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(:nl:)Evangelization as inculturation
as seen in ''Ecclesia in Asia''

Sr. Ko Ha Fong Maria
Pattaya, 3 Sept. 2002
Symposium FABC - OE

We Asian peoples like to think in symbols and images, and do not indulge so much on analytic reasoning or speculations, we prefer evocation to demonstration, intuition to argumentation, wisdom to science. In this forma mentis I begin my reflection using images, which are present or are inspired by the Ecclesia in Asia.

1. The “Great Wall” and the “Silk Road” – Which model for inculturation?

The first image is that of the famous Great Wall of China. Built more than 2000 years ago 6000 km long, it was said to be the only manmade object visible even from the moon. It is really a wonderful piece of work, symbol of the greatness and power of the “middle Kingdom”, witnessing the intelligence and tenacity of the Chinese people. But the Great Wall, like all walls, is also a sign of separation, division, auto-sufficiency, isolation and defensiveness. In fact, it was built to defend China against invaders from the north.

The second image is somehow in contrast with the first. It has a poetic name: the Silk Road. Almost contemporary to the Great Wall the Silk Road came up silently to unite Asia with Europe, the East with the West. Starting from the heart of China, it reached up to Rome, the heart of the Roman Empire. It was not built by command of great kings, nor was it part of a military project, but the steps of very ordinary people: merchants, explorers, missionaries, monks etc brought it into existence. The Silk Road bore powerful witness of the mutual attraction of the East and the West, of the will to emerge from ‘self’ to go to the other, the different, the mysterious. On the Silk Road, East and West met in mutual admiration, in cultural, religious and artistic exchange, each bringing to the other their best, their most beautiful and original products, and both forgetting their claim to be the “centre of the world”.

Today, while a great part of the Great Wall remains throughout the centuries, the Silk Road has disappeared long ago from our landscape. Yet deep in our hearts, we all want to knock down the wall that divides and build the road of communion. The way of evangelization in Asia must have the characteristics of the Silk Road: a winding road made up with small steps, simple, humble, deeply engraved on the earth, constantly trodden, delicate but strong like silk, narrow, but far reaching.

Walls have been erected, though not willfully, in the history of evangelization in Asia. Too much emphasis has been put to differentiate the Christian faith from other religious and cultural realties, and the Christian identity is too often constructed on the principle of identification, so much so that the Christian faith is marked ‘foreign’ for all peoples in Asia. Seeing that the Christian faith has aroused the least response from the most religious continent of the world, a recent document of the Pontifical Council for Culture asks: “Is that not chiefly because Christianity is still perceived there as a foreign religion introduced by Westerners, which has not been sufficiently adapted, thought through and lived in the cultures of Asia?” (Towards a pastoral approach to culture, 1999, n. 20). The Synod of bishops of Asia also stressed on this fact: “While the Church is admired for her organizational, administrative, educational, health services, and developmental works, these people [believers of other faith and non-believers in Asia] often do not see the Church as totally Asian, not simply because much financial support comes from western countries, but also because of her western character in theology, architecture, art, etc…. Therefore, some people are reluctant to accept Christianity fearing a loss of national identity and culture” (Instrumentum Laboris, n.13).

The complex feeling of admiration and fear, of appreciation and suspect still persist in the rapport of Christianity with Asia. The acquaintance one has for the other is fragmentary, superficial, selective and the acceptance is not always without reserve. There are walls of self defense created on both sides, walls that narrow horizons, mask insecurity and nourish distrust.

Evangelization should not in any way favour the building of walls or barriers. Christ comes to break down walls that separate (Eph, 2,14) and is the way to communion (Jn 14,6). In breaking down walls Christ creates in Himself a union of diversities. He teaches us that all human beings, of whatever race and culture, are on the journey to the same destination. "Beyond all divisions, Jesus makes it possible for people to live as brothers and sisters, recognizing a single Father who is in heaven. In Him a new harmony has emerged" (EA 13). He Himself is the way, the space of vertical relationship with the divine and the horizontal communion with the world, with others. The Way is the one of the most loved metaphors in Asian thinking, and is frequently found in Eastern religions and philosophies. In Islam, the Shariah, “the way” is the external path to be followed. Hinduism speaks of three Margas, the three ways of liberation and redemption. For Buddhists, the “Way” that leads to total liberation and the Highest Good of Nivana, is the “Noble Eightfold Path”. The word tao in Taoism is precisely “the way”. In Japan, Shintaoism is the religion of the Shinto, - the way of the divine. It is no surprise then, to the question proposed for reflection in preparation for the Assembly of the synod of Asia, many churches replied that the most suitable of all Christological approach for Asia is to present Christ as the “Way” to salvation and to universal harmony.

Obvious enough, when talking about inculturation, EA has rejected definitely the mentality of the wall and assumed decisively that of the road. The spirit of dialogue, of communion and gifts sharing already strongly emphasized in the Second Vatican documents (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 22,53; Ad Gentes, 11,22) and post-Council documents (cf. Evangelii Nuntiandi 20; Redemptoris Missio 52 – 54) permeates the Apostolic Exhortation . EA in fact calls the Church’s faith in Jesus a “gift received and a gift to be shared” (EA 10), it states that inculturation implies a mutual enrichment, “In the process of encountering the world’s different cultures, the Church not only transmits her truths and values and renews cultures from within, but she also takes from the various cultures the positive elements already found in them” (EA 21).

The inculturation model chosen is clear: it should not be done “in confrontation and opposition, but in the spirit of complementarity and harmony. In this framework of complementarity and harmony, the Church can communicate the Gospel in a way which is faithful both to her own Tradition and to the Asian soul” (EA 6). The difficulty is to put this into practice. “The great question now facing the Church in Asia is how to share with our Asian brothers and sisters what we treasure as the gift containing all gifts, namely, the Good News of Jesus Christ” (EA 19).

2. Far or near? – Rediscovering the Asian root of Christianity

In the Jewish wisdom of the “Chassidim” is told this story: Benjamin heard that Johannan was leaving, so he went to meet him and when learned of his intentions, asked: “So you are going down there? How far away you will be!” Yohanan replied: “ Far from whom? Far from where?”

To be far or near is relative. To name the different geographic zones of the East as “Near East”, “Middle East” and “Far East” is Eurocentric. Even inside the Church, countries in Asia were often considered far from Christ, far from the influence of Christian faith. Today we are more conscious of our cultural and religious regionalism and we are more aware that the world is really round, where there are no pyramid tips or dead ends to stop the flow of life. A global mentality and an increased sense of Catholicity in the Church accompany the globalization de facto. There are no “fars” or “nears” in the absolute sense because there is no “center” of the world. There is a “Centre”, it is not a place, but a person – Jesus Christ, through Whom all “fars” become “nears”. Paul, in speaking to the non Hebrew Christians, says: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ”(Eph 2,13). Christ Himself is the space in which all are brought closer to God and to one another. The Exhortation affirms: “ In Jesus Christ, through the power f the Holy Spirit, we come to know that God is not distant, above and apart from man, but is very near, indeed united to every person and all humanity in all of life’s situations. This is the message which Christianity offers to the world” (EA 12).

Ecclesia in Asia talks clearly about the centrality of Christ, the point of reference for all evangelization and inculturation endeavors. “The Church’s unique contribution to the peoples of the continent is the proclamation of Jesus Christ... The Church wants to offer the new life she has found in Jesus Christ to all the peoples of Asia as they search for the fullness of life… The Church’s faith in Jesus is a gift which the Church can offer to Asia” (EA 10).

In reality, Asia is not so far from Christ as it looks. It is the continent in which Christ has chosen to be born, live, die and rise. It is the land where the history of the chosen people ran its course. “It was in fact in Asia that God revealed and fulfilled his saving purpose from the beginning… In the “fullness of time”, he [God] sent his only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ the Saviour, who took flesh as an Asian!” (EA 1). Asia is indeed not far for the Church and the Christian faith is not foreign in Asia. “Asia is the birth place of Jesus and of the Church” (EA 5). “It was in Asia that Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit upon his disciples and sent them to the ends of the earth to proclaim the Good News and gather communities of believers” (EA 9). The Church of Asia is in the process of rediscovering, with greater awareness, “the Asian roots of Christianity” (EA 4). This awareness fills her with ineffable joy, gratitude and profound admiration for the wisdom with which God works out His saving plan. In God’s design, not only Jesus lived within this continent, the whole biblical revelation was fulfilled in these territories, all sacred texts were written in the cultural context and mentality of the East. So did the first missionary journeys depart from Asia, the first ecumenical councils, the first theological formulations, the first forms of spirituality, the first traditions of the Church, etc, all have their origins here in Asia.

However Divine wisdom so wished that after the first hours, evangelization should go to the west, where the word of God spread rapidly (2 Th 3:1), facilitated by the social and political unity, as well as linguistic and cultural homogeneity of the Roman Empire. The Good news of Christ from the East penetrates ever deeper into the cultural structure of the West, and from there, it spreads further to America and Africa. While in Asia itself, the same journey remains slow and difficult. The majority of the population in Asia comes in contact with Christianity only in the second half of the second millennium.

The Gospel message has made a very interesting round-trip. The faith that Asia receives in the last centuries was born in the East, but enriched by western cultural inheritance. Today, it is Asia’s turn to make her particular contribution of theological reflections and holiness to our common faith to the benefit of all peoples, to send missionaries to preach the gospel to peoples of the world. “Faith is strengthened when it is given to others!” (Redemptoris Missio 2). In this interesting outward and backward journeying, there is no rigid definition of near, far; first, last; givers and beneficiaries. And here lies the beauty of the communion of saints and vitality of Christian mission.

In the 16th century, the Christian faith, after a long and tortuous journey, came back to Asia heavy with burden: rigid uniformity, defensiveness of the counter-reformation period, the general superiority complex of western culture, the little desire to understand the ancient religions and cultures of the East, ties with colonialism, etc. Nonetheless we cannot but admit that the Christian faith Asia receives is also rich and fruitful. The past has no doubt its burden, but it has also assets. In programming mission in Asia, “the Church cannot abandon what she has gained from her inculturation in the world of Greco-Latin thought. To reject this heritage would be to deny the providential plan of God who guides his Church down the paths of time and history”(Fides et ratio, n.72). The new evangelization of the East should be built on the rich inheritance that the Church acquired in the first two millennium in the west. The Church of Asia cannot look back on her history with resentment or polemic, but with thankfulness and a healthy critical spirit, and with the wisdom of one who knows how to see God’s plan of salvation realised in human events.

In spite of the little fruit resulting from past effort to evangelize, the Church in Asia must look to the future with courage and hope. The Pope sees “a new springtime of Christian life” in Asia (EA 9) with the beginning of the new millennium and is certain that Asia will become “ the land of a bountiful harvest” (EA 4).

The rediscovering of the Asian roots of Christianity leads to a renewed consciousness of the religious and cultural heritage of Asia. EA acknowledges the richness of theses values and lists some of them: “love of silence and contemplation, simplicity, harmony, detachment, non violence, the spirit of hard work, discipline, frugal living, the thirst for learning and philosophical enquiry, … respect for life, compassion for all beings, closeness to nature, filial piety” family centeredness, “a highly developed sense of community”, “a powerful sense of solidarity”, “spirit of religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence”, “a remarkable capacity for accommodation and a natural openness to the mutual enrichment of peoples in the midst of a plurality of religions and cultures” (EA 6). The Church looks positively at these values and thanks God for them: “We again praise God for the wealth of cultures, languages, traditions and religious sensibilities of this great continent. Blessed be God for the people of Asia, so rich in their diversity yet one in their yearning for peace and fullness of life” (EA 50).

3. To satisfy the profound yearning for "living water" – theological basis for inculturation

The spirit of gift sharing, the consciousness of our riches, the effective vicinity of Christ spur the Church of Asia into a renewed commitment to inculturation. Chapter IV of EA that deals with inculturation has as title: Jesus the Saviour: proclaiming the Gift.

What is the theological foundation of inculturation? The post synodal document cannot but deal with this issue so urgent and pressing as is seen from the intervention of the synod fathers. This is not done systematically, but with an approach that is rich in theological categories, biblical recalls and eloquent images. The principal idea is this: Asia is a continent open to the transcendent. The peoples of Asia thirst for spiritual values and God comes to quench this thirst with the best of gifts to humanity: Jesus Christ. “The Church is convinced that deep within the peoples, cultures and religions of Asia, there is a thirst for the 'living water' (cf Jn 4: 10-15), a thirst which the Spirit Himself has created and which Jesus the Saviour alone can fully satisfy” (EA 18). “The people of Asia need Jesus Christ and his Gospel. Asia is thirsting for the living water that Jesus alone can give” (EA 50).

Here I would like to explain it further from three different points of view:

'''From the Christological point of view'''

One can very well conclude that EA’s theological foundation of incultruation is the mystery of “the uniqueness and Universality of Salvation”. “As the definitive manifestation of the mystery of the Father's love for all, Jesus is indeed unique, and it is precisely this uniqueness of Christ which gives him an absolute and universal significance” (EA 14). God’s plan of salvation which was carried out once, in a determined time and space, in a determined cultural context reaches all peoples, all human situations, all ages, the whole universe.

“In Jesus Christ, God assumed the features typical of human nature, including a person's belonging to a particular people and a particular land” (EA 5), therefore “no individual, no culture is impervious to the appeal of Jesus” (EA 14). Inculturation follows the logic of this admirable plan of Salvation of God. The process of inculturation is that of the incarnation of the Son of God and His Paschal mystery. "In-culturation" is the "in-carnation" of the Good News in a particular cultural context, in such a way that this message not only finds expression through the richness proper of the culture in question, but also becomes a principle that animates, unifies, purifies, transforms and regenerates the culture.

Based on this Christological foundation, the synod fathers come to a decisive and incisive affirmation: inculturation of the faith in Asia “involves rediscovering the Asian countenance of Jesus and identifying ways in which the cultures of Asia can grasp the universal saving significance of the mystery of Jesus and his Church” (EA 20) and are convinced that “contemplating Jesus in his human nature, the peoples of Asia find their deepest questions answered, their hopes fulfilled, their dignity uplifted and their despair conquered” (EA 14).

'''From a pneumatological point of view ''' The EA declared without hesitation that “the Holy Spirit is the prime agent of the inculturation of the Christian faith in Asia” (EA 21,17). Chapter III of the post-synodal document on the Holy Spirit gives a beautiful description of the presence and the work of the Spirit in the Church’s mission in Asia. “The Spirit who moved upon Asia in the time of the patriarchs and prophets, and still more powerfully in the time of Jesus Christ and the early Church, moves now among Asian Christians, strengthening the witness of their faith among the peoples, cultures and religions of the continent. Just as the great dialogue of love between God an d man was prepared for by the Spirit and accomplished on Asian soil in the mystery of Christ, so the dialogue between the Saviour and the peoples of the continent continues today by the power of the same Holy Spirit at work in the Church” (EA 18).

EA perceived different ways in which the Spirit is present in the inculturation of the Gospel in Asia. He teaches the Church to be wise in discerning, creative in finding adequate and effective ways to enter into dialogue with the different religions and cultures, making sure “that the dialogue unfolds in truth, honesty, humility and respect “(EA 21). He works in the hearts of the people, create a yearning for the fullness of life, “guiding them in the ways of truth and goodness”(EA 15), preparing them “for the saving dialogue with the Saviour of all” and “for full maturity in Christ”(EA 17). Furthermore, the Spirit fills the Church with dynamism and creativity, adorns Her with gifts and charisma, opens Her ever more to multiculturality, and makes Her grow in true catholicism, communion and harmony. “The Spirit gathers into unity all kinds of people, with their different cultures, resources and talents, making the Church a sign of communion of all humanity under the headship of Christ” (EA 17).

Inculturation in Asia will succeed only if the Church remains attentive in listening to what the Church has been saying in the course of past decades and is saying in this vast continent today.

'''From the ecclesiological point of view'''

As the sacrament of Christ and having received the missionary mandate from Him, the Church is convinced to be the instrument of salvation amongst peoples. She can offer them the living water Asia is thirsting for. But what are the best channels by which this living water can reach its destination? EA affirms forcefully: “The question is not whether the Church has something essential to say to the men and women of our time, but how she can say it clearly and convincingly!”(EA 29) It is obvious that the effort of inculturation is an essential part of the mission of the Church and today this is an urgent and the prime duty, especially for the Church in Asia. “Through inculturation the Church, for her part, becomes a more intelligible sign of what she is, and a more effective instrument of mission” (EA 21). “The Synod Fathers were well aware of the pressing need of the local Churches in Asia to present the mystery of Christ to their peoples according to their cultural patterns and ways of thinking” (EA 20).

Salvation is to be proposed, living water to be offered. The Church, under the guidance of the Spirit, should continue to learn the art of proposing and offering, inviting and fascinating, involving with gentleness and respect, with deep understanding and in the spirit of dialogue. “In offering to others the Good News of the Redemption, the Church strives to understand their culture. She seeks to know the minds and hearts of her hearers, their values and customs, their problems and difficulties, their hopes and dreams. Once she knows and understands these various aspects of culture, then she can offer, respectfully but with clarity and conviction, the Good News of Redemption to all who freely wish to listen and to respond” (EA 21).

Naturally, the task of inculturation “must involve the entire people of God” (EA 21), but the Local Churches have a special role and a more direct responsibility. It is primarily their task “to present the mystery of Christ to their peoples according to their cultural patterns and ways of thinking” (EA 20). The Local Church has been a topic of frequent reflection in the FABC. EA emphasizes the importance of communion and collaboration of the Local Churches and the universal Church and among themselves, since “communion and mission go hand in hand” (EA 24). The inherited faith, in dynamic interaction with the local cultures, guarantees the authenticity of communion. Such a communion ensures the unity and universality of the Church. The universal communion should be at the service of the Local Churches in fulfilling their mission, while the inculturated Local Churches, on their part, can enrich the other Churches.

4. Touching the heart – pastoral implication of inculturation

From the theological foundations the EA draws out a rich series of pastoral implications particularly applicable in Asia. Even though these do not pretend to be exhaustive, nor systematic, nor amply elaborated, they nevertheless offer precious suggestions, which aim at a more in depth inculturation.

The painful fact that the Gospel has not reached the heart of the peoples in Asia came up several times in the intervention of the bishops in the Synod. Talking about inculturation of the liturgy, the synod fathers say in the propositions, that church liturgy “must touch the heart and be meaningful to people of the local Church. For many Asian Catholics, the official liturgy is often experienced as alien and does not touch their hearts” (Proposition 43).

The “heart” in Asian cultures is not limited to indicate emotions, it is similar in meaning to the “heart” in the Bible: centre of existence, from where springs forth thoughts, ideas, affection, decisions and orientations in one’s life. EA, in presenting Christ the Saviour says that He “speaks from the very heart of the human condition”, so that “no individual, no nation, no culture is impervious to the appeal of Jesus”(EA 14). The Spirit works in the innermost of the person, he “ prepares the hearts of Asian people for the fullness of life in Christ” (EA 20). And the Church, who is living in communion, should try hard to make “dialogue of life and heart”, be it within the Church with her members, or without the Church with people from other confessions and religions (EA 25,30). The proclamation of the Gospel should be done in “speaking the truth in love”(Eph 4:15 quoted in EA 20). It is only then that we can say evangelization is the work of the heart, and as consequence if inculturation were to be radical and lasting, should reach the heart of the Asians.

EA has given a number of indications on the methods to be used in regards to this:

In accord with the characteristics in the religious communication and learning methods in Asia, EA recommended “an evocative pedagogy” which makes use of stories, parables and symbols. It is generally known, that the Asian experience of reality is not primarily linear and conceptual, but spiral and symbolic, which is intuitive, inviting, evocative, aesthetic and inclusive.

“Narrative methods akin to Asian cultural form are to be preferred. In fact, the proclamation of Jesus Christ can most effectively be made by narrating his story, as the Gospels do”. The ontological notion, characteristic of Western thought and necessary for a systematic understanding of the message, “can be complemented by more relational, historical and even cosmic perspectives”, more familiar to the Asians.

All Asian philosophical traditions accord particular importance to experience o immediate relationship with the reality. Thus experience and life play a leading role in the communication of faith. The proclamation of Jesus Christ must be adapted to the listener's level of maturity and to his concrete situation and his deepest question of life. “The ministry of Jesus himself shows clearly the value of personal contact, which requires the evangelizer to take the situation of the listener to heart”. In this perspective the Synod Fathers stressed the need of a serious effort to find out ways of evangelization “that appeals the sensibilities of Asian people” and in terms of example, they suggested a list of images of Jesus, which, remaining faithful to Sacred Scripture and Tradition, would easily provide meaning and enable personal experience to Asians.

The presentation of Jesus needs to follow a gradual pedagogy, which will “introduce step by step to the full appropriation of the mystery”. “The initial evangelization of non-Christian and the continuing proclamation of Jesus to believers will have to be different in their approach”. The EA offers this example: In initial proclamation, “the presentation of Jesus Christ could come as the fulfilment of the yearnings expressed in the mythologies and folklore of the Asian peoples”.

Due attention is devoted to the importance of modern mass-media for communicating and inculturating the faith. Inevitably, the Church's evangelising mission is deeply affected by the impact of this “new culture”, this “areopagus of the modern age”. “The Church needs to explore ways of thoroughly integrating the mass media into her pastoral planning and activity” (EA 48) and into the process of inculturation.

Besides offering some methodological indications, EA identified in paragraph 22 some key areas in which effort of inculturation should mainly concentrate and enforce.

'''Area of theology'''

In tune with the Synod Fathers the Pope expresses “encouragement to theologians in their delicate task of developing an inculturated theology, especially in the area of Christology”. This is necessary, because the Christian faith “cannot be confined within the limits of understanding and expression of any single human culture” (EA 20). Already in 1975, Paul VI, in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nutiandi, challenged the local churches to “translate the treasure of faith into the legitimate variety of expressions of the profession of faith” (EN 6). In his Encyclical Fides et Ratio (1998), John Paul II singled out India as having a special place among the lands of the East, which are rich in religious and philosophical tradition. “In India particularly, it is the duty of Christians now to draw from this rich heritage the elements compatible with their faith, in order to enrich Christian thought” (FR 72). Central to inculturating the faith is the Bible. The Word of God is, in effect, a seed, which needs to extract form the earth in which it is planted the elements, which are useful for its growth and fruitfulness (cf Ad Gentes 22). The Synod Fathers acknowledge that “the word of God has an inherent power to touch the hearts of people”, they stressed particularly “the importance of the biblical word in passing on the message of salvation to the people of Asia, where the transmitted word is so important in preserving and communicating religious experience”. Moreover, almost all the biblical texts are formed and written in Asia and “the narrative styles found in many books of the Bible has an affinity with the religious texts typical of Asia”. Today, the Bible has been translated into different Asian languages. It may constitute the basic step, however, translation cannot ensure by itself a thorough inculturation. It has "to be followed by interpretation, which should set the biblical message in more explicit relationship with the ways of feeling, thinking, living and self-expression which are proper to the local culture. From interpretation, one passes to other stages of inculturation, which lead to the formation of a local Christian culture, extending to all aspects of life: prayer, work, social life, customs, legislation, arts and sciences, philosophical and theological reflection" (Pontifical Biblical Commission, Interpretation of the Bible in the Church,1993, IV B).

'''Area of Liturgy'''

      EA offers, though briefly, some valuable reflections in this regard. First of all it speaks of the urgency of inculturation from the evangelizing power of the Liturgy. It is “a decisive means of evangelization, especially in Asia, where the followers of different religions are so drawn to worship, religious festivals and popular devotions”. But it is not as simple as one might assume. Authentic inculturation requires more than incorporating through an external and artificial process traditional cultural elements, symbols and rituals, it should spring forth from the Christian faith lived fully in the cultural context and life-realities of the people; therefore, it needs also “to take account of the shifts in consciousness and attitudes caused by the emerging secularist and consumer cultures which are affecting the Asian sense of worship and prayer”. 
      The direct subject of this process is the local Church, but, being Liturgy the heritage and the common expression of faith of the whole Church, the Pope recommends a closer relationship between Bishops' Conferences and the concerned Roman Dicastery “in the search for effective ways of fostering appropriate forms of worship in the Asian context”.

'''Area of formation'''

      Echoing the Synod Fathers EA makes a justified criticism of the formation of evangelizers in Asia: "In the past, formation often follows the style, methods and programmes imported from the West”. Hence the effort made in recent times to adapt the formation to the cultural context of Asia should be recognized as a “positive development”.

Besides a solid grounding in Biblical, theological and philosophical studies, seminarians, men and women in consecrated life and all evangelisers need to have a deeper knowledge of Asian philosophical and religious traditions. Their spirituality and lifestyle must be sensitive to the religious and cultural heritage of the people among whom they live and whom they serve. To this end, the Synod Fathers point out the necessity of inculturated seminary staff. They recommend that professors and staff be trained for their task and encourage them to “involve themselves more deeply in the Asian people's search for fuller life”.

'''Area of spirituality'''

      Asia is a continent where spirituality plays a big role in shaping the lives of the people. There have been various expressions of contemplation and of holiness existing in this continent from time immemorial. The Pope witnesses to this recalling his personal experience: “my contact with representatives of the non-Christian spiritual traditions, particularly those of Asia, has confirmed me in the view that the future of mission depends to a great extend on contemplation, He highlights some of the characteristics of Asian spirituality, which are considered great values by the followers of all religions: “prayer, fasting and various forms of asceticism”, “renunciation, detachment, humility, simplicity and silence” (EA 23). To the extend that this rich heritage be integrated into their commitment to Christ, Asian Christian can be truly Asian and authentically Christian.

5. To light the fire – Inculturation through witness of life

With the very eloquent symbol of “a fire can only be lit by something that is itself on fire”, the synod Fathers pointed out that for a fruitful inculturation, it is not enough to be convinced of its urgency, nor to have a solid theological foundation, nor an accurate pastoral strategy. Most necessary of all are “holy men and women who will make the Saviour known and loved through their lives”. In fact, inculturation is not dealing with an issue, or developing a theory, it has something to do with the growth of persons and communities. It is to be realised by people “who are themselves on fire with the love of Christ and burning with zeal to make him known more widely, love more deeply and followed more closely” (EA 23). Only those who have made a personal synthesis between their cultural roots and their Christian faith will be able to communicate to others a vision that authentically integrates the two, without falling in syncretism and without letting one being absorbed by the other.

The Church is convinced that “people today put more trust in witnesses than in teachers, in experience than in teaching, and in life and action than in theories”. Especially in the Asian context, “people are more persuaded by holiness of life than by intellectual argument” (EA 42). It is a “genuinely religious person [who] readily wins respect and following in Asia” (EA 23). In other words inculturation of the Gospel needs people who are truly Asians and authentically Christians, who love Christ deeply and love their own land, their culture and their own people, who knows how to read God’s work in human history and discover the ‘seeds of the Word’, wherever and in whatever form they are to be found.

Here and there EA underlines traits of these people, capable of lighting the fire and leading them to Christ. Talking about clergies, the document noted: “People in Asia need to see the clergy not just as charity workers and institutional administrators, but as men whose minds and hearts are set in the deep things of the Spirit” (43); of religious: “All who have embraced the consecrated life are called to become leaders in the search for God, a search which has always stirred the human heart and which is particularly visible in Asia’s many forms of spirituality and asceticism” (EA 44). But not only to clergy and consecrated people, even laity, women, young people, the poor etc, everyone in his post can preach with his life and contribute to the inculturation of the Gospel in his own environment.

Of course the witness of the sanctity of life is not dissociated with the mission of “service and love” and from the commitment to human promotion. The post synodal document insists that “the work of justice, charity and compassion is interrelated with a genuine life of prayer and contemplation, and indeed it is this same spirituality that will be the wellspring of all our evangelising work” (EA 23).

In conclusion, while the Church in Asia is searching to “rediscover the Asian countenance of Jesus” (EA 20), she should also highlight the Asian face of the disciples of Jesus, who live in the same continent where he was born, lived, died and rose.

Conclusion

The pope who writes this Apostolic Exhortation is like someone who draws from the treasure of the Church “ things old and new” (Mt 13,52). In reality, on inculturation, EA does not say anything clamorous or absolutely new, rather, the document is wanting in many aspects, especially for those who are expecting a concrete and innovative answer in the field of ecclesial structure and Church discipline. However, from what we have noted, a new consciousness, a renewed conviction and a new way of reading the history of evangelization, a new approach, and a new challenge has emerged; a new way of being Church, new signs of hope and a new era in which “ a great harvest of faith will be reaped in this vast and vital continent”(EA 1) is on its way. This is much more important than the single statements or resolutions of the document.

Particularly highlighted is the notion of “gift”, present throughout the document. It constitutes a new and creative standpoint, from which one looks at the whole inculturation process. “Jesus the Saviour is a gift to Asia” (title of Chapter II), “ the Church’s faith in Jesus is a gift received and a gift to be shared; it is the greatest gift which the Church can offer to Asia”(EA 10), “Only if the People of God recognize the gift that is theirs in Christ will they be able to communicate that gift to others through proclamation and dialogue”(EA 31).

From the concept of “gift” to “exchange of gifts” one realizes that inculturation is not conceived as a one-way process but a mutual enrichment, a cross-cultural sharing in the one faith and in the harmony of gifts. This contributes to making the Church truly worldwide, truly catholic, united in Christ, but multicultural and multi-ethnical.

It is vital for the inculturation of the Gospel in Asia to be conscious of the Asiatic root of Christianity. Once accepted the painful fact that “ Jesus is often perceived as foreign to Asia”(EA 20), the Holy Father launches the challenge of a change of vision. He invites us to rediscover the Asiatic face of Jesus and the Asian identity of His disciples who also lives in this, His continent. To rediscover the Asian countenance of Jesus implies removing the veil that is put inadvertently on this face, a return to the freshness, the simplicity, to the original charm of His Gospel, and makes it speak immediately to the hearts of peoples.

The tone of EA is generally optimistic; a sense of gratitude and hope permeates the document. This does not mean that the Church ignores the difficulties, which are not simple at all of inculturation. Already in the Encyclical Redemptoris Missio the Holy Father admits that inculturation is a “slow journey” (RM 52). This is true everywhere, but above all in Asia, with its very complex political, economical, cultural and religious situations. While in the West, Christian faith and culture has already reached a certain classic synthesis, in Asia, this process is only at its initial stage. But the Church in Asia is still young and, she has the advantage of the lessons learned from the West, where trial and error, conflict and tension, failure and reorientation have played a significant role.

The Church in the vast continent of Asia is and shall remain for a long time to come the “little flock” (Lk 12:32). Yet far from being a closed and timid minority, she is “lively in faith, full of the hope and vitality which only love can bring” (EA 50); she will go forward with patience, wisdom, courage, confidence and realism, without ambitious pretence, undue fear or exaggerated caution. She does not expect massive conversions, but would be “a prophetic sign” that transforms cultures from within, fire that lights readily, salt that gives taste with naturalness and yeast that raises the dough inadvertently. The insistence of the Holy Father on holiness and on the “silent witness of life” (EA 23) has in inculturation an importance of its own that cannot be ignored.

Being conscious of how small we are, will urge us to be united and creative. Let us hope that the new millennium find the Church in Asia open and holding on to the “new and surprising ways”(EA 20) with which the Spirit operates and with which Jesus is present in His home continent.(:nl:)