PmWiki | Main / EastAsiaAndTheChallengesOfMissionAdGentes

(:nl:)!! THE CHALLENGE OF EVANGELIZATION IN THE EAST ASIA – OCEANIA REGION

In his letter convoking the 26th General Chapter Don Chávez stressed that «the main priority of the Congregation is to take on the task of evangelization in the field of education. Conversely, when we take on direct tasks of evangelization we cannot fail to educate; for us Salesians any kind of catechesis without education is impossible». He pointed out further that «nowadays evangelization presents new and different tasks according to different regional areas. It is important therefore that every Region study its own frontiers of evangelization so as to move to the places where the mission is calling». This paper is a response, therefore, to that directive of the Rector Major.

In his presentation of the East Asia-Oceania region the Rector Major challenged us to give priority to evangelization through the inculturation of the Salesian charism and the fostering of a missionary outlook of confreres and communities.

Priority in Our Context

Asia is a continent of great religions, rich cultures and oppressive poverty. Pope John Paul II clearly summed up the challenge for the Church in this continent in Ecclesia in Asia (EA):

«If the Church in Asia is to fulfil its providential destiny, evangelization as the joyful, patient and progressive preaching of the saving Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ must be your absolute priority» (EA 2).

Oceania is a vast expanse of islands of with great traditional societies and cultures in direct and complex interaction with urban, modern and secularised cultures. Pope John Paul II stressed that the challenge for the Church in this context in Ecclesia in Oceania (EIO):

«… The time is ripe for a re-presentation of the Gospel to the peoples of the pacific, so that they may hear the word of God with renewed faith and find more abundant life in Christ. But to do this … there is a need for new ways and methods of evangelization, inspired by deeper faith, hope and love of the Lord Jesus» (EIO 18).

Obviously the challenge in Asia and Oceania is evangelization! This certainly “poses great challenges, but it also opens new horizons, full of hope and even a sense of adventure” (EIO 13).

The Church’s Call

The Church is Missionary

The mission of the Church is no other than the mission of Jesus who was sent into the world by the Father and who sent the Holy Spirit to continue and complete his saving work. Therefore the Second Vatican Council points out that the pilgrim Church is by nature missionary (AG 2). The Church is sent to the nations as the «universal sacrament of salvation» (AG 1) and so by her very nature she has the obligation to proclaim the message of salvation to all. «Missionary activity therefore is not something the Church merely does; it is what the Church itself is» !

All members of the Church are also missionaries. Thus «the Lord’s call to mission is also a call to renew our effort to evangelise: We evangelise, first of all from a deep sense of gratitude to God the Father for the personal experience of this love. But mission is also a command. Thus we evangelise because Jesus sends us into the whole world to make disciples of all nations. We evangelise because we believe in the Lord Jesus. We have received the precious gift of faith which we would like to share with everyone so that they may have life in Him. We evangelise also because by baptism we have been made members of the Church which is missionary by its very nature. And, finally, we evangelise because by promoting Gospel values in our society the Gospel becomes a life-giving leaven for its transformation» .

Evangelization

The term evangelization is, in fact, of Protestant origin. In the 19th century it was understood by revivalist Protestants as the attempt to re-proclaim the Gospel to the Catholic population of southern Europe and convert them to Protestantism.

Pope Paul VI published the Post-Synodal Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (EN) on December 8, 1975 where for the first time the term evangelization was used in a Pontifical document. He used evangelization as referring to «proclaiming Christ to those who do not know him, of preaching, of catechesis, of conferring baptism and the other sacraments» (EN 17) as well as «bringing the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new again» (EN 18). In short Evangelii Nuntiandi used the term evangelization referring to those activities which used to be called missionary activities.

This led many to prefer to use ‘evangelization’ rather than ‘mission’. Some missiologists even claimed that the concept ‘mission’ was now outdated, thus perhaps without realising it, damaging the cause of mission as well as putting almost into question the Church’s missionary activities.

On the 25 anniversary of the publication of Vatican II’s Ad Gentes John Paul II published the encyclical Redemptoris Missio (RM) on December 7, 1990 in order to put an end to the crisis of mission and relaunch the Church’s missionary activity by using unambiguously the term ‘mission’ as well as specifying its implications.

''Redemptoris Missio'' departs from a purely geographical understanding of mission. It clearly points out that there is only «one Mission» (RM 32) of the Church but this one mission has three diverse fields (or areas):

* Missio Ad Gentes which refers to the work of proclaiming to peoples and groups in which Christ and his Gospel are not sufficiently mature to be able to incarnate the faith in their own environment and to proclaim it to other groups. * Ordinary Pastoral Activity which is the work of evangelization among Christian communities possessing adequate ecclesial structures, fervent in their faith and Christian living, bearing witness to the Gospel in their surroundings and having a sense of commitment to the universal mission. * New Evangelization which refers to the work or re evangelization of countries with ancient Christian traditions and sometimes in younger churches where entire groups of the baptised have lost a living sense of their faith; some may never even consider themselves members of the Church and live a life far removed from Christ and the Gospel.

Each of these field demands approaches, methods and ways of proclaiming the Gospel that may be different from each other. John Paul II, however, is quick to point out that we should be careful not to put these three areas in «watertight compartments» because in many cases these three fields actually overlap. That means that while doing ordinary pastoral activity one may realise that some members of the community might need a new evangelization while other areas may need missio ad gentes (RM 33) . Thus for John Paul II geography is relative. What is important is the enthusiasm for mission which animates the evangelizers in these areas!

The Pope rightly insisted, however, that «without the missio ad gentes, the Church's very missionary dimension would be deprived of its essential meaning and of the very activity that exemplifies it» (RMi 34). Consequently a full and lifelong commitment to foreign missions (missio ad gentes, ad vitam, ad extra) holds the pride of place in the Church (RMi 32, 66, 79).

The Content of Evangelization

Over 30 years ago Pope Paul VI had already insisted that our work can be considered evangelization only if it proclaims the mystery of Jesus Christ. «There is no true evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the Kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, are not proclaimed» (EN 22) because «the Kingdom of God is not a concept, a doctrine or a program subject to free interpretation, but is above all else a person with the face and name of Jesus of Nazareth, the image of the invisible God» (EN 18).

Paul VI’s insistence that «evangelization will always contain - as the foundation, centre and at the same time the summit of its dynamism - a clear proclamation that, in Jesus Christ...salvation is offered to all people, as a gift of God's grace and mercy» (EN 27) was reechoed by John Paul II’s emphasis that our work of evangelization cannot but include the proclamation of Jesus Christ because the mystery of Christ is «the hinge on which all evangelization turns» (RM 44) .

Ways of Evangelization

John Paul II presented nine paths of evangelization in ''Redemptoris Missio'': witness of life, human promotion, first proclamation, formation of the local Church, formation of Basic Ecclesial Communities, inculturation, inter religious and ecumenical dialogue, formation of conscience (RM 41-58). Six of these were also mentioned in ''Ecclesia in Asia'': proclamation, inculturation, witness, inter religious and ecumenical dialogue, human promotion (EA 20-23. 29-31. 32-41). Similarly 6 of these were also mentioned in ''Ecclesia in Oceania'': new evangelization, proclamation, catechesis, inter religious and ecumenical dialogue, human promotion (EIO 18. 21.22. 23. 25.26-29. 30. 31-35). It is, therefore, obviously clear that there are many similar ways of evangelising in Asia and Oceania. The question, then, is the choice of strategy to be used in evangelization.

Thus, in the light of ''Redemptoris Missio'' and the apostolic exhortations after the continental synods in preparation for the Great Jubilee it is theologically reductive and missiologically wrong to simply replace the concept of mission with terms like ‘liberation’, ‘option for the poor’, ‘inculturation’ or ‘dialogue’. All these concepts actually express aspects of mission though they are not synonymous to it. Thus missiologists today do not speak anymore of pre-evangelization. In the light of ''Redemptoris Missio'' the term has become anachronistic and all together meaningless.

Strategy of Evangelization

John Paul II made his own the proposition of the bishops that Jesus must first of all be perceived by the peoples of Asia as the response to their profound longings who unveils the truths and values which will ensure their integral human development. This is done through the ‘Asian way’ which follows «a pedagogy which will introduce people step by step to the mystery of Jesus Christ…» (EA 20). On the other hand in Oceania the Church is challenged «to present Jesus Christ to those whose faith has grown weak under the pressures of secularisation and consumerism» (EIO15) by developing «an understanding and presentation of the truth of Christ drawing on the traditions and cultures of the region» (EIO 17).

Missio Inter Gentes

The FABC Fifth Plenary Assembly defined mission in Asia as «being with the people, responding to their needs, with sensitiveness to the presence of God in cultures and other religious traditions, and witnessing to the values of God’s Kingdom through presence, solidarity, sharing and word». Thus mission in Asia is a mission among (inter) the Asian peoples. In 2001 William R. Burrow, at the 56th Annual Convention of the Catholic Theological Convention of America at Milwaukee, coined this threefold dialogue proposed by the FABC with great Asian religions, rich cultures and oppressive poverty as missio inter gentes.

The ''missio ad gentes'' paradigm focuses on the why what, and who of mission. It is the missionary who reaches out to the unbaptised where primacy is given to explicit verbal proclamation of Jesus Christ . Though the ''missio ad gentes'' and ''missio inter gentes'' paradigms have one common point of departure which is the necessity of mission in Asia their approaches differ. Missio inter gentes stresses the importance of a less confrontational approach to «introduce people ‘step by step’ to the mystery of Jesus Christ». This implies then that friendship and trust, relationship and relations building, dialogue and human promotion be given importance as constitutive elements of evangelization .

 An impartial or wrong understanding of ''missio inter gentes'' could easily lead one to take a passive attitude or to counter pose it with ''missio ad gentes''. The clear and present danger is to over stress being ‘among the people’, stop there and miss the whole point. If this happens one risks becoming a missionary who does not proclaim out of respect for peoples’ consciences, unconsciously relegating religion to something private and personal. The fact is ''missio inter gentes'' and ''missio ad gentes'' are not two mutually exclusive paradigms. Any inclination to do so would impoverish and would prove detrimental to the Church’s work of evangelization. It is necessary to see them as mutually complimentary. Our presence among people through building relationship, dialogue, human promotion should lead us to fin opportune moments to proclaim: missio inter et ad gentes!

''Missio inter gentes'' is already the beginning of ''missio ad gentes''. On the other hand our proclamation must be done through «a step by step pedagogy». In short, our ''missio inter gentes'' approach must help people slowly discover the person of Jesus, who in turn, leads them to faith. It is a pedagogy which does not deny or hide the fullness of truth but prepares its personal reception. In this manner the direct access to the person of Jesus Christ is immediately not blocked by dogmatic statements. Though this may seem easy this is actually more demanding, to be effective ''missio inter gentes'' must be planned and programmed.

Sometimes we cannot explicitly proclaim no matter how much we desire. This should not stop one from continuing to build relationship, dialogue, or concrete activities for human promotion because «a Christian knows - insists Pope Benedict XVI - when it is time to speak of God and when it is better to say nothing and to let love alone speak. He knows that God is love (cf. 1 Jn 4:8) and that God's presence is felt at the very time when the only thing we do is to love» (Deus Caritas Est 31c).

Is there no risk of an ‘Asianization’ of the Church in proposing ''missio inter gentes''? One could initially think so but a deeper reflection indicates that although this strategy was initially conceived in Asian context it is actually a valid strategy of evangelization for the whole Church. ''Missio inter gentes'' is, indeed, a valid paradigm for areas where there are great traditional societies and cultures in direct and complex interaction with urban, modern and secularised cultures as well as where there are great religions, rich cultures and oppressive poverty. In short, it is a valid paradigm for the universal Church.

Dialogue

Like ''missio inter gentes'' and ''missio ad gentes'', dialogue and proclamation are mutually interrelated and intimately inter-connected elements of the one evangelising mission of the Church . The Church engages in dialogue as a method in accomplishing her mission (Paul VI, Ecclesiam Suam 81). Through inter religious dialogue we discover the work and presence of the Holy Spirit in other religions through the ‘seeds of the Word’ (AG 11, 15), ‘the rays of Truth which enlightens all’ (Nostra Aetate 2) so that we may embark on the slow and patient journey of proclaiming Jesus Christ.

It is important to remember that «we impose our faith to no one. Such proselytism is contrary to Christianity. Faith can develop only in freedom. But we do appeal to the freedom of men and women to open their hearts to God, to seek him, to hear his voice». On the other hand it is also necessary to be reminded that «we do not fail to show respect for other religions and cultures… when we proclaim clearly and uncompromisingly the God who has countered violence with his suffering» .

Inculturation

Inculturation is not an act but a continuous dialogical process which denotes a ‘living exchange’ or dynamic relationship between Gospel and culture; between the local Church and the culture of its people . «The horizon of inculturation never ends. When it seemed that you have reached it and about to touch it with your hands, it goes farther, always farther.» It supposes an interaction of a living faith with a living culture, both marked by transformation and growth, which are set in concrete relationship. Such relationship requires mutual acceptance and dialogue, critical awareness and discernment, renovation and innovation.

In inculturation the Gospel becomes inserted in a given culture transforming it from within by challenging certain values and cultural expressions. That particular culture, on the other hand, offers positive values and forms which can enrich the way the Gospel is preached, understood and lived thus enriching Christianity and the Church by interpreting and formulating anew the Christian message. It is truly an on-going dialogue between Christian faith and cultures. F. Wijen rightly observes that there are no senders and recipients of the message in inculturation, only participants in an interactive enterprise.

Catechesis

Catechesis is a process of formation in faith rather than simply giving information or teaching. In catechesis the Church proclaims her faith, celebrates it, lives it, and she hands it on to all those who have decided to follow Jesus Christ . Catechesis starts with the first conversion of a person to the Lord through the first proclamation of the Gospel, and it seeks to strengthen and help this first belief to grow. It helps those who have just converted to know Jesus, to know the kingdom of God proclaimed by him, the Gospel message, and the way to follow him .

Usually a person becomes interested and decides she or he wants to follow Christ more closely after initial contact with a believing community (Proclamation). Then comes a period of coming to know Christ better by learning to live as a member of his body (Catechumenate). The time for decision and commitment will eventually come (Sacraments of Christian Initiation). Finally the life long process of continual conversion and maturity in faith follows (Pre Sacramental/Adult Catechesis). When one does not proclaim, there will consequently be no one to catechize. Insisting on catechesis while being negligent in proclamation is obviously putting the cart before the horse!

The Ultimate Factor: the Individual Believer

All what has been said above would remain nothing else but an academic exercise unless each individual believer becomes enthusiastic in sharing her or his faith. Thus Pope John Paul II insisted that «we must rekindle in ourselves the impetus of the beginnings and allow ourselves to be filled with the ardour of the apostolic preaching which followed Pentecost. We must revive in ourselves the burning conviction of Paul, who cried out: ‘Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel’ (1 Cor 9:16)» (Novo Millennio Ineunte 40).

Our Salesian Response

The Rector Major’s presentation of the East Asia-Oceania region pointed out the challenge that lies ahead: «Looking at the situation of the various realities of East Asia - Oceania, where Christianity is no more than an authentic minority, one is immediately aware of how the Salesians are called to be ‘salt’ and ‘light’, of the requirement they have of living the consecrated life as missionaries ‘inter gentes’, and of their task of being ‘missionaries of the young’». For this to happen he proposed concrete steps to take: give priority to evangelization through the inculturation of the Salesian charism and the fostering of a missionary outlook of confreres and communities . The East Asia-Oceania region includes twenty countries of two continents. Their contexts seem so diverse yet a closer examination actually reveals the profound identity of the challenge of evangelization.

Don Chávez points out that our Salesian response to this invitation of the Church is to live our Salesian consecration ‘in an ocean of different peoples, of ancient religions and cultures with deep religious roots’ as «missionaries inter gentes».

It is beyond discussion that «for us too evangelization and catechising are the fundamental characteristics of our mission. Like Don Bosco, we are called to be educators to the faith at every opportunity. Our highest knowledge therefore is to know Jesus Christ, and our greatest delight is to reveal to all people the unfathomable riches of his mercy» (Const. 34). Yet to understand Don Chávez’s invitation «to take on the task of evangelization in the field of education» as solely ‘teaching’ in schools or ‘pastoral ministry’ in parishes is certainly reductive. Concrete strategies for proclamation or primary evangelisation need to be planned and programmed . The Rector Major strikes the root of the problem when he insists in fostering in EAO «a missionary outlook of confreres and communities» which will lead us to discover opportunities available to us as educators to the faith and develop their potentials for ''missio inter et ad gentes''!

Our Witness of Personal and Community Life

Witness is the first form of evangelization and the first form of witness is the very life of the missionary, of the Christian family, and of the ecclesial community, which reveal a new way of living (RMi 42). Thus Don Chávez pointed out of the urgent need of «an inculturated model of the consecrated life», so that we may express «our religious consecration by a more visible and credible witness to the Gospel, in the awareness of being called to help the Christian faith have a strong cultural impact» and by rejection «cultural elements that have nothing to do with the project of Salesian life» .

«Consecrated life must be a sign that is credible and prophetic; in other words … It must return to a style of life that is poorer and simpler, frugal and basic. Structures need to be simplified; … although they are useful, they do not always make clear the presence of God. Consecrated life must become a different way of living; it must inspire a new culture; it must adopt a critical approach and become a prophetic challenge to society and to the ecclesiastical world» . This is ultimately reflected in a lifestyle that is more meaningful and effective, that brings us closer to poor youngsters we serve and them to Jesus Christ .

It is also important to point out that great importance nneds to be given in choosing confreres who will go to the missions ad gentes, ad extra, ad vitam. Once chosen, they need a certain preparation before they arrive in their mission. Once in the country they still need to be helped in their introduction into a new culture. In this regard the learning of the local language is indispensable if one is to be effective in evangelization. Opportunities for on going formation too should not be taken lightly as these moments enrich missionaries and offer tremendous help in their work of evangelization .

Evangelization and Catechesis

The importance of the Salesian Educative-Pastoral Plan comes into fore when we reflect on our catechetical apostolate. To focus on catechesis without initial proclamation will prove fruitless. When there is a lack of zeal and enthusiasm in proclaiming Jesus Christ there will consequently be less baptism and less people to catechise! Since vocation is essentially a faith option lack of enthusiasm in proclaiming and lack of baptism could, in the long run, also lead to lack of vocations.

It would not be out of place to insist that the evangelization and catechesis dimension of our SEPPs in EAO need to include concrete strategies of missio inter et ad gentes so as to avoid the risk of making our youth ministry consist of entertainment, sports and cultural activities. It is even more important to seeks ways to rekindle the enthusiasm of every Salesian in missio inter et ad gentes!

Inculturation and Multiculturality

Inculturated yet multicultural is what a Salesian educator needs to be. These are not mutually exclusive but inter related. It is indispensable that every Salesian be profoundly inculturated in his milieu in order to enrich the way Don Bosco’s charism is understood, lived and shared while at the same time challenging certain values and cultural expressions. This is especially necessary during the post noviciate or practical training. However, when inculturation is over emphasized there is a real danger to be ethnocentric or, worst, to be ethnically closed by considering one’s own culture as the most suitable or best and that the others as less civilised . Salesians in this category could not dare leave their own culture, nor survive living in a different culture.

On the other hand a multicultural experience especially during the first cycle of theological formation is truly important. Having to live in a community where the charism of Don Bosco is expressed in different cultures helps one to distinguish charism from the cultural expressions of the one Salesian charism lived in the different parts of the world. However, when multiculturalism or globalisation is over emphasized the danger is cultural relativism which considers any cultural norm, practice and tradition acceptable. In this process the global mono-culture displaces cultural values and belief systems of peoples making them rootless and alienated from their cultural heritage.

Our Inter Provincial Centre

Our EAO region has an inter-provincial study centre in Parañaque which could serve as an important formation centre in a region where living in the context of a diversity of great religions, rich traditional, urban and secularised cultures and international study centre has an important role to play .

An international study centre gives the whole educative-pastoral community an important first hand experience of living in a multicultural society. Some are quick to point out that Salesians in multicultural study centres are not automatically transformed into multicultural Salesians. Multicultural study centres are, therefore, considered a mixed blessing. Though there is some truth in this, the experience of young Salesians in theology of living in multicultural study centres is a tremendous plus in their personality development when they are properly aided to reflect their multicultural experience so as to prepare them as evangelisers in our postmodern world. A trained formation team who have a valid multicultural experience is an indispensable ingredient for a formative experience in an international study centre.

Let Us Verify

* What ‘renewal of mind’ do I personally need regarding my understanding of evangelization and missio inter gentes? * How can we improve our strategies in evangelization? * What adjustments do we need to make in our SEPP’s evangelizing activities? * How can we maximize the potentials offered by Parañaque in preparing Salesian evangelizers in our East Asia and Oceania region?

(:nl:)