Missiology

Challenges to the Churches in Asia Today.

Georg Evers - Churches in Asia for three weeks - 22 years at Asia Desk - Missiology Institute in Aachen. Several years in Japan / Sofia Univ. Tokyo.

Situation of Asian Churches before Vatican 2.

Challenges to the Churches in Asia Today. Situation of Asian Churches before Vatican 2. Significance of Vatican 2 for Asian Churches. Characteristics of the Catholic Churches in Asia Challenges to the Asian Churches Secular and Theology Challenges of Today Developments in Asian Theology Asian Theological Method Specific Contribution of Asian Theologians Indian Theological Reflection Churches in Africa New Religious Movements in Africa Mission and theology of Mission in Africa The Theology of Mission of Vatican II and its Prolegomena Christian Mission Doctrinal Note on Some Aspects of Evangelization Framing Missiology Mission as Dialog Mission in Solidarity Kenotic Mission Peace: Diversity Mission for Justice Alternate Model Mission in Europe Definition of Missiology Encounter of Christianity with China. Rites Controversy. Current Church in China Christian Muslim Dialog

Council was caesura (a pause) - Rahner characterized it as the emergence of a world church as a communion of local churches. Before council, Asia was mission territory. Characteristics of the Catholic Church in Asia in the 1960s:


• Endeavor to respond to political, economic, cultural and social changes in Asia. Opportunities and Dangers. After World War 2, signaled the death of Imperialism of Japan and Colonialism of Europe.
  

• Japan had surge of missions - but then it stagnated.
  

• China expelled foreign missionaries - 1957 Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. Church became isolated and was barred from participating in or learning about Vatican 2. Didn't have Mass in Chinese till 1990s.
  

• Korean Civil War 1950-53 destroyed Catholic Church in North. South Korea is a mission success for Catholic and Protestant missionaries - 25% of the population. 25% Buddhist, rest native religions or nothing.
  

• Vietnam civil war (1945-1954) sent Catholics to the south where it flourished. Now there is a move toward normalization.
  

• India - Churches are trying to throw off stigma of relation to old imperial power.
  

• Sri Lanka - when independence came, Catholics lost many freedoms.
  

• Indonesia - Church contributes positively to independence and civil society.
  

• Theology before Vatican 2 - scholastic theology taught as the only true catholic theology without reference to cultural context, valid everywhere and nowhere. First attempts to integrate culture accommodation were rejected by Vatican in Rites Controversy. East Asian Pastoral Institute (Hofinger SJ) developing cultural integration. Ecumenism not an issue at this time, protestants were seen as disturbance. Officially, Catholic and Protestants are seen as different religions. Export of divisions that existed in the west. An early Japanese convert wanted to avoid this and started his own 'non-church' movement. Non-Christian religions seen as enemies of Christian Mission with nothing to contribute to human culture or struggle for meaning. An Ecclesio-Centric enterprise.
  

Significance of Vatican 2 for Asian Churches.

• Council Fathers from Asia were not familiar with each other, and were not yet indigenous clergy. Networking showed the commonalities of their pastoral issues. This networking lead to the Foundation of Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences FABC. Contributions to Vatican documents include:

• Liturgy - vernacular
  

• Ecumenism - decrying divisions
  

• Missiology - mission task of every local church
  

• Theology of Religion - church should not only relate to Judahism, but Islam, Buddhism, etc. The contributed statements for Nostra Aetate on world religions, and were active in Ad Gentes.
  

• If the church admitted work of the Spirit in non-christian religions, it could weaken mission activity. Rahner, Congar, Danielou were seen as against mission for this reason. Religions should be accepted as companions on the road to salvation. Mission activity also contributes to the social welfare. Yes query: is it merely development work, or is there more to it? What is the church: 1) Ordinary way of salvation; 2) Universal sacrament of salvation. Ad Gentes states: Even if God provided different ways of salvation, the mission activity of the church is still important. AG7: God in ways known to Himself can lead those inculpably ignorant of the Gospel to find that faith without which it is impossible to please Him (Heb. 11:6), yet a necessity lies upon the Church (1 Cor. 9:16), and at the same time a sacred duty, to preach the Gospel. And hence missionary activity today as always retains its power and necessity.
  

• Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences 1970 - most important fruit of Vatican 2 - for permanent cooperation among bishops and churches of the region. Like CELAM in Latin America 1968. Vatican wasn't thrilled - concerned about element of control. The Federation was canonically a non-entity. The come together for exchange and programs. FABC as compared to other regional conferences, helps with development of theology and social apostolate. Assists all the local churches via a triple dialog.
  

• Dialog with the cultures in the work for inculturation
  

• Dialog with the religions in development of theology and interreligious dialog
  

• Dialog with the poor in social apostolate for integral human development.
  

• Implementation of Vatican 2 in Asian Churches Reading signs of the times for all the Asian churches. India moved ahead with local inculturation with "National Biblical Liturgical and Catechetical Center in Bangalore. All India Seminar for a Church in India Today 1969. Sri Lanka followed unconventional methods for priestly formation, theology plus living in villages and study of sociology. This ended with the premature death of the Bishop. Michael Rodrigo OMI. Dialogue of Life on the Village Level - in Buddhist-Christian dialog, angering landowers who then killed him while saying mass. Aloysius Pieris helped develop Asian theology. Malaysia - Multan Pastoral Institute OP - 30 day retreat of the clergy, letting the people to themselves. Philippines difficulties under military exploitation - Church advocating for the poor, especially in Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference. Korea under military dictatorship - Church helped to organize the resistance, doing theological reflection on the oppression of the people: Minjung Theology. Japan - several Catholic priests were trained in Zen meditation - also set up the intermonastic dialog - sharing the similarities and differences in eastern and western monasticism. Churches in Asia - Evers
  

Characteristics of the Catholic Churches in Asia

• Image of Christianity as a foreign import - John Paul 2 admitted to connivance with colonial powers - the colonial mortgage. It is strange that Christianity, born in Asia has become a stranger in Asia. Thomas Christians in India believe that Thomas the Apostle brought Christianity to India - in apostolic times, but at least by the 4th century - e.g. before it came to Germany. Another foreignness is due to the fact that the majority of the Catholics are not indigenous, though Asian. A Thai is a Buddhist - the Christians there are from China or Vietnam at least by heritage. In Malaysia, for a long time they didn't dare make a census because they were afraid it would not show a Muslim majority. Cambodian Christians come from Vietnam. In Japan there are half million Catholics, but a majority are illegal immigrants.

• Christians are small minorities who have to learn to relate to other religious traditions. 2/3s of the world population is living in Asia, 5% Christian, 2.2% catholic. China is seeing growth of all religions, especially Christianity.
  

• Divisions within Christianity are seen as an obstacle to witness of the gospel.
  

• All Asians churches are still to some extent dependent on mother churches in the west, e.g. Rome, etc.
  

• Indians see western Christianity as trying to buy converts by offering development opportunities. Money is used for domination. Also, with schools, hospitals, etc, it looks like a social movement, more than a religion.
  

Challenges to the Asian Churches

• The true universality of the Christian faith has still to be discovered and realized. In the past and still today the Christian faith has been spread in only one culturally and historically limited form of Western Christianity (orthodox excepted). Vatican 2 gave birth to the Catholic World Church (Rahner) as a union of local churches. New continental conferences offer new forms of collaboration. After Vatican 2, Roman Curia promoted a return to centralization. The challenge for regional conferences is to break out of mono-cultural Christianity. St. Paul speaks of the length, height, depth of the mystery which has yet to be explored. There is an opening of the church as the pope travels, but there is yet to be the admission of plurality of theologies. True plurality can be an enrichment of the unity. Pluralism is seen as the dividing element. E.g. approval of local translations - the work of experts is screened in Rome who doesn't know the language, culture. Instead could they work for unity and coordination.

• India challenged by Mahatma Gandhi who could not see lived Christianity. Bhimrao Ambedkar more - came from the lowest caste became a lawyer, wrote Indian constitution. Gandhi wanted to keep castes, it was part of Karma. Ambedkar saw that Christians and Muslims didn't follow their high ideals, so he became Buddhist. Mother Teresa has been criticized for helping the downtrodden instead of taking care of the causes; being an unwitting co-conspirator with oppressors. Dalit Christians - 60% from outcast, following Jesus who emptied himself to be come a slave: doulos = dalit. Three Rites in the Catholic Church: 4 bps conferences: 3 rites and the umbrella.
  

• Sri Lanka Church is challenged to be peacemaker among the Sinhalese and Tamils. Aloysius Pieris says that the poor are the vicars of Christ.
  

• Pakistan - Bishop John Joseph took his life on the steps of the court building in Lahore in 1998 to protest harassments of Christians: an act of protest and dispair. Death penalty for blasphemy - against Christians, but also used in rivalries among Muslims.
  

• Bangladesh - very small Catholic community is challenged by radical Islamists and takes inter-religious dialog as an essential task. Dialog of life - Bob McCahill living for a year or two in a place, builds a hut and serves the people of the region. Like Charles de Foucault
  

• Indonesia - Jusuf Milyarta Mangunwijaya - priest, architect, activist, poet. Developed original ideas of God, in private circles, well known public figure working for the homeless and unemployed. His legacy is to prod locals to integrate faith and culture and make the faith more attractive to people of the land.
  

• Philippines: 1) Tudtud made important contributions to Christian - Muslim dialog. 2) Benjamin de Jesus OMI who was killed in front of his cathedral - remains a witness to abstain from violence and testify to truth. 3) Carzedda was shot riding in a car, a missionary who worked for peace. Their memories speak to inter-religious dialog and resisting the use of religions to sow seeds of discord.
  

• Japan - Endo Shusaku a novelist who struggled with being Christian and Japanese. Who gave the right for missionaries to make converts who were then persecuted. Japanese Christians are proud of being the church of martyrs. But not all died as martyrs, some gave in. If we praise the martyrs, what of those who yielded for weakness or for the 'greater good'. Endo has the Jesus telling the Jesuit provincial to step on the image of Jesus and save his life: "I have come to be trod upon." Martyrdom in the Asian context is a different phenomenon.
  

• Mongolia now has a small catholic church. Started after Vatican 2, now 500 people.
  

• China Jesuit Dominic Tany Yiming Apostolic Administrator of Canton, 22 years in prison without trial. Released in 1980, but John Paul 2 named him archbishop of Canton, the Chinese government reacted and he was forced into exile. Another notable sign of the times is the spectacular growth of Chinese Christianity, mostly ignored outside China. Most urgent task is reconciliation between the open and underground churches. Benedict wrote to the Chinese Church 27.6.2007.
  

Secular and Theology Challenges of Today

Secular Challenges

1. Global market and the economic developments along with growing poverty are a challenge to the church in the region to provide alternatives to the economic gods.
   

2. Implementing the fundamental option for the poor - in parts of Asia, voluntary poverty is honored, in east Asia, both economic poverty and voluntary poverty are despised.
   

3. Communication Media could be exploited. Radio Veritas is effective, but the internet is largely unused.
   

4. Asian Catholics are challenged to speak to fundamentalist violence.
   

5. Many Asian churches witness in the face of restrictions on religious freedom.
   

Theological Challenges

1. A theology in service of justice, liberation, emancipation and community building is critical. Inculturation too often focussed on the culture of the rich at the expense of the poor.
   

2. Liberation theology working for women.
   

3. Theological response to religious and ideological pluralism.
   

4. Truly local churches that are authentically Asian, not 'bonsai-churches' mini replicas of western Christianity.
   

5. Minority churches must reconcile the 'great commission' with an acknowledgment of the salvific elements in all religions.
   

6. Bringing the Asian wisdom, witnessing to the mystery of God in negative theology as a corrective to the over dogmatic western theology. They bring a better sense of experience and wisdom beyond words that leads to silence.
   

Developments in Asian Theology

Asian Theological Method

1. The problem of an Asian theological method: It has taken some time before the legitimacy of a plurality of theological methods came into the consciousness of Catholic theology. It involved a shift from theoretical reflection to an exploration of practical implications beginning with social analysis and the fundamental option for the poor. In Latin America, this focused on political and economic analysis, in Africa and Asia, it includes cultural and religious factors as well. Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians (EATWOT) was founded to explore similarities. In Asia, the FABC instituted a Theological Advisory Commission in 1986:

• to undertake and foster Asian Theological reflection,

• to be of assistance to the FABC, and
  

• to bring relevant contemporary theological work to the FABC. Method was inductive, starting from social analysis and using Asian resources along traditional Christian sources. Used inductive method, starting from social analysis and use traditional Christian sources along side Asian religious and cultural sources.
  

2. Differences between Asian and Western theology stem from differences in world views. The Asian / organic world view versus the western architectonic world view:
   

• Asian is Organic, synthetic, focusing on the unity, sense of awe and reverence for the cosmos, principle of identity is the deepest reality, reality is changing, ethics is right conduct, history is not a series of events, but a circle of rebirth, emphasizing the insecurity of the person.
  

• Western is architectonic, teleological, ontological, analytical, focusing on the parts, Secularized, technological, scientific, principle of non-contradiction is core, ontology based, ethics is based on abstract principles, history is linear
  

3. Characteristics of an Asian way of doing theology. The development of Asian theological method has had to withstand the general distrust of the Roman center. Some lines are observed: 1) beginning from concrete social-religious-cultural situations; 2) centrality of harmony; 3) sense of the sacred, even outside Christianity; 4) unified view of the cosmos and reverence for nature; 5) deep poverty, injustice and consumerism. Pastoral cycle begins with faith experience, moves to social analysis, followed by theological reflection, leading to a pastoral plan. The cycle repeats itself in ever deeper discernment of the working of the spirit. Asian theology is a new enterprise and somewhat experimental.
   

4. Problem of pluralism: Gaudium et Spes 92: By virtue of her mission to shed on the whole world the radiance of the Gospel message, and to unify under one Spirit all men of whatever nation, race or culture, the Church stands forth as a sign of that brotherhood which allows honest dialog and gives it vigor. Such a mission requires in the first place that we foster within the Church herself mutual esteem, reverence and harmony, through the full recognition of lawful diversity. Thus all those who compose the one People of God, both pastors and the general faithful, can engage in dialog with ever abounding fruitfulness. For the bonds which unite the faithful are mightier than anything dividing them. Hence, let there be unity in what is necessary; freedom in what is unsettled, and charity in any case.
   

5. FABC has encouraged this pluralism.
   

6. Theological Method in Western Tradition - The west has been able to maintain its own culture in Christianity, but only at the expense of legitimate theological pluralism. It has practically ignored the existence of eastern Christian theology.
   

Specific Contribution of Asian Theologians

• Current Theology of Religions began as a theological reflection on the salvific values in non-Christian religions.

• Deficiencies of the approach of western theology to the theology of religions - it was developed without any direct contact with non-Christians, "from the outside." Rahner's anonymous Christian notion sought to see, in the person who didn't have any contact with Christianity, a seed of Christianity which would blossom once the person was exposed. But he couldn't see an enduring value beside Christianity.
  

• The Asian approach started beyond the boundaries of western theology. "One cannot fail to recognize the glaring inconsistency that on the one hand, Christianity admits the possibility of salvation of people of other religions, recognizes God's salvific will mysteriously present and active everywhere, and believes in the work of the Spirit on other religions, and on the other hand, denies the true status and dignity of other religions which are actually the consequences of genuine responses of human communities to the divine. —Prakash Mallavarapu. The early church fathers struggled to find an appropriate posture to the wisdom of their cultures, finally seeing it as seeds of the Logos, just like Israelites could take the spoils of Egypt. It was taken for granted that on giving up the best they had to Christianity, the religions and philosophies would disappear. But in the Asian context, the religions and philosophies are thriving.
  

• Asian contribution to theology of religions. They seek a place for Christianity in a religiously pluralistic Asia - not a place for Asian religion in Christianity. Asian Theologians speak of double loyalty - to Christian roots and to Asian roots.
  

• Relation between dialog and social apostolate is found in three dimensions: 1) magisterium of the poor as a reference point; 2) involvement in economic, political and social liberation; 3) work in basic human communities.
  

• Nonverbal elements of dialog are unique to Asian approach - mystical experience cannot be expressed in words or concepts: "There is a second element to language, a level yet deeper and more precious. Proper to this level is the registering of feelings in their entirety, a flowing with the flow of the heart. Feeling at home with the inner world of the other, seeing and relishing as the other feels and relishes, resonating with the awe and profound reverence with which the other experiences the sense of the divine - all this is part of preparedness for dialog." Theo - logos, Theo - praxis, Theo - pneumos.
  

• Dialog in spite of fundamentalist and communalist tendencies. - There are situations of persecution in which dialog may not be seen as fruitful, but it is nevertheless an essential part of Christian life as mission. Also, for years, the Christian invitation to dialog was a ruse for efforts at conversion. Even now, official documents profer interreligious dialog as a means of evangelization. Dialog assumes and equal basis. There are established efforts at interreligious dialog.
  

• FABC spoke in 1974 of a triple dialog with Asian culture, with the poor and with Asian religions.
  

Indian Theological Reflection

Indian theologies lead the way in Asia since English is the language of the FABC. They have developed a "fragmentary sense to all kind of Indian theologies" which is the creative moment with several forms of theological reflection, method and content.

1. Inculturation - 17 million catholics are a small minority of the billion Indians. Regardless of the Thomas Christians who claim date back to apostolic times. Hindutva's of India say that true Indians should return to Hinduism. Communalism - people want to identify with indigenous religions, not religions with foreign centers. Since Vatican there is a greater move toward inculturation; there is an additional starting point is the assumption that God's salvific work extends beyond Judeo-Christian revelation. Focus on the struggle of women and Dalits. 70% of Christians are Dalit, Adivasi tribe.
   

1. Theological education was in the seminaries and religious orders, generally with foreign missionaries teaching classic western theology. After Vatican 2 there was an attempt to don Indian garb - many wear the sari. New liturgical forms were attempted with an Indian Rite (Indian Anaphora), oil lamp, incense and Hindu vestments. Catechetical center was established for broader theological education. There are more Indian born theologians who are foreign trained are teaching in the faculties. Still nearly all theology done in English.
   

2. One of the issues is to develop a grammar and vocabulary to discuss the theological concepts. There are also more departments of Christianity in secular Indian universities which helps extend the influence and to broaden the dialog. The church in India is still under Evangelization congregation, though they have indigenous clergy, and they aren't on a par with European or US churches. There is also Indian religious art and music.
   

2. Indian Theology of Inculturation. Vatican 2 gave the incentive to develop indigenous theology. Amalorpavadass founded national biblical catechetical and liturgical center. Drew from Hindu tradition, oil lamps, bows, replace kiss with touching with forehead. Some resistance in India and in Rome, so a reduced inculturated liturgy was accepted. Especially dropped was use of Hindu scriptures in place of Old Testament - is not the spirit at work in both? The west has been exporting it's inculturated Christianity and thought it legitimate, but the west is hesitant to see this happen in other cultures. The Christians are trying to recover their cultural identity that has been lost when culture was imposed with evangelization. Has western Christianity understood Jesus, in his eastern cultural reality.
   

3. Sanscritization - Response by Feminist and Dalit Theology. Initial efforts at inculturation were Brahmanic and male. There is now a shift toward women and Dalits. Several bishop's conferences in India. Dalit theology is being developed by both Christians and Catholics. So far Christian Dalits have not received the benefits that Buddhist and Hindu Dalits - affirmative action legislation. There are discriminatory rules against Dalits in India - few priests and bishops, also places in church and cemeteries are dependent on caste. Dalits reject both western and Indian and even third world theologians attempts at theologizing.
   

4. Inculturation or Intercultural Encounter - There is no pure Christianity with no cultural context. Inculturation is the encounter of the christian message with a cultural context, assuming Christianity is not affected. Intercultural Encounter is a mutual encounter: India meets the Gospel and engages it resulting in the emergence of a deep reaching and mutually enriching encounter.
   

5. Indian Christological Contributions - First attempt at Indian Christology came when Hindus starting encountering the person of Jesus Christ of the Gospels. They understood him in terms of the great values of the Hindu religion. They have very profound reflections on the personality and teaching of Jesus Christ. 1) New questions, not answered by western theology; 2) so old dogmas not sufficient; 3) every culture has a right to engage Christ, the unknown and recognized christian; 4) avatar - Jesus could be one of several possible incarnations - Aquinas says this is not excluded (prodigal son as the gentile Christians, elder is Jews); 5) Historical Jesus is neglected in favor of the eschatological Christ. Indians don't do history, Westerns don't do depth; Jesus and Christ are not exchangeable: Jesus is the Christ but Christ is more than Jesus - Logos spermatoi. Christianity has been brought without inquiring how the spirit has been active among the people before, and which may be a gift to Christianity, and what are the enslavements that Christianity might set free. 6) Conciliar statements are fine, but personal faith is foremost in the life of the christian: Through incarnation in Jesus Christ, God has relativized himself in history. Christian theologians should therefore ask themselves whether they are justified in absolutizing in doctrine whom God had relativised in history.
   

6. Christology from below Any form of Indian Christology should consider 1) religious pluralism and 2) the poor. Sanscritization of Christianity is an inculturation into high culture of India and a continuation of the old prejudices. Dalits interpret their sufferings in union with the sufferings of Christ. All of these are elements of christiology. Even if Jesus is universal, there can be no universal christology. Only by partial christologies can we approach the mystery of Jesus Christ.
   

7. Interreligious Dialog and Christian Ashrams - In the 1950s 2 French Benedictines (Monchanin and Le Saux) started Shantinavam. Bead Griffiths also pioneered. Hinduism doesn't have a dogmatic or organizational system; they resist any hint of proselytism. Rarely is there dialog with Indian Muslims.
   

8. Communion in Eucharist - can existential Christians receive the eucharist if they remain Hindus in some practices. Many follow and admire Jesus and have an affinity for the person and message of Jesus, but aren't baptized. At intercultural meetings, when Hindus believe, they can receive communion. The issue was developed in an inter-christian polemics. Also Hindus at Christian pilgrimage sites who come for communion. The symbolic separation intra Christian communion doesn't translate to multi religious context of asia.
   

9. Double Allegiance - the Hindu Christians. Hinduism is the vessel in which to receive the gift of faith - there is a fundamental mutuality in the two religions.
   

10. Indian Theology has been respected and criticized - Tomko says India is the epicenter of all heresies showing Rome still unable to appreciate the creativity of the patristic period in non-european churches.
    

Churches in Africa

Dr. Marco Moerschbacher

From the Church of Missions to a Missionary Church - example of an integrated pastoral approach - basic communities is the local church with also lay ministry. Genuinely African approach.


• Some Historical Features of the Catholic Church in Congo-Kinshasa
  

1. First Evangelization since 1483 - Time of Augustine there was a Christian presence in northern Africa. Islam pushed that out, except Egypt and Ethiopia. African Congolese kingdom. First European contact 1483 - Portuguese navigator with missionaries baptized king. Son was first black bishop since antiquity, Black Constantine. Deeply convinced of Christianity, but also interested in political potential of the alliance. Portuguese missionaries filled their houses with concubines. Portuguese only interested in slave trade. Court and elite were Christian, but Christianity never penetrated the population and no local clergy. Christianity faded from Congo.
   

2. Second Evangelization since 1880. They found crosses and artwork that survived. There were also christian elements in some ceremonies. 990 day expedition of Henry Morton Stanley who crossed Africa from East to West. Belgian King Leopold became interested and Congo became his colony through intrigue at the conference of Berlin. He constructed road from Kinshasa to port. First Spiritan priests at Boma. Slavery was officially abolished. Leopold was simultaneously king of Belgium and Congo - he had a reign of terror (genocide - half the people died). 1908, Congo turned over to state of Belgium - belgian minister saw trade inequity and so decided there must be injustice and sought change. Belgian colony, atrocities abated, beginning of missionary activity. Every mission station had to have a school 10% > 40% in 45 years, just before independence. Belgian ministers favored Belgian missionaries. Church / School / Hospital. But they keep the education at the primary level, wouldn't allow higher education. Second World War army service showed equality of peoples. They saw racism in the armies and saw that Europeans weren't superior. Europeans denigrated the African oral tradition and culture. This helped Africans to see their own self-confidence. Church was also only white. (Some of the missionaries were 'anawim' of Europe and still lorded it over the Africans.) The missionaries were a part of the Belgian colonial system, and presented no critique. In the wake of second world war. After independence: lack of independence and lack of lay people. This could make church target of unrest. They sought to build Christian communities, rather than institutions - before Vatican 2. "This testimony will be more convincing since it is given by living communities." This is before Vatican 2. 6th plenary assembly of the African Bishops, Cardinal Malula present at both.
   

3. Joseph Albert Cardinal Malula (1917-1989). 5th of 8 in catholic family. Ordained 1946 20 years after the first Congolese priest. Worked with lay intellectuals and inculturated liturgy. 1959 made bishop, when Congolese diocese of Leopoldville / kinshasa was founded. It was a great parallel with the freedom of the state and the new found reality of the church as people of God. Founded native religious community - with African garb - heavily criticized. Official approbation of inculturated rite - Roman rite for the diocese of Congo - commonly known as Congolese rite. Serious efforts for African clergy. Political movement Authenticite fought Christianity as not African. Diocesan Synod affirmed and recommitted to lines developed after Vatican 2. He wanted to convoke an African Council - not a Roman Synod for Africa. This is the patristic time in Africa where they work out what was worked out in the west in the first 8 centuries.
   

• Pastoral Renewal of the Archdiocese of Kinshasa
  

1. Background
   

1. Origins - biggest problem in pastoral planning is growth: 1920s 25K inhabitants; 6 million in 2000; a bit more than 1/2 catholic. Finding pastoral workers, clerical and lay is also a challenge.
   

2. 1970 - mission of the church in Kinshasa. Fundamental pastoral options. Magna Carta of pastoral action. Consider things: God > World > Church. The two poles give direction to the pastoral action. It is not from God to the Church, then to the world. The church is the servant of God and humanity, in this way she understands her mission. Church is a sign and instrument of salvation and the kingdom of salvation. Church is by her nature missionary - and that is true of all Christians. "If the church is no longer a ship without which there is no salvation, but a light house to show the way to all peoples. Then the imperative is not get as many people in, but get the lay people engaged in the mission. Become more African and become more lay." Social political realities make it necessary to review pastoral practice. In the course of history all functions have been taken over by clergy - our task is help lay people reclaim their rightful responsibilities for the inner workings of the church. Formation institute was key to renewal - paid by diocese, open to all active in pastoral renewal.
   

3. 1973 - 8th Theological Week of Kinshasa on Ministries and Communities - Faculty Catholique de Kinshasa - first African faculty from Leuven. 1956 started the theology faculty. University was nationalized by Mobutu, The university then refounded as a Catholic Faculty, each 2 years they have a Theological Week. Stressed pastoral focus of theology. Gave several parishes to lay leadership. Theologians and Bishop were on the same track. This is a feature of a patristic age when the great theologians are in fact bishops.
   

4. 1973 - Church at the hour of Africanness. The lay parish leaders met with resistance especially from missionaries. Malula had a retreat for them calling them to service and humility. This allowed a continuity and still moving ahead. Expats sowed the seed, but now the indigenous clergy will sustain the growth. Decentralization is important as well - human sized communities. Let us be listening to the spirit and approach this evolution with courage - we are pregnant, it will be painful. The local church will be born and it will be black. Break down the church into human size christian communities.
   

5. 1975 - Manuel ya mokambi wa paroisse. Installation of the parish leaders. A priest does sacraments and leads with the lay leader of the parish. Lay leader, the priest is there only for sacraments and would have another job. Canon Law doesn't allow, but if we want to serve, we have to leave the common ground. In 1983 Canon 517.2 allowed for it: priest animator was now called moderator. 3 years full-time formation. He is part-time leader, maintains his ordinary job, often church teacher. He lives in the parish house. Mandate of 3 years renewable twice. The wife has to agree. Priest servant of word, sacrament and pastor. Relationship: close collaboration, they have to accept each other, the priest in these parishes is usually a European. No provision is made for conflict.
   

6. 1975 - The Church as it is in Kinshasa speaks to you. An evaluation of the process. This is a sign of pastoral renewal. Smaller pastoral units are more manageable (a human size) are easier for lay ministers. This then lead to a more vigorous turn to the small Christian communities.
   

7. 1987 - Small Christian Communities - basic pastoral unit where Christians pray, live and serve each other. Meet once a week lead by core team. All these ministries are conferred on men and women alike. They prepare the liturgy in the parish - sacramental preparation is in the small community.
   

8. 1985 - Further Development. Three reasons: revaluation of baptism, Africanization of church, lack of priests. Church is entire people of God and all have to take their responsibility. Roman intervention discouraged mokambi and there are only half as many as before. The ministers should remain close to the people. The economic situation makes it difficult for mokambi since they need several jobs to support their families. Base communities are a stronghold against sects - from a sociological point of view.
   

2. Aspects of an evaluation of the pastoral renewal of Kinshasa
   

1. Base communities. Foster solidarity, family life valued with a mix of Christian and African values. Functions without outside financial support. Some tend to be some what hierarchical and this turns young people off.
   

2. Lay ministries changed the face of the church in Africa. They contribute to the Africanization of the church. Sharing responsibilities. Seminarians are critical. Lay persons say that seminarians are not taught to work with lay people and lay persons are not represented in the decision making structures of the church. Lay ministers experience ministry as vocation.
   

3. Structures of lay participation: There are formation programs and lay people are represented on councils and committee. There needs to be better communication and more laity in higher decision making bodies. East Africa has similar pastoral initiative, but without much guidance. Mokambi could be women.

New way of being church.

1. Value of evangelization and the value of the African culture. Europeans saw themselves as culturally superior and the African culture as demonic. Ongoing oppression of African continent is a continuation of this. Urbanization further uproots the native African culture. The newly urbanized loose connection with village culture and values. There are a variety of new relationships and loyalties are spread over various allegiances: home, work, church, associations, etc. In this culture, the church had to come into contact with the real people. Mubutu wanted to go back to authentic African culture - and forbid all things European, even Christianity. The church is sign and instrument of salvation but only if it can be freed of European cultural associations that don't work in Africa.
   

2. African church inculturated. It is necessary that in each cultural region, the gospel should be reflected from the new cultural realities. How can the culture and the gospel be reconciled and integrated? Decree Ad Gentes 22: To achieve this goal, it is necessary that in each major socio - cultural area, such theological speculation should be encouraged, in the light of the universal Church's tradition, as may submit to a new scrutiny the words and deeds which God has revealed, and which have been set down in Sacred Scripture and explained by the Fathers and by the magisterium. Each socio-cultural area must be encouraged to engage freely with the Gospel and find a new synthesis. Is African culture able to have a valid expression of Christianity. Rather than big mission stations, the laity had to be actively involved and established local churches. Christianity is the basis of the equality of races. De-occidentialization of Christianity is important (Romanita). 1) local African communities in the African anthropological tradition; 2) integration of faith in every day life, you don't have to be European to be Christian; 3) the importance of family as the basis of Christianity; 4) creation of authentically African liturgy. Thus inculturation goes beyond just liturgy: theology, philosophy, discipline and liturgy. Christianity growing from African roots; reconsideration of the whole Christian tradition in the light of culture. It is about being Christian to the core. We are in the beginning of the first century of African Christianity - the patristic age of the church. Reformulation in the local context. It is not culture at any cose. It is not about tradition, but about the human being, so the person should be christian in the core, in there cultural reality. Christianity will make changes. Rather than Christianizing Africa, today, we Africanize Christianity.
   

3. History is the place God and humanity meet. We have to have faith in God's communication with the world. Pastoral action is a process of constant discernment. The church of Kinshasa is growing explosively. Faith helps discern this as God's call. The new pastoral units call for Christianization. Christianization in depth grows from below. Missiologically, the church is challenged not only to receive the people, but also to go out to the people where they are. Lay ministers and small Christian communities, and impetus to youth and intellectuals. Council has three phases: preparation, celebration and reception.

4. Universal Church and some texts on small christian communities and lay ministries.
   

1. Lumen Gentium - #10 - lay apostolate is in the participation in the very mission of the church. #33 Laity share in salvific mission of the church, they get this from Christ in Baptism, not from the church by mandate. The laity can be called to more immediate cooperation in the Gospel. They can be appointed to some ecclesiastical offices with a spiritual end. They are conferred by the bishops, but they are based in the baptism. Vatican 2 reorganized many things, but principally the bishops. VC1 - pope; VC2 - bishops. They made clear that episcopal ordination is a sacrament - the fullness of the sacrament of orders, which is conferred in three stages: diaconate, priesthood and episcopate.
   

2. Paul VI Ministeria quaedam. - lector and acolyte are now lay ministries, not ordained but stably conferred and they are not as such opened to women. In the German church there were both women and men in the ministries, so the bishops didn't use the formulas of initiation, so as not to cause trouble. So the liturgical conferral is still only in the preparation for priesthood. This document isn't used.
   

3. Evangelii Nuntiandi. - Evangelization is the true vocation of the church. God - World - Church; main relationship is between God and the World the church exists to serve that relationship. In recent cardinal's debate: Ratzinger said universal church is ontologically prior; Casper said universal and local church are fundamentally in dialog, #62. Local church is to fulfill the needs of the church in their local context. The criteria for new ministries: 1) attention to sources, 2) attention to the needs, #73. From synod on evangelization.
   

4. Christifidelii Laici. Texts of JPII are more reluctant with regard to lay ministries and small christian communities. He avoids the term lay ministries, but acknowledges their participation in the ministries of the church. Links office and orders. #23 Pastors should foster ministries based in baptism and confirmation; also in matrimony. When necessary and expedient ministries can be given, but they don't become pastors - that is only from orders. This is a shift from Gaudium et Spes. You can't separate the munera - only the manner of participation. #26 some parishes allowed parish organization in accord with Canon 517.2 or small christian communities.
   

5. Ecclesia in Africa. 1995, did not take up many of propositions of the African bishops, though it made a clear support of inculturation, #59. However, the link to small christian communities was not taken up, nor is there mention of lay ministries. So the path of suspicion continues, seeing it as a danger to the priesthood. Family of God is counterbalanced with the power of the priesthood.
   

6. Roman Instruction on the Ministry of Laity. 1997 - signed by 8 discastries. To give a clear answer to misuses in certain local church, an hermaneutic of suspicion seeing lay people trying to usurp the power of priesthood. The greatly limit the ministries open to the church; seeing lay people as a threat to lay people. If the aim is rectify local problems, then address those, not a universal document. And e.g. no mention is made of the catechist. The bishops are treated as magistrates implementing roman regulation rather than bishops of a local church. Requires non-use of the term leader for laity.
   

5. Theological Relevance of the pastoral renewal in Kinshasa
   

1. Mission conferred in baptism and confirmation. The church can't be itself without a mature christian laity. This definitely changed the face of the church in Kinshasa - every christian is a subject in the church and a drafter of the history of salvation. Mission is not quantitative approach, but a qualitative approach. God > World > Church The faithful receive the mission and the grace to carry it out. We don't have to give up parish and priesthood, but they will complement each other. Two weekly meetings; Sunday Mass and Thursday Christian Community. The small communities in turn help with the mass and they care for the pastoral needs of their members. Lay people are no longer objects of evangelization and pastoral care - they are subjects and agents. But some are not present - the wealthy and the youth. The communities have changed the consciousness of the local church - this is the way in which the people are accustomed to be church. Pastoral care has to go to where the people are. Principles are subsidiarity and co-responsibility.
   

2. The first motive is to show the importance of the laity in the life and mission of church and in the efficacy of the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. Lay ministries and small communities are linked. The large mission station does not work in the real situation. Lay ministries also shouldn't be a new clerical class. Power is aimed at unity in iversity and is exercised in dialog and sharing. This is an institutional realization of the communio ecclesiology of Vatica 2. Theological impact of lay ministry:
   

1) rediscovery of the importance of missionary dimension of the church.


2) common priesthood of the faithful is acknowledged and promoted.


3) pastoral practice of lay ministers leads to a new understanding and exercise of authority and co-responsibility.


4) relationship between priest and laity is not competitive nor as assistance, but as complementary and subsidiarity.


5) realizing service and charism as a unity in diversity. Many gifts and one spirit. Collegiality can't be only on the level of the bishops, but must pervade the church.


3. Structures are always historically conditions, structures are only to be used when they are useful. There is an interdependence of the church's inner structure and her impact in the world. The issue of the use and abuse of power is critical in importance for the church and for the world and a cutting edge issue in the development and growth of the both. Priest can't be the powermonger who lords it over others, nor merely the sacrament factory. Priests apply to the seminary, but bishops are called. Seminary formation hasn't been reworked to provide for lay ministry. The lay ministry is a third pole between laity and clergy. There can't be a dicotomy that the spiritual is the domain of the priest and the secular of the laity - unless it is ecclesiastical goods.... Laity have no practical input to the formation and screening of seminarians. Church history shouldn't be a 'winner's history.'
   

4. Two problems: 1) partnership between men and women; 2) self sufficiency of the local church.

New Religious Movements in Africa

A pastoral and missiological challenge to the church

1. Terms and phenomena
   

1. Clarification of terms - Sect is a loaded term. Milton 1957 distinguishes 1) the universal church 2) ecclesia - the protestants 3) established sects - groups in the 3 or 4th generation, with a clear administrative structure, 4) sects with minimal structure - break away from the established movements, 5) cults - small groups around a charismatic leader that usually don't have longevity.
   

   b. Features Africa has always been pluriform religiously. Community and participation; river baptism, night services, drums and dancing; merge white Christianity and restoration of the dignity of Africans - Jesus was Black (Church of the Third Testament); they are agents of cultural identity; they continue to spring up - ongoing spiritual self determination of Africa, they call themselves Christian or independent. There are also multiple affiliations: catholic and native. 7-12 thousand African Independent Churches. 83 million members in 2005. There is still a foreign influence, and funding but they are largely independent. They are also evangelizing in Europe and the US.
   

   c. Success of the new religious movements - there is increasing organization, migration to the cities is a shock - culturally. Anomy - lack of any reliable norm. The churches form a community base and social web which people lost in coming to the cities. Majority of Africans have no access to health care - the new religious movements provide healing services. New movements provide rigorous moral standards family, non-violence, obedience to civil and ecclesiastical authority. Theology and culture are integral. African-American religious movements are similar in this respect - Pentecostals are like this. The strong ethics of the churches provide a stabilizing cultural and social influence that helps build stronger families and economic basis. There is no distinction between religion and culture in traditional African society. Millenialists movements explain suffering as a mere transitional state announcing apocalyptic events. The go to the bible, but there is a lot of importance on preaching and the leader. What can Catholics learn from this? They recognize themselves as churches, combining Christianity, Bible and African traditional elements.
   

2. Examples
   

1. Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments. Sect with a tragic end, separated from the Catholic Church - in 2000 their service was burned 1000 people were killed. Founded 1990 by a quiet 60 year old. Lady said to be in constant contact with the virgin Mary, ex-catholic priest was the bishop - used Tridentine rite. The world would end in 2000. March 17, 2000 gathered members to kill them. Members lived in camps, strict silence; unconditioned obedience with physical punishment; strict fasting; no contact with outsiders; hard work and probably killing of dissenters. "These were our people" we should care for them, look to the status of women; care for weak community members; question inculturation of missionary methods.
   

b. Mission: Christ for all Nations - a German evangelical preacher. In Lagos, 1 million attended a meeting. Some violence with Muslims has resulted. Started in Cape Town, moved to Frankfurt. Mass meetings with simple direct gospel preaching, loneliness in the city, prostitution, Jesus is the Solution - healing - witness - confess Christ. Fire Conferences - pastors and volunteers give training and provide materials for them to go out. Theology: 1) mission effort to save a lost world; 2) convert as quickly as possible - now is the last hour; 3) No dialog with local communities. 4) Bible is the truth against all the lies in the world, historical critical method is rejected. (Has he appropriately critiqued the scholars who cannot speak in a language that Christians can appreciate. 5) Holy Spirit is God in action and proves his presence by healings and speaking in tongues. 6) the world is lost - earthly riches and wealth are unimportant - he lives a modest life.


c. Gospel of Prosperity Churches - The goal is money and prestige - suit and tie - guitars - Whoever confesses and turns his life to God, will have material success. If you aren't successful - it is some sin you are hiding. Jesus care for the poor is ignored.

3. Missiological Challenges - there is a challenge of inculturation. There is a need for a narrative theology that is deeply and relevantly African. There is a move to have new local catechisms for the local churches. There are so many abuses in some of the New Religious Movements that makes it difficult to believe. The Gospel and Magisterium have to be engaged and changed in the African setting. Liturgy is the predominant area of inculturation, so imploring ancestors at the start of liturgy is inculturation is not being taken up. African culture is no longer pristine, so we have to see it today at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. We have to discern what is the way undo the history of alienation of African culture. The situation is very complex - Africa sometimes want to just run to modernity, and much of the indigenous culture is already lost. Engaging the issues and living the faith - you will find the answers in a gradual and constructive manner.

Mission and theology of Mission in Africa

The way towards African Theology


• Historical Background
  

1. Africa and Early Church - Africa played a major role in Christianity from flight to Egypt on. Alexandria was one of five patriarchal seats: Clement of Alexandria, Origin, Athanasius, Cyril. Ethiopia which didn't follow the council of Chalcedon. Roman Africa gave us Tertullian, Cyprian and Augustine. Only inculturated Ethiopia survived the Muslim conquest.
   

2. Padroado and the Slave Trade Pope Nicholas V gave Africa to Portuguese kings in 1455 - to conquer for Christ. Spain got the Americas. Protestant missionaries also went on the quest. Slave trade also flourished. Slaves made up 30% of American population 15M transported from Africa. 1890 Pope Leo declared slaver wrong - after the American Civil War and Brazil, the last country to abolish slavery in 1888.
   

3. Denigration of African Culture African culture was consistently downgraded - missionaries thought they were bringing culture to the uncultured.
   

• Missionary Methods
  

1. Tabula Rasa Africans were seen as a cursed continent with no religion or culture. Under the curse of Ham, they were seen as living in the shadow of death. Missionaries saw them as children to be lead who abused any freedom they were given. Completely racist approach.
   

2. Plantation approach sought to plant the entire European church, culture and all into the mission land. WWII brought a change in the self-concept of Africans who saw Europeans as human and fallible and deeply racist. This planted the seeds for independence movements in Africa.
   

3. Theology of adaptation - Stepping Stones "Adaptation is the missionary effort to translate the christian faith into African conceptual apparatus. For critics, it is a missionary theory that was employed to transplant a Christianity developed elsewhere into Africa as if Africans have no cultures of their own." —Oborji. Others say that all the west can bring is it's own Christianity, but with the knowledge that Africa must receive it and shape their own Christianity.
   

• Ongoing Struggle for Inculturation
  

1. Inculturation is an ambiguous term, but it tries to express the intimate link between the Gospel and the culture of the people addressed. But it is suspected of trying to keep the Greco-Roman basis of western Christianity.
   

2. Two Fold Process. Christianity still seems to be foreign, even after 2000 years in India. The encounter between Gospel and Culture has two movements: Gospel is never devoid of culture when it comes to a culture. Likewise Culture is never devoid of religion when it comes to the Gospel. The goal of inculturation is not just that the Gospel be expressed in the culture, but that the Gospel become an inspiring, transforming element within the culture. Also, when that culture encounters the Gospel, it adds something new / creative to the Gospel, by its lived response. Inculturation is discernment of the Spirit of God at work in cultures and religions. This implies an option for ecclesiology of unity in diversity instead of uniformity.
   

3. Achievements and Challenges. AIDS pandemic and mushrooming new religious movements challenge Christianity. Liberation and inculturation go together. Gender issues are rising to the fore. Theological tasks: 1) Continued reception of Vatican 2; 2) Deeper African anthropology with Christology from below; 3) biblical hermeneutics considering the Bible as the living word of God in Africa today.
   

• Conclusion. Pastoral imperative must adapt to culture, take relationship and the individual in community seriously. Rampant injustice and corrupt politics must be addressed. Bridges to be built between english and french africa, hierarchy and base communities, clergy and laity, men and wormen.
  

The Theology of Mission of Vatican II and its Prolegomena

By Dr. Richard Brosse - Dr Evers last two lectures
Major texts of Vatican II and beyond.
Excursus on missiology as a discipline in theology.

Christian Mission

• Ad Gentes - the church on earth by its nature is missionary. It is one of the most important elements of the church's identity; a constitutional factor; relevant for every member of the Church. Foundation of the church in the Trinity at Vatican 2 is the source of mission. God is a dynamism of mission and procession - incarnation, redemption, mission.

• Christ is the start and model of mission of the church. Sent - from the father. Spirit in relation with the son and the father in the trinity. The spirit animates the mission of Jesus and of the disciples, and is the principal protagonist of mission, touching hearts at the word of the disciple. Spirit is present even when / where the word is not known.
  

• Scripture
  

• Evolution of the comprehension of church as mission. First in the Bible, then in the early expansion of Christianity. Translates conviction to commitment to Christian life and mission. Redemptoris missio 1. Mission of Christ the Redeemer, entrusted to the church, is just beginning. History of the church is the history of mission. Read church history in a missionary key. This immediately faced the tension between universal and particular - to make a true catholic community. First geography then thematic deepening of theology, in a culture and between cultures.
  

• Periods of missionary history - obedience to the mandate of Christ: progressive deepening of missionary awareness. Ecclesiology sometimes gets lost in the particular situation. E.g. postmodernism. Church is on the way to salvation. Early evangelization had to deal with the culture of the time while still consolidating the missionary awareness. Constantinian period moved the church from persecution to power, and also developed christianity with q culturalization of the faith to make it more social than personal. Missionary movement with the 'discovery' of Africa and the Americas.
  

• Vatican 2. The 2000 years have seen strong activity or of settling and even exhaustion. Meeting between the west with the world / meeting of clergy with laity / meeting of monasticism with new religious orders.
  

• Toward the 3rd Millenium. Ad Gentes. Evangelii Nuntianti and Redemptionis Missio.
  

• Approach to the missionary dimension. 1) relationship to real life; 2) approach to the content of proclamation. Brings mission from the edge to the center of the Christian Conscience. Fundamental characteristic of the church: great commission. [2] The church on earth is by its nature missionary.
  

• While AG is the main document, it is not the only or the first. LG, GS, AA, NA. LG 17, 1. The church directs her attention to her meeting with others.
  

• Consequences in the post conciliar era: Post Vatican extreme responses were somewhat to be expected - big organization moving. Destabilization before restabilizing. Inspirations: renewal, Baptism as initiation in christ, eucharist as the source and sign of christian unity. One holy catholic apostolic are all parts of the missionary dimension. More than just an Idea, the church is also an imperical reality. Simplicity and the preferential option for the poor.
  

• Some recent official texts since Vatican 2. Evangelii Nuntiandi was one of the major documents. 1975 - most important magisterial document on many missionary questions. Post synodal conclusion - a masterpiece on the evangelization. It strays from the language of many texts and introduces an elegant style and a depth. At first sight it contains a difficulty: prefers to speak of evangelization rather than mission. Laici chapter 3. But most complete is redemptoris missio. Strengthens the pillar erected by Vatican II. The definitive self revelation of God in Christ is the reason why the church is missionary - cannot be otherwise. Christ's mandate is absolute. All churches are sent.
  

• Church as a missionary community. Ever more visible role of the local church. 1) the whole church is for the whole world. There are many situations in today's world that are an invitation for evangelization: planetary society, creation care, 2) all Christians are called. Each Christian is personally related to Christ and sent by Christ. It is the duty of all, although there are competences. Life is witness and mission. 3) Humankind is the beneficiary of mission. Mission to non-Christians; happiness to be shared with others. The spirit is the great unifying principle - limitless action in the church and in the world; touching the heart of every person and society. GS22. (anonymous Christians) When we go on mission, god is already there.
  

• Importance of local churches. Vatican 2 elaborated this with great influence in mission. It must have all the characteristics of a church, including communion and mission. Not a part, but also a mini whole.
  

• Specific responsibility of mission workers. All Christians are missionary. RM Chapter 6. Need for collaboration and reciprocity bewteen sister churches. Church is not just maintaining itself, but to mission. 64. Consecrated persons are also powerful in mission as are the laity. Without the laity, this is unthinkable in many places.
  

• Sacramental system for salvation. The church is a highly structured management organization. The reason for this is the sacrament - she draws her life from God. Church is the universal sacrament of salvation for humanity - both the spiritual and material elements contribute to this. Effective sign of God's saving love. Care of souls, new evangelization and re-evangelization.
  

Doctrinal Note on Some Aspects of Evangelization

Sacraments, Faith, Evangelization Congregations signed on Dec 3, 2007. Document

• Short introduction - dfn [2] The term evangelization has a very rich meaning.[4] In the broad sense, it sums up the Church’s entire mission: her whole life consists in accomplishing the traditio Evangelii, the proclamation and handing on of the Gospel, which is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16) and which, in the final essence, is identified with Jesus Christ himself (cf. 1 Cor 1:24). Understood in this way, evangelization is aimed at all of humanity. In any case, to evangelize does not mean simply to teach a doctrine, but to proclaim Jesus Christ by one’s words and actions, that is, to make oneself an instrument of his presence and action in the world. Positive definition. The following considerations are normative: 1) anthropology, 2) ecclesiology, 3) dialog. [3] A growing confusion which leads many to leave the missionary command of the Lord unheard and ineffective. Doctrinal note will encourage and be positive. In comparison with Dominus Jesus 2000, and Responses to some Questions on the Church 2007. There is an invitation to understand mission as a call to freedom, and renunciation of coersion. [5] the truth “does not impose itself except by the strength of the truth itself (from Dignitatis Humanae)”. Presented by 3 cardinals, three congregations, US bishops. This seems to indicate a defensive strategy; so there is the attempt to reaffirm former positions.
  

• Note on Asian Theologians. Comment of cardinal Diaz - there is a tendency not to proclaim the unique position of Jesus Christ. He named Peter Phan - priest of Dallas - Catholic Social Thought at Georgetown. 1975 to US. Teaching also in Philipines. Unites traditional Catholic thinking and asian thinking. His book, being religious interreligiously, has been submitted to CDF who forwarded to USCCB who were critical. 1) Place of Jesus Christ; 2) significance for salvation of nonchristian religions; 3) catholic church as the unique and universal instrument of salvation. Phan reinterprets the term unique. Dominus Jesus stresses all these, along with the importance of mission; an expression of love to the world. These were picked up by the doctrinal note. Jacques Depuy - toward a christian theory of religious pluralism. Both are important voices in the asian catholic church.
  

• Three Phases of Dialog
  

• Dialog with Culture
  

• Dialog with Main Asian Religions - aiming at cooperation
  

• Dialog with the Poor - aiming at wholistic liberation.
  

• The Doctrinal note might be deceptive - it closes the openness presented in the Ecclesia in Asia post synodal exhortation. Dialog and polyphony. Neither Phan nor DePuy has been condemned, so there is an open space for research.
  

• Interreligious Dialog is underlined explicitly: [8] This experience of sharing, a characteristic of true friendship, is a valuable occasion for witnessing and for Christian proclamation. It is an occasion amony many; culture, religion and art. It is accepted but limited: [7] The communication of religiously significant events and truths in order that they will be accepted by others is not only in profound harmony with the human phenomena of dialogue, proclamation and education, it also corresponds to another important anthropological fact: the desire, which is proper to the human person, to have others share in one’s own goods. The acceptance of the Good News in faith is thus dynamically ordered to such a communication. The truth which saves one’s life inflames the heart of the one who has received it with a love of neighbour that motivates him to pass on to others in freedom what he has freely been given. This is the philosophically weakest point of the argument - it considers truth independent of reception and interpretation. [4] Such a vision of human freedom, separated from its integral reference to truth, is one of the expressions “of that relativism which, recognizing nothing as definitive, leaves as the ultimate criterion only the self with its desires and under the semblance of freedom, becomes a prison for each one”. Dialog is related to life and hope, sharing, seeking for the presence of God in the others. People are seeking and looking for encouragement, also from the bishops. The passage here develops a church which is a symbol of unity in diversity. Faith and mission rely on relation and exchange. God is relation; people are relational; this is the basis of our identity. Dialog is more than a mere tool or strategy; it is the key word of communication. Experience, including of God, is mediated, thus incarnational experience. Even God entered this process in creation and incarnation. These aspects are not found in the note. It simply states the truth is absolute, mediated to us from the church. It doesn't appreciate the otherness of the other - looking for the truth also in them.
  

• Future Many theologians, especially in asia deal with three main issues, which will characterize the effectiveness:
  

• Is it possible to understand various religions as a sign of God's generosity, without questioning the uniqueness of Christ.
  

• Is God's dialog with the universe a plural one - or just one?
  

• Are we able to enjoy this diversity, richness and beauty, or is it a risk to be overcome.
  

• Depuy - unity is a relation. Unique event of Christ is the sacrament of God, but it related to all the other manifestations of God in other religions. It is not exclusive, nor merely inclusive. It doesn't just see the seed in others that are in the fullness in the church. This is not automatically relativism. Christian revelation can be enriched by other revelations of Gods love - complementarity is possible and thinkable. The main concern of Asian Theologians is to find a teaching that meets the challenges of today's world. Faith, Thought and Solidarity.
  

• The doctrinal note does put emphasis on individual encounter. It needs a faithful "i" who seeks for convergence. But the leading thread in the note is based on the great command: go, preach, baptize: saved / condemned. The fullness of life in John are not found in the note, and the liberation in Luke 4 are missing. At the end, the leading perspectives are ecclesiology and apologetic. Since is it evangelization and mission - one might expect focus on justice and the kingdom, and inner renewal before going out to the others. Relativism is a problem, but not primarily in interreligious dialog. We have to fill in the blanks of the document to develop a renewed practice of mission.
  

• Missiology is struggling with its identity and place in theological education. The ancient church was busier doing mission than studying it. Theology was reactionary, responding to theogical questions, differences. Then the church settled into Europe, and the missionary effort was largely lost. There were various efforts to abstract from the action of mission, revived with the protestants. At Princeton, there was the first lecturer in missiology. Early 20th century the missionaries and missionary congregations pushed for systematic studies. Theology has text, history, truths and applications: Scripture, History, Systematics and Pastoral.
  

• Integration - each subject treats it - but who has the time or interest - it may mean it isn't treated at all.
  

• Independent Discipline - it's own study.
  

• Comparative Religion - the study comes really when you begin to encounter other religions. Metz.
  

• It can subsum the entire theological discipline
  

• Definitions of Missiology: Rahner: Missiology is the scientific study of the missionary self realization of the Church. Verkuyl: Missiology is the study of the salvation activities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit throughout the world geared toward bringing the kingdom of God into existence. Myklebust: Missiology is the scolarly treatment, from the point of view of both history and theory, of the expansion of Christianity among non-christians. Kuyper: Missiology is the investigation of the most profitable God-ordained methods leading to the conversion of those outside of Christ. Tippett: Missiology is the academic discipline or science which researches, records and applies data relating to the biblical original, the history (including use of documentary materials), the anthropological principles and techniques and the theological base of the Christian mission. The theory, methodology and data bank are particularly directed towards: 1) the processes by which the Christian message is communicated; 2) the encounters brought about by its proclamation to non-Christians; 3) the planting of the Church and organization of congregations, the incorporation of converts into those congregations, and the growth and relevance of their structures and fellowship, internally to maturity, externally in outreach, as the Body of Christ in local situations and beyond, in a variety of cultural patterns. Illich: [Missiology is] the science about the Word of God as the Church in her becoming; the Word as the Church in her borderline situations; the Church as a surprise and a puzzle; the Church in her growth; the church when her historical appearance is so new that she has to strain herself to recognize her past in the mirror of the present; the church where she is pregnant of new revelations for a people in which she dawns.... Missiology studies the growth of the Church into new peoples, the birth of the Church beyond its social boundaries; beyond the linguistic barriers within which she feels at home; beyond the poetic images in which she taught her children... Missiology therefore is the study of the Church as surprise.
  

Framing Missiology

• Bevans and Schroeder 2004. Constants in context : a theology of mission for today: The book took 10 years to write the book. An historical systematic theology. It looks at a world church history. Threefold theology:

Solle: orthodox / conservative / liberal / radical liberation theology.


Gonzalez: A - from Tertullian focussing on law; B - Origin focussing on truth; C - Iraneaus of Lyon focussing on history. This gives 6 doctrinal themes for fidelity of the church.


6 questions that shape the way the church will preach serve and witness:


• who is Jesus Christ and what is his meaning?
  

• What is the nature of the christian church (sacraments)
  

• How does the church regard its eschatology future.
  

• what is the nature of salvation
  

• How does the church value the human
  

• What is the value of human culture as a context for culture.
  

There may be inadequacies - the doctrine is taken as constant while the context changed. Actually they are interdependent and each is interpreted in the framework of the other. [chart]


• Mission in Type A - saving souls and extending the church. Without the church no-one is saved. Culture is not a value, but it is to be used for mission. This has motivated many missionaries to work hard and suffer much. This still flourishes in evangelical circles. One theologian predicts the future of christianity will be more conservative and pentacostal, just based on statistics
  

• Mission in Type B. Mission is discovery of the truth, characterized by search for truth, accessible to human intellect. Search for Gods grace hidden in human and cultural elements. Allow Christ to be the answer to the deepest human desires. Invitation to discover truth that saves already present in human culture - the church is the sacrament of humanity. There is a confidence in human experience.
  

• Mission in Type C. Mission as commitment to liberation and transformation. Focusses on history - appreciates it as the place in which real people live, change and grow; yet it is also enslaved by sin. Christ is the liberator - the Church is the liberated working for liberated. Salvation already, but not yet.
  

• There are different strains in church teaching:
  

1. Missio Dei - participation in the mission of the trinity. Ad Gentes.
   

2. Missio as liberating service - Evangelii Nuntiandi
   

3. Mission as proclamation of Jesus Christ as universal savior - Redemptoris missio.
   

• All three should be there as intercultural dialog. The world has shifted to the south, and christianity is becoming more pentacostal, transcendent, supernatural.
  

• Mission as prophetic dialog. All are called to mission by baptism so mission is a single but complex reality. This would call for type B & C; theology from above, type A isn't helpful. They work out the constants: Spirit of Christology, Jesus as exemplar and liberator. Ecclesiology of servant, herald and sacrament; the church is communion in mission, the pilgrim people of God. Eschatology is both historical and communal. Salvation is holistic, and universal. Anthropology is communal and cosmic. Culture is viewed critically but positively, moderately counter cultural.
  

• Mission is dialog - open to tradition, to where people are, but it is prophetic as well. It calls people beyond where they are.
  

• Conclusion: It seems evident that they are all distinct, but they are intricately bound as well. A witness that is not also a witness to justice, that isn't inculturated so as to be understood, that is not self-reconciled and reconciling - is no witness at all.
  

• Criticism: typology is fascinating, but problematic. Augustine / Tertullian / Fundamentalism, but there is a danger of reductionism. Socialogical and critical analysis is missing. E.g. Latin American Christians are in low and middle social strata which are non-western. The institution is seen as in the hands of a monocultural elite. So the two strategies are in action in the same cultural context. So there are a mix of ecclesiologies at work. But it still opens new modes of analysis and new possibiliites. New paradigms of prophetic dialog, church as sacrament of God's salvation, faith as the power of the weak and strong.
  

• Another way of framing missiology: Reflections on 5 challenges: 1) mission in dialog; 2) mission in solidarity; 3) perspective of kenosis; 4) mission for peace; 5) mission for justice.
  

Mission as Dialog

• This is a discourse in a boundary, a sharing of faith experiences. It is communication in the church, different from other communication. There is a radical change after Vatican 2; dialog is a new way of being church. The church fails in dialog when she slips into hegemic monolog of an entity that holds the whole truth. This leads to crisis after crisis. The change of perspective has to be a focus on the other and on God in the other. Missionary shares personal and community experience and is open to the ways of seeking God in other religions. Focussed on the other, is available to the other, even to bracket personal views to understand the other. It is intellectual but also a spiritual posture. India is multicultural - birthplace of religions; but there is also fundamentalism. The initial Vatican 2 enthusiasm for enculturation there has cooled. Now there is a desire to complete in the secular world; is it an NGO or a church. Also with theologians trained in the west, it is more difficult to develop a contextual theology. The church becomes less institutional, more prophetic when it turns to the other. Missionary dialog is comprehensive, trying to understand the entire context. It is to be a leaven in the society - going to the rural and poor populations as a pilgrim and witnessing church. Becoming a neighbor for the other, neighborhood communities are free to related to the culture without the fear. The wish for conversion is there, but it doesn't instrumentalize dialog

Mission in Solidarity

• These are the constitutive elements of faith: 1) Worship of God, 2) accepting the word of God as the guide of life, 3) receiving sacraments and participating in liturgy. An obstacle for unity in the church is the division based on caste system. 17% indian population / 75% catholic are dalit - 96% in poverty, daylaborers. Mahaligam SJ - European missionaries preached equality and this drew dalits, when they wanted to convert the upper castes, they had to accept the cast system. Two churches, two cemeteries. In india, to promote Christianity in a religious diversity, they have to be christian and to be united christians (protestant, catholic). There are efforts to bring ecumenical solidarity, but there should be social involvement as well as discussion. Institute of Culture and Religion (Jesuits) - exchanges professors with the Lutherans. There should also be solidarity with the marginalized: cast, culture, religion. Support widows, orphans, women, etc; solidarity becomes a way of life by testimony to Christ. Early christians were high-class in colonial era. Then they went to the lower classes. Then there is better mixing today.

Kenotic Mission

• Dominican missionary in Pakistan - conversions? only one: myself. Today, we take the other more seriously, not a distraction, but a part of my faith. Pluralism is a paradigm which is in place of universalism. The deeper reality of life is accepted, rather than a superficial unity. Suzin. Derrida died 3 years ago - in the last decade of his life, he became preoccupied with religion. Religion is impossible without uncertainty; yet many world conflicts are shaped by people without uncertainty. Belief embracing uncertainty. Dickinson - we both believe and disbelieve a hundred times an hour - keeping believing nimble. Rahner said we have to act ourselves into a new way of thinking, not the reverse. Christianity - the religion of otherness - always opening out; it takes it identity and mission from the others - like the incarnation. Kenosis of God is a methodology for us as well. Many possibilities can be harder to deal with than with one all encompassing truth. Theology of the lack of God - seeking of God. There is a time in our life when we realize God is not who he used to be. Distinction between the Godhead and God - the real and the plurality of manifestation. Nicholas of Cusa affirmed in the 15th century - there is only one religion in the variety of rites. God is the coincidence of contradictions - the center and the circumference. We can only affirm what God is not: we join to God as to the unknown (Aquinas). This all suggests life and movement - not to certainty, but to depth. The other we meet on our journey invites us to move from mission as action to mission as waiting on God - sharing in God's loving embrace of the world.

Peace: Diversity

Linguistic Diversity Richness of languages, ritual and world views. Philippines 85% Catholic. Chinese Theology done in Latin till 1964, then in English, finally 1968 in Chinese. Theological stress has transferred from lexical matters to narrative matters. Extratextual hermeneutics blurs the borders of doctrine.

Identity inventiveness and .... 1) Dialog - reciprocal broadening. 2) Relationship of Friendship and discovery. 3) Shared projects and cooperation. Begins in the discovery of a commonality - often in a negative aspect: crisis and challenges. Globalization is first the globalization of crisis. Then we move on to search out common responses. But we come from different places, different sacred texts, world views. Meaning arises when we see what unifies and divides us. Retelling the christian story through the cultural view of buddhism. These are living cultures that are continually discovered and challenged. There is a mutual challenge and shaping, not leading to confusion or syncretism, but greater clarity about both. This leads to a discovery through the interpretive process, it is an inventive process.

Mission for Justice

• GS 1: The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts. For theirs is a community composed of men. This is more about orthopraxis, than orthodoxy. These are not necessarily opposed. Jesus sends on a social mission - heal, cure, etc.

• Peter Canondago There are many frightening things in the world. Resources are invested in fighting terrorism, but not on bringing people together to remove sources of fear, dispair and poverty. Climate change is already having an impact. Prolonged drought increases sources of conflict. The church links celebration of sacraments to these challenges. Eucharist is also a turn to the need for physical nourishment. 287.1 CIC - says clerics are to foster peace and harmony based on justice. Code to relate to council - SDL.
  

• AIDS Link between AIDS and poverty. ARVs are withheld by pharmeceuticals looking for profit. Condoms banned by the church, but it could have been a help for preventing the disease. There is also a diversity of practice - the church could modify its position sooner rather than later - lives are at stake. The social mission of christians is proactive in the face of the frightening face of aids. 1971 Synod on Justice - The prophet of justice must first be just themselves - this is also for the church. But the document does not receive enough attention. Promoted laity, women, just compensation (42-43). Freedom of expression should be recognized: dialog in legitimate diversity. 47. Use of temporal possessions should be used in a manner consistent with evangelical witness; church of the rich and powerful diminishes the power of its witness.
  

• World is also beautiful - renewing itself. Church to be a sign of hope in the midst of violence, poverty, climate change. The church can be an agent of liberation and justice.
  

Alternate Model

• Grid of interpretation that is not diacronic but syncronic. There are two main criteria: 1) access to reality to the alliance between Man and God, from above or from below. 2) salvation is imprinted either by the greek or the latin culture - Divinization or Salvation respectively. These factors yield a typology:

  Mission as	From Above	From Below
  Salvatio	process of salvation	demand for metanoia
  Divinisatio	proclamation of fulfillment	creative poeisis

Mission in Europe

1. Euopean Postmodernism -
   

1. Phenomenological approach - they got lost, permanently jostled by the development of the technolocracy. On the way to a terra incognito (Villepelet). Radcliff: we do not know because globalization has reached a stage where techology makes possibilities we cannot guess and new types of risks. We are principally at risk from what we ourselves have done. We have outsmarted ourselves, in a run-away world.
   

2. Historical approach. 19th and 20th century clashes seen by Gagey as 1) faith and science; 2) faith and history; 3) church and democracy. This evolution has been called secularization 1) process of social practices autonomous in the social matrix; 2) exclusion of religion out of the social arena; 3) break up of the now private sphere. Features of postmodernity - radicalization with modern era in its victory over tradition. Universal principle becomes just economy.
   

3. Exit from religion - Gauchet. Disenchantment of the World. "The price of the breakup of religion is the difficulty to be oneself." Society is mentally exhausting, as they permanently face the fundamental questions: Why? Christianity is the religion of the exit from religion. Like the cause of the fall of Greece and Rome. But you can't condemn people for leaving the Church.
   

2. Missology in this context - Four moments - 1) bring salvation to pagans. 2) missionaries give social support for conversion - plantatio (europeana) ecclesia. 3) meet the pagans halfway with adaptation of externals of christianity. 4) Christ already present - missionary to discover it and let people know. Recognition of culture as a value in its own right. Societies are now multicultural - a cocktail of culture. Hervieu-Leger - speaks of exculturation of catholicism. Mission is not one task, but the task of the church. 1) Church is missionary if it is impelled by the desire to relate to the stranger. Renounce my habits of thinking and world view in favor of the other. 2) Abandonment of personal balance point; you are no longer the only center. The church has to do this as well - mission isn't something to give, but something to leave. 3) Contemplation and dialog is critical. It must be linked to contemplation. How to approach the stranger? — Then from the perspective of the stranger - what can they apprehend. Three ways of mission abroad (Radcliff) 1) Presence, 2) Epiphany, 3) Proclamation. The object of mission may be a stranger, though they are our neighbor. Mission isn't what I do, but who I am. 2) Epiphany. Implicit sign of the reign of God, but this sometimes takes a visible form. What are the images / symbols of this form. But humanity seeks for another symbol, different in type from the adversiting noise. The image of the poor and the powerless. 3) Proclamation. It should be seen and also be heard. There is a profound suspicion of traditional teachers. There should be a spirituality of mission - spirituality of truthfulness - truthfulness as seen by the stranger. DeCerteau: A truth to be made - it is the process of both members in the relati0nship.
   

3. Major challenges -
   

1. Practice of mission - postmoderns have anxiety about moral issues. The facility of dechristianization puts in question the depth of the original christianization. The society and government had the a christian face, and the christian culture was carried by he clergy and theologians. So it is thrown off as unnecessary.
   

2. Give a new plausibility to religion (not an organizational principle of secular society); how can one think of God when he is too removed from everyday life; faith should be plausible. Consider developments outside Europe seriously. Do we assume all are the same, or will become the same, or are there fundamental differences which will perdure. Subaltern hermeneutics - theo / anthro centrism; universal versus context; theory versus life; tradition versus change; transcendence and temporality. Wilfred wants to go behind these categories - who is the interpreter - usually a dominators, not the victims. Classical hermeneutics based on written, subaltern based on oral tradition. In addition to what is said, but also that it is said and how it is said.
   

4. Conclusion - befriending - it is befriending that is at the heart of mission. Respecting the otherness of the other religion, and the mystery of the encounter.
   

Definition of Missiology

• Missiology: "the conscious, intentional, ongoing reflection on the doing of mission. It includes theory(ies) of mission, the study and teaching of mission, as well as the research, writing, and publication of works regarding mission" (Neely 2000, 633). "1. the study of the salvation activities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit throughout the world geared toward bringing the kingdom of God into existence, 2. the study of the worldwide church's divine mandate to be ready to serve this God who is aiming his saving acts toward this world" (Verkuyl 1978, 5).

• Definition of Missiology - Missiology is that branch of that studies in a systematic way the evangelizing activity of the Church. It can also be regarded as the theological reflection on the Church's missionary reality.
  

(Vatican II in Ad Gentes states: "The pilgrim church is by nature missionary" (AG 2), and therefore all the other branches of theology ought to have a missionary dimension. Missiology must therefore serve as a foundation to all theological discourse and in a special way to every reflection the Church's does on itself.


• Missiology is an interdisciplinary subject that makes use of all the findings of the other branches of theology in order to discern better and reflect more about the proper mission of the Church. —Natalino Camilleri sdc - Blata l-Bajda - Malta
  

Encounter of Christianity with China.

Rites Controversy.

• Rites controversy is likely the cause of mission failure in Asia. Franciscans, Jesuits and the Roman Center at odds. But more the Traditional Christianity and the Ancient China. A developed inculturated Christianity and a highly developed culture. In hind sight the decisions made are key in this. Many books have been written, it remains of interest because it is a negative paradigm of encounter with Christianity and culture. Missed encounter and lost opportunities.

• Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) was born the year Xavier died on the coast of China. He tried to present a christianity as consistent with confucian and the fulfillment of him. (Unlike Boniface who said in Germany who burnt the sacred tree and said burn what you adored and adore what you burned.) Ricci looked for the traces of primal revelation outside Christianity. Even signs in chinese characters had bible stories in them, e.g. the symbol for ship has the story of Noah. Adaptation and accommodation of the christian message to the customs of the recipient. Culture was the start, Gospel was the end. Conversion was a fulfillment of Kung-fu-tse, this converted some leading scholars and officials. They focussed on philosophy, not on history and the cross. Franciscans instead brought the cross at the start to the villages. Franciscans said Jesuits were hiding the cross. Ricci dressed as buddhist monks at first, but when they found they were distained, they switched to scholar's garb. China saw it was the center of the universe, so how could palestine be a source of salvation. If God wanted to save the world, he should have come to china - the middle kingdom. Jesus as a universal human being is acceptable, Jesus as decisive salvation from somewhere other than china was inconceivable for them.

• Translating the name of God. In the west missionaries took the name of God from the languages of the people. But China didn't have the same concept of God, so they: emperor, heaven, spirit, highest principle (tai-chi). Tian-zhu - Lord of Heaven was settled on by Catholics, Protestants used Emperor on high Shang-di. So seems like two separate religions. Deus in japanese came out dai-uso - the big lie.
  

• Ancestor Veneration was a big controversy. It was central to Chinese concept of culture and family relations. Five relations: emperor, friend, spouse, parent child, sibling. So denouncing this destabilizes society and is seen as civil disobedience. Jesuits said okay - they are civil ceremonies; Franciscans said no it is idolatry. This was also partly because of the differences between the secular scholars versus the supersticious peasants. Also the Spanish OP / OFM came from the inquisition and expuslion of muslims. At first Rome was favorable, then negative. 1742 A frenchman delivered the answer. The emperor asked the frenchman to point out the errors in the confucian text - he couldn't even read it. So it make christianity appear stupid, foreign and arrogant. They also thought Roman control of local missionaries was problematic. Also, no one could discuss it. Missionaries had to take an oath not to discuss or write about rites. Rome later claimed that rites had developed and are now okay - but the development was really with Rome.
  

• Today - preparation of the Asian Synod had an admission of errors, and inadequate regard of asian cultures. No direct reference, but there is a reversal. John Paul II, Oct 24 2001, 400th anniversary of Ricci, admits error.
  

Current Church in China

• Communist Revolution. The catholic church ended up on the losing side. Majority of bishops were still foreign missionaries. 1926 first six indigenous bishops. Still missionary church of 4 million in 1949 when Chinese took over. Communist authories expelled foreign missionaries, there were 2,000 Chinese priests. Christianity was seen as making a person no longer Chinese. There were also rice christians, who came for food, schools, hospitals, etc.

• Schism. Interruption of connection with church in china with the roman center. Consecration of bishops was problematic - also the Patriotic Church was established. Bishops were excommunicated, but then let back in. One franciscan bishop set up a seminary. Pius XII didn't approve chinese proposed bishops, valid but not licit consecrations. Sometimes the formulas in episcopal consecrations were of questionable validity. John XXIII used the term Schism only once, and was corrected by a missionary.
  

• Cultural Revolution. Destruction of old ideas, culture, habits, and ethics. Red Guards enforced it in terror. 1966-1976. Destruction of Books, buildings, art, especially if they were religious. Religion were one of the main 'olds' under attack. Surprising number of christians survived.
  

• Human Rights. Rights are not seen to be respected in China. Communist party is the only allowed ruling party. Religious institutions must be registered and recognized. Chinese communists claim a different type of human rights where obligations to the community and society are above human rights. Economic, social and cultural rights are on a par with civil and political rights. Human rights can't interfere in the interior affairs of the state. Depends on whether I or We comes first.
  

• Chinese Understanding of Religion. Chinese have a strong sense for the here and now - does the religion contribute to the state and society here and now. The understanding of religion is the same as always. "The peasants made the idols and when the socialist state achieves fulfillment, the peasants will cast them aside themselves. But now, Communism is loosing it's ideological hold though it still has power, and religion is growing. Three relations:
  

• Religion supports and sustains the government. Religion for the common good and for the support of government. Critique of government is seen as heterodox religion.
  

• Flee from the world through monasticism seen in Budhism. The government sees this as innocent as long as not too many people join.
  

• Religion challenges the political system - this is seen as false religion.
  

• Constitution of PR China. Religious freedom is always in the constitution, after cultural revolution a new article that is stronger in rhetoric. The state protects legitimate religious activities. No one can use religion against the state. Religion is not subject to the control of foreign countries. Religion can't be secret, private, outside the control of government.
  

• Christianity Fever. Phenomenal growth of religions, especially after the cultural revolution. Catholics 4 million to 15 million in 2006. 40 million Protestants. Cultural christians are those who look to western and christian ideas, but are not thinking of the faith exactly. Other religions are growing as well.
  

• Genuine Chinese Local Church. Pope sent a letter to Chinese Church calling for unity. Accept each other and each other's sacraments and clergy. Most bishops are legitimate and accepted by Rome. Tibet repression is problematic and interfering - There is talk of diplomatic relations at the expense of relations with Taiwan, and pope shouldn't appoint bishops. Pope is generally accepting bishops elected in China. May 24 - prayer day for China.
  

Christian Muslim Dialog

• Background Islam was strong at the beginning in the first few hundred years. Then they later found that they stagnated and the west raced ahead. France in the west, China in the east. Wahabis of Saudi Arabia emphasize: 1) idealized first Islamic community at Medina; 2) solidarity of all muslims; 3) unity of religion and state; 4) Sharia. There was also a militant fraction, and a western reaction.

• Nostra Aetate speaks of muslim monotheism, submission to God, acknowledgment of Jesus as prophet and Mary as his virgin mother. They await the judgment in prayer fasting and almsgiving and a moral life. The document doesn't refer to Muhammad or the Qur'an, which muslims would have liked to see: is Mohammed a prophet, and the Quran a scripture.
  

Majority of Muslims in Asia

• Arab Islam has a precedence, but the majority is in Asia. They believe the Qur'an was created when the world was created and later communicated in the arabic original complete and entire. Few muslims are willing to discipher the human creation of the Qur'an. Al'Azhar University in Cairo has a teaching authority. The rigorous wahabism is a reactionary model of pristine islam - keepers of the holy sites of mecca and medina. Saudi riches are put behind it's 'only authentic Islam.' They try to indoctrinate pilgrims. They reject mysticism and toleration.
  

Christian Muslim Dialog

• Task of the Asian Local Churches - Except for Phillipines, Christians are minority, and the muslims are majority in many states. When the spaniards reached phillipines, they already found muslims settlements. After Vatican 2, some naieve but enthusiastic dialogue was begun. Dialogue with culture, religion, poor was begun by FABC - with Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. This was christian initiated. The radicalization of Islam has inhibited this more recently, on both sides. Burden of history - Islam blocked land routes for Christians reaching Asia - they found the sea route in 1498 (though Thomas Christians reached there earlier). There is also the link of the missionaries from the west with colonialism. On the muslim side, there is a fear that dialog is a missionary strategy. Dialog of life and cooperation were used along side formal dialog among experts. Multan Conference in 1992: treated the asian notion of harmony. Already at this time fundamentalism and radicalism began hindering discussions. FABC changed strategies to give Faith Encounter in Social Action seminars.
  

Pan Asian Conferences on Christian Muslim Dialog

• Asian Journey focused on situations in countries where the conference was held.
  

India. Christian-Muslim Dialog in India is overshadowed by Christian Hindu Relations. Muslims 13%, Christians 2.3%, Hindu 80%. Literacy rate of Christian is higher than Muslim or Hindus. There is move by Jesuits toward fellow minority Muslims - Islamic Study Assn. Salaam - quarterly for understanding was also founded.
Pakistan. Islam is vast majority, esp Sunnis, practically state religion. Recently there is Sunni, Shiite violence. Sufis are quite present, with age old sufi graves and shrines, popular also with women. Wahabites wouldn't allow this. Teachers (pir) are also strong, and Wahabis don't approve. Christians are 1.6% with small commission for interreligious dialog - Bishop John Joseph first president. Swiss Jesuit Butler founded dialog center. Also Dominican. But this doesn't reach the people in the pews, though they have regular contact with muslim neighbors. Christians understand the need for defense, going back to living in the barracks with imperialist armies. 1991 sharia makes it hard for Christians, especially anti blasphemy laws with automatic death penalty. Sharia takes precedence over Pakistani law. Anti blasphemy are used for personal vengeance.
Bengledesh. Begun as a homestead for Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians in 1971. In 1982, it was declared a muslim state - Friday is a weekly holiday. There are many Muslim groups. Sharioti Islam (orthodox) and syncretistic local adaptation. Sufis and Pirs are also present. There is a national commission for interreligious dialog. Various efforts are being made, especially in side by side living, Christians and Muslims praying together and doing development. Bob McCahill - maryknoll lives among the muslim poor - living a life of presence, 2 years in each place. Like de Foucault. Bangladesh is inculturating art, music and liturgy in Bengali culture. This contrasts strongly with Muslim presence. It also contrasts with Pakistan where they try to not offend muslim sensitivity regarding images. There are some groups that include both christian and muslim elements.
Malaysia Ethnic Malay or Bumi Putra - they say 52% but they won't make a census - they have many civil privileges: muslim, malay language and ethnic malay. They presume muslim faith for all, no conversion allowed. Malaysian Consultation Council is a unity of the minority religions vis-a-vis the muslims. Non muslims can't use particular words: e.g. Allah for God, nabi for prophet, ulama for community, etc.
Indonesia
Philippines. Islamo Christian Silsilah dialog - non-violent dialog of life in theological reflection and spiritual. Developing a culture of dialog. Women's community based on beatitudes and teaching; also basic community with christians and muslims, celebrating feasts together. Academic branch has Summer Courses where they live and study together (2000 people). This has some violence against it.