for mission.
The Indian bishops also dealt with the role of women in the
church, saying the structures of patriarchal traditions in Indian society
and even in the church continue to offend and oppress women.
Finally, they noted that more and more faithful are
vocalizing their dissatisfaction with some church institutions that appear to
be more at the service of the rich, powerful and better-off sectors of our
country.
Jesus as savior
Responses to the lineamentas Chapter IV, Jesus
Christ as Savior, were frequently unfavorable. The Japanese bishops said
the documents Christology is too defensive. This does not help the
faith of Asian Christians, they wrote. What is necessary is an open
and spiritual Christology rooted in real life and alert to the problems of
modern people.
We should try, the Japanese bishops stated, to
discover what kind of Jesus will be a light to the peoples of Asia.
In other words, as the fathers of the early church did with Greco-Roman
culture, we must make a more profound study of the fundamentals of the
religiosity of our peoples, and from this point of view try to discover how
Jesus Christ is answering their needs. ... Jesus Christ is the way, the truth
and the life, but in Asia, before stressing that Jesus Christ is the truth, we
must search much more deeply into how he is the way and the life.
If we stress too much that Jesus Christ is the one and
only savior, we can have no dialogue, common living or solidarity with
other religions.
The Japanese bishops seemed to delight in reminding Rome that
the worlds great religions were born in Asia.
The Philippine bishops also called for toning down the emphasis
placed on Jesus Christ as savior in the lineamenta, saying it does not
help interfaith dialogue -- even though most of the Philippine population is at
least nominally Catholic.
In its response, the Philippine bishops conference
emphasized: [interfaith] dialogue is not contrary to but is a mode of
proclamation.
The Indian bishops asked, To what extent can [our] church
learn from and collaborate with other religions to bring about Gods
Kingdom and peoples integral liberation? ... To be religious itself means
to be interreligious ... authentic dialogue does not seem to be well understood
by many Christians.
The Indian bishops then brought the issue of dialogue back within
the Catholic church. They stated that the spirit and practice of dialogue
is not restricted to interfaith matters among the Christian-Muslim,
Christian-Hindu, Christian-Buddhist and Christian-traditional religions. It
very much includes dialogue between the local church and the universal church
as a communion of communions.
This dialogical model, the Indian bishops wrote, is not only a
tool, it is essential to being church. It is nothing less, they wrote, than
the new Asian way of being church, promoting mutual understanding,
harmony and collaboration. This way of relating to and serving other religions
is indicated by a careful reading of the signs of our times: It appears to us
as Gods will for Christian communities in Asia today. It is a timely
answer to Asias vast and varied problems, which threaten her very
life.
Some Asian bishops said they found in the lineamenta an
unwelcome return to church triumphalism. The Philippine bishops asked the
Vatican to further explore in an open and humble way the
revelatory nature of the religions of Asia and their impact on the
churchs proclamation of Jesus. Their response specifically warned against
triumphalism and a superior attitude when discussing Jesus with
religions that thrived long before 13th-century European explorers arrived in
Asia.
The Philippine bishops suggested that the synod would prove more
successful if it highlights Asias rich contributions of contemplation and
its spirituality of harmony.
The Korean bishops called for more study of the role of the great
traditional religions in Korea. They, too, play a part in the salvific
economy of God, the Korean bishops wrote. This understanding is
essential for the inculturation of the gospel. Ignorance of these religions and
their culture and a sense of superiority and exclusivism in religion should be
eradicated.
The Indonesian bishops called aspects of the lineamenta
alarming. Its dominant concern between the lines
appears to be: too much (local) emphasis on dialogue, so that
proclamation is not highlighted enough.
The Indonesian bishops reasoned that proclamation of Jesus Christ
has to take full account of whatever good and true is found in other
religions, and to proceed according to Christian principles of authentic
inculturation.
The Indonesian bishops went on to explain that sincere
Christian dialogue appreciates values of the Kingdom wherever they are found
and provides room for indigenous Christians to make use of their religious
traditions in order to express those values in ways familiar to them.
They added: In pluri-religious societies it is often
difficult to directly and explicitly proclaim the central role of Jesus Christ
in the economy of salvation. This proclamation must be adapted to concrete life
conditions and to the disposition of the hearers.
The Indonesian bishops concluded that native religious
values are not to be abolished but ought be purified through reflection in
dialogue between Christian leaders and leaders of traditional religions. This
may result in Christianity being enriched by traditional values and in a truly
inculturated practice of Christian faith.
The issue is important because Christians remain a minority among
Asias 3.5 billion people, most of whom are Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists.
In responses to Chapter V, Church as Communion, Asian
bishops again asserted the need for interfaith dialogue and solidarity with the
poor as the paths to effective evangelization.
The Japanese bishops recalled that in the context of
evangelization in Asia, compassion with the suffering had been
identified time after time at the general assemblies of the Federation of Asian
Bishops Conferences as a most important element.
The Japanese bishops stated: In missionary work among those
of other religions, what is more important than convincing words is the
attitude of standing by the side of the weak and powerless and showing them
compassion.
The Indian bishops again defended dialogue as the means to
evangelization.
We can only do this by listening respectfully to our
neighbors and dialoguing with them. Dialogue is not merely one ecclesial
activity among many. It is a constituent dimension of every authentic local
church, the Indian bishops insisted. After Vatican II, to be church
means being a faith community-in-dialogue.
The Sri Lankan bishops suggested the same approach, even
cautioning Rome to remember that they live in a multireligious
setting in which Jesus Christ is viewed in many different forms.
Muslims accept Jesus as a great prophet, as he is mentioned in the Koran.
Hindus treat him as an avatar, an incarnation of God. Buddhists see him as a
social reformer and a great teacher, and for many others he is a great
liberator. Generally speaking, there seems to be an awesome respect for this
person Jesus Christ.
A perennial problem
The Sri Lankan bishops went on to explain that the uniqueness of
Jesus and the church has been a perennial problem and poses its own
distinctive difficulties for authentic dialogue.
A number of conferences also referred to the difficulties of
building local churches in a post-colonial era. Many of the churches of Asia
are traced to colonialism and its pernicious history.
The Sri Lankan bishops reminded Rome that Christ in Sri
Lanka came in foreign garb. Hence, inculturation is becoming part of the
missionary mandate for us. All impressions to the contrary must be carefully
avoided. We must insist on Christ Jesus as a religious founder who came from
Asia, which is such a rich continent in the history of religion.
This leads to, the Sri Lankan bishops wrote, the necessity
of a missionary spirituality of dialogue. They added: Our dialogue
will be a two-way street. In this endeavor, we need to cultivate attitudes
toward other religions that must be sincere. Hence, for us in Asia, religions
are a part of the universal context in which the true identity of Jesus must
find new expressions. While we affirm the uniqueness of Christ, we need to move
toward a non-threatening articulation, an articulation that would be more
conducive to dialogue in Asia.
The Vietnamese bishops were also among those who made references
to the trappings of their colonial past, stating that the synod must pay
special attention to the modest settings of local churches as well as to their
historical circumstances.
Only a poor church, the Vietnamese bishops wrote,
will be able to adapt itself to a huge mass of poor people. A church that
is humble and small will blend more easily with the poor masses of Asia. A
church without power will more easily approach so many men and women who only
ask for the right to live as men and women, to have enough to eat and to wear,
to study and to find work.
The Vietnamese bishops then asked: Has not the time come to
create new types of church, such as small communities that are more easily set
up in society, especially that of the poor; poorer communities, without show,
without obstructions that inspire discomfort and fear to those who wish to
approach them; communities that are open rather than closed; communities that
are more attentive to the whole of human living -- and not just the purely
religious -- to help improve the physical and material life of the poor, to
raise up their cultural level?
In an apparent reference to the Vaticans emphasis on
proclaiming Jesus as savior, the Vietnamese bishops replied: Jesus did
not proclaim the Good News only in words, but this Good News for him also meant
that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear
and the dead come to life.
The Vietnamese bishops also said that they found the
lineamenta to be paternalistic toward the people of
Asia.
In their responses to Chapter VI, The Churchs Mission
of Love and Service, the Asian bishops described their options on issues
of inculturation and missionary activity.
The Indonesian bishops lamented that within the lineamenta
inculturation is mentioned only with passing reference, as an
interpretation of faith in context. They said this does not do
justice to the subject. Inculturation, they insisted, should be a
way of life.
The Christian way of life should be authentic not only in
the sense that it is in agreement with the Regula Fidei
[rules of faith] but also in the sense that it expresses faith fully within and
through the local culture, they wrote.
Inculturation is based on the mystery of incarnation and
implies accepting Gods word and expressing ones faith by using
local cultural elements, in order that the church be fully accepted and the
faithful, even society, consider the church as truly theirs ...
The Indonesian bishops continued, saying, Inculturation also
is a paschal process: The local culture has to go through
death ... But traditional cultural faith expressions as imported
from the West also have to be critically examined and purified from
whatever obscures the authenticity of faith.
As for local liturgy, the Indonesian bishops stated that
many ceremonies have been imported from the traditional church in the
West, so that little room is left for a style of community life and of faith
communication according to the rhythm of indigenous people. Clinging too much
to the substantial unity of the Roman liturgy may end up in
rigidity that obstructs proper incarnation of Christian faith.
The Indonesian bishops called for urgent development
of Asian theologies, Indonesian theology in particular, to help in
the inculturaltion process.
They then called for change within the church. In order to
promote the inculturation process, the universal church has to be more open and
ready to change its own pattern of thinking and to allow local churches the
freedom to think and act in response to concrete life situations, guided by the
Spirit and led by the local hierarchy.
In order for this to be achieved, the Indonesian bishops argued,
local episcopal conferences need greater freedom of decision-making with
regard to inculturation.
They noted that continuous and serious study and
experimentation by experts not only in liturgy but also in indigenous cultures
are required, and wherever possible cooperation with interested groups from
other Christian denominations ought to be promoted. Such efforts need to be
wholeheartedly supported [and not restricted] by Rome.
Finally, the Indonesian bishops asked: Why should every
change and adaptation in liturgy have the approval of the central ecclesial
authority? Is the bishops conference not competent to grant official
approval? Does not pluriformity in unity (that is, Catholic)
express the immense richness of Gods glory?
The Japanese bishops similarly called for more inculturation in
liturgy and religious life. Though elements of cultural forms are found
in liturgy, there have been no sustained efforts at inculturation in liturgy.
... As a church, we have not sufficiently grasped the urgency and the
importance or the necessity of inculturation.
The Japanese bishops also spoke out against the underlying premise
in the lineamentas missionary viewpoint.
They wrote: A success orientation of
trying for better results can only discourage the missionary. We
need a vision of evangelization that gives joy and a sense of purpose to a
Christian living as one of a minority in the midst of many traditional
religions. An evaluation based not on the number of baptisms but rather from
the point of view of How faithful have we been to our mission of
evangelization? is necessary.
The lineamenta evoked a number of responses to Vatican admonitions
to integrate Mariology into modern church life. Several conferences offered
cautionary advice. The Japanese bishops, for example, while stating that
novenas to the Blessed Virgin Mary are a popular form of devotion, noted
there are, of course, very real dangers in some of the devotional
practices, which tend to be shallow, self-centered, individualistic and
success-profit-oriented with little emphasis on accepting the will of God,
recognition of the role of suffering and solicitude for the concerns of
ones neighbor.
Some conferences in responding to Rome suggested wholly different
approaches to the synod. The Japanese and Indonesians were the most outspoken,
with the latter calling for more encouragement and understanding from the West.
Why must the synod examine church mission? the Indonesian bishops asked. Would
it not be better if the churches in Asia receive wholehearted
encouragement rather than be reminded of their duties? Is it not perhaps better
to take as a main theme Asian Spiritual Life, Asian Religious
Experience or even Mysticism in Asia, in order to foster
values already alive in this continent?
Some responses focused on canonical issues, including the granting
of dispensations from priesthood. The Indonesian bishops asked why
dispensations should be reserved strictly to the central authority of the
church? Why should one have to live for many years in sin before he
could be freed?
Throughout the responses to the lineamenta, questions of who makes
the decisions and how they are made are mixed with equally important questions
of church mission and direction for the years ahead.
Thomas C. Fox was formerly editor of NCR and is currently its
publisher. Gary MacEoin of San Antonio is the author of 30 books and a frequent
contributor to NCR.
National Catholic Reporter, April 10,
1998
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