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Pentecost in Asia
A New Way of Being Church
By Thomas C. Fox
Published 2002

Orbis Books
Maryknoll, New York 10545

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About the Book
What would the Catholic Church look like if an unyielding search for justice and harmony characterized its mission in the world? What if the church's priorities shifted so that living in solidarity with the poorest of the poor became its primary mission?  How would Catholicism appear to the world and to other religions if simply living out the gospels became its primary mode of evangelization? 

What if Catholic bishops looked to their theologians as venerable "masters," incorporating them into deliberations on theology and pastoral care? How would Catholic authority be transformed if building consensus became a primary means of finding direction? Or if leaders knew, in the final analysis, authority had to be earned from their people? 

This would be a new kind of Catholicism. And, as journalist Thomas C. Fox shows us, this Catholicism has already been born and has been coming to life in Asia over the past thirty years.  It is a Catholicism that offers a fresh, new vision of church, a global vision for the 21st century.
 

About the Author
 
Thomas C. Fox was named publisher of The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company by the NCR Board of Directors in January 1997 after 17 years as editor of the National Catholic Reporter, an independent, progressive, lay-edited newsweekly.

He is a graduate of Stanford University and holds a master's degree in Asian Studies from Yale University. He was a volunteer in the International Voluntary Services in South Vietnam from 1966-1968, and wrote for The New York Times, Time magazine, and the National Catholic Reporter during the Vietnam War. After leaving Vietnam, he settled in Detroit with his wife, Kim Hoa, a Vietnamese social worker. He worked at the Detroit Free Press as a staff writer from 1973-1978. He was an editor at the Washington Star before his appointment as editor of NCR.

Fox has written a number of books. He is also co-author of Children of Vietnam (Athaneum). He is also the author of Iraq: Military Victory, Moral Defeat (Sheed & Ward), Sexuality and Catholicism (George Braziller), Catholicism on the Web (MIS:Press).
 

tcfox@aol.com

Commentary on Pentecost in Asia
"Pentecost in Asia is a must reading for those who fear the Holy Spirit might have fled the Church!"  --- Francisco F. Claver S.J., Vicar Apostolic of Bontoc-Lagawe, Philippines 

"Pentecost in Asia," written by a true friend of Asia, is a most delightful and hopeful book. Tom Fox succeeds in presenting the vision and the praxi of the People of God in this part of the world to show readers in the West how 'Asian Catholics provide enormous opportunity to the universal Church.'"   --- Filo Hirota, Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz.

"Tom Fox's journalistic skill and passion for Asian heritages have resulted in a book that traces the development of the Asian vision in our church: a pastoral vision that seeks dialogues with other cultures, other religions, and the poor; a vision that continues to rediscover the Asian face of Christ.".   --- Ricky Manola, C.S.P., Liturgical composer and editor, Singing from the Heart. 

"Pentecost in Asia is an insightful book written by a Westerner who understands and appreciates the Asian way of being church....I would recommend the book even to Asian Catholics to experience the joy or rediscovering our contribution to the universal church."   --- Archbishop Stephen Fumio Hamao, President, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.

"Pentecost in Asia" ....describes how to tap Asian mysticism, discipline for dialogue, and solidarity with the poor -- and how we must, if we are to be faithful to our destiny as a living Church.  This is a vital study that will fascinate, instruct, and energize both pastoral workers and engaged Catholics. Everyone will learn from it."  ---  Rev. Paul Philibert, O.P., Professor of Church and Society, Aquinas Institute of Theology.

"It is rare to find an outsider who is capable of feeling the pulse of Asia let alone guide others through the labyrinth of minority communities that is the Catholic Church of Asia.  Tom's is an outsider's inside story of the ongoing renewal undertaken by Asia's pastors and theologians through the aegis of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC).  This is in-depth journalism at its best." --- John Prior, S.V.D., Secretary, Candraditya Research Center for the Study of Religion and Culture, Indonesia

"Pentecost in Asia...is a fascinating story woven with the warp of Asian church leaders' courageous fidelity to truth, and the woof of Asian theologians' creative efforts for inculturation of the faith...A wonderful work!"  --- Sr. Janet Carroll, M.M., Executive Director, U.S. Catholic China Bureau

"With three-quarters of humanity on its soil Asian holds the future of the world. And yet, Christianity forms but some four percent of the Asian population, despite the fact that Jesus was born in Asia and after four hundred years of intense missionary work.  Tom Fox's magnificent book not only shows where Christianity failed but also, and more importantly, how the message of Jesus can be preached today so that Asians -- and people everywhere -- will welcome  it and transform their lives and the world with it...This book should be placed in the hands of everyone concerned  about and laboring for the future of Christianity." --- Dr. Peter C. Phan, Warren-Blanding Professor of Religion and Culture, The Catholic University of America

"Pentecost in Asia is truly a fascinating story.  From his vantage point as a journalist in love with Asia, Fox skillfully narrates in an easy readable style the journey of the Catholic Church in Asia in the past three decades...Use the statements of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC), Fox makes the vision of the Church in Asia accessible and easily understandable to everyone, including Asians themselves."   --- Orly Quevedo, O.M.I., Archbishop of Cotabato, Philippines.

"Thomas C. Fox's Pentecost in Asia is an excellent introduction to the emerging Asian Church. American Christians are more familiar with Latin American than Asia.  So I would consider this book essential reading. Fox introduces them to the vision of dialogue which helps Asia to experiment with 'a new way of being Church.' I highly recommend this book to everyone, but especially to students and pastors."  --- Michael Amaladoss, S.J., Director of Institute for Dialogue with Cultures and Religions, Chennai, India

"Nobody writes more trenchantly about the Catholic Church than Tom Fox.  In this time of turmoil we are fortunate to have his steady, reassuring voice to listen to. He has an almost uncanny gift of blending the spiritual and the political, and he brings clear-eyes piety to complex questions that is treasured by his grateful readers."   ---Mary McGrory, The Washington Post.
 
 

Rome Conference
An Asian Acts of the Apostles
Father Antonio Pernia
Secretary General, Divine Word Missionaires

 Vatican official weighs in 
Archbishop Stephen Hamao
President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees

 
 
 
Book Reviews
Read the Jonathan Y. Tan review
Mr. Yan is an assistant professor of minority studies and religion at Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Read the Peter Phan review
Dr. Peter C. Phan, Warren-Blanding Professor of Religion and Culture, The Catholic University of America

Read the Sister Dorothy Jacko review
Dorothy Jacko is a Sister of Charity of Greensburg, PA. She wrote this review for the Catholic Theology Society.

Read the Jacob Kavunkal review
Divine Word Father Jacob Kavunkal directs a missiological research center in Pune, India. 

Read the Monsignor Harry J. Byrne review
Monsignor Harry J. Byrne is a retired priest of the Archdiocese of New York. 

Read the Catholic News Service review
Wayne Holst writes from Calgary, Alberta, where he taught religion and culture at the University of Calgary.

Read the Pat Marrin review
Pat Marrin writes in the liturgical monthly, Celebration. 

 
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