The Word in Asia
“The Word became flesh”
1. It was in Asia that the Word became flesh. It was from there that His saving message was carried in all directions: Paul hearkened to the call of the Macedonian and set out for the Western continent; Peter set sail for Rome, James for Spain, Mark for Alexandria, Thomas for India; Ireaneus made his way to Lyons, and others to the ends of the earth.
2. The Word of God was received, meditated upon by individuals and communities and shaped into spiritual traditions in Asia which became the common heritage of the early Church. The first Councils of the Church that were held in Asia deepened the reflection. We shall never know how much of the cultural wealth and religious earnestness of Asia have gone into those concepts and practices that we today consider as part of the general Christian heritage, for example, in the areas of Christian doctrine, liturgy, monasticism, ecclesiastical discipline, missionary spirit and others. They remain an indistinguishable part of our common patrimony. Indeed, we cannot close an eye to the unique ‘Asianness’ of the biblical and primitive Christian legacy.
The Word Announced
3. History tells us that Syrian monks carried God’s word with great enthusiasm to Persia, Afghanistan, Central Asia, West China and South India. They dialogued and inculturated, but in all situations they shared the message of Jesus with extraordinary zeal. We have evidence to say that they interacted with Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Manichaeans, Taoists, Confucians, Hindus, Muslims, and leaders of tribal religions among the Turks, Huns, and Mongols. Christian communities came up in places as far as Xian (China). Monasteries developed as centres of learning, fortresses of theology and spirituality (for example, at Edessa, Nisibis). The monks borrowed from the storehouse of indigenous languages, cultures, religions and ideas they found among various peoples. Local faith expressions took shape spontaneously.
4. These communities taken together may have been as many as 70 million Christian believers. But unfortunately due to the emergence of mighty hostile forces in the heartlands of Asia in later years, many of them died out or were greatly enfeebled. However, those of South India and West Asia have remained on.
Civilizational Resistance
5. Aside from these reverses, there were other reasons too why Asian societies ignored the Christian proposal. As the men of Athens, over-confident of their philosophical wisdom, were not easily inclined to pay attention to a proposal (Paul’s message) that came from another cultural background, leaders of the advanced civilizations of Asia did not think they needed anything beyond what they had already attained through their own intense intellectual effort and religious search. While they always retained a mild curiosity about ideas and experiences that had an external origin, they could not think that the overwhelmingly great stock of wisdom they had accumulated called for any serious revision or addition.
6. Historically too, the declaration of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire made it appear to the Persians that Christian religion was closely allied to Rome, Persia’s chief rival and enemy. Ever since then, the image of having alien loyalties would cling to various Christian communities in different parts of Asia right through the colonial period to our own days, especially because Christianity in people’s minds had become strongly representative of the West*. That is what made the dominant classes to resist Christian advances, while marginal societies like smaller ethnic groups, tribal communities, fisherfolk, oppressed minorities, humbler castes, and outcastes who looked at social realities from a different perspective than the dominant communities, welcomed the liberative power of the Good News (Lk 4:18; Mt 5:3).
* With the recent shift in the population pattern of Christianity to other parts of the world, the above mentioned image may change.
Christian Expansion
7. The achievements of later missionaries, mostly from the Western world, are fresh in our minds: what was done by zealous persons like Xavier, Valignano, de Rhodes, Britto, Vaz, Lievens; persons who knew how to adapt to cultures like De Nobili, Ricci. These and other innumerable heroic souls penetrated the most inaccessible regions, confronted the most unwelcoming rulers, transcended immense cultural barriers, announced the Gospel, built up communities, put languages into writing, provided literature to linguistic groups, pursued ethnological studies, presented unknown communities to the wider world, created interest in anthropological reflections, intervened in behalf of oppressed communities, offered services in the field of health and education setting up impressive institutions, pressed for social reforms, introduced entire societies to modernity, and planted ideas into the hearts of people to guide their society to freedom and offer leadership in the Church and in the wider society. They initiated theological reflection in different cultural contexts, with an edifying measure of self-criticism, that laid the foundation of today’s missiological thinking. Today’s Church in Asia is what it is because of their extremely generous services*. It is the continuation of this work that is in our hands today.
* Some would like to highlight only the missionaries’ association with colonial powers. This would be totally unfair; for, their compulsions were many and their possibilities few. They themselves were often persecuted by anti-clerical colonial authorities. It called for profound faith on their part to keep confronting insurmountable difficulties to continue the mission of sharing the Gospel.
The Word Translated into Life: Witness
8. From Christianity’s earliest beginnings Christian Evangelizers had a persuasive power because their ‘Word’ was translated into action. Mother Teresa is a recent example. Missionaries have remained creative and kept entering into new areas of work. Their services in the fields of education and health are greatly esteemed. Going beyond these fields, they have entered into the areas of new forms of poverty: illiteracy, unemployment, urban violence, gender and caste inequality, female foeticide, and drug addiction. They have stepped up their services for street children, unwed mothers, broken families, handicapped persons, AIDS/HIV patients, terminally ill, victims of violence, migrants, slum people, the landless and the imprisoned. They are active in the struggle for justice to oppressed groups; in the work for social change, cultural promotion, protection of environment, defense of life and family; in advocacy in behalf of the weak, downtrodden and the marginalized, and giving voice to the voiceless.
9. Even where the Gospel is resisted most, the evangelical witness of socially relevant works find welcome. Silent but sincere service has an eloquence of its own. “No speech, or words are used, no sound is heard; yet their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth” (Ps 19:3-4). There are places in Asia where the message is better “whispered in the inner rooms” than “proclaimed on the housetops” (Lk 12:3). This is a strategic choice in situations where freedom of religion is restricted, not renunciation of one’s duty. For, the duty to communicate the message remains. Some have gone the last extent possible in this respect and witnessed to evangelical values and to the cause of Christ with their very lives.
The Word Continues to be Proclaimed
10. There has been an intense effort in Asia to bring God’s word closer to the people. This effort has intensified since Vatican II. Bible consciousness has grown. Bible translations have multiplied1, many produced in ecumenical collaboration. Enthusiasm for the Biblical message has risen. Bible Sundays are observed. Bible study groups have increased in number: Basic Christian Communities, BEC’s, Small Christian Communities, Charismatic groups, lay associations, youth groups, family gatherings. Small groups of believers read the Word of God, reflect, and apply the message to their own situation and pray (some following the LUMKO and ASIPA methods). They need to be assisted. For, without guidance, over-enthusiasm can lead people to free interpretation of the Scriptures and even old believers can come to the point of leaving the Church and joining some fundamentalist groups. It is also a challenge to priests and religious to root themselves more in the Scriptures.
11. Biblical studies are pursued through correspondence courses, even in vernacular languages. Bibles and biblical tracts are available to students in our schools, patients in our hospitals, and people in general in various life-situations. Bible schools offer innovative service. Bible-related books keep growing in numbers in our libraries. Creatively planned Biblical and theological courses are being offered to the religious, lay people, and committed youth. Weekend courses are becoming popular2. Study aids are produced on a big scale (Audio-visual materials, paintings, art pieces, films, CD’s, cassettes, lessons in the internet, and messages on the mobile, posters in public places). Bible study weeks and Bible Sundays are observed. A pastoral use of the Bible is gaining strength. Bibles are enthroned in families. There is growing interest in the tradition called Lectio divina. Homilies break the Word of God during liturgy. They need probably to be made less academic and more relevant to Christian living.
1It was recently reported that in Nanjing (China) Amity Printing Company printed 6 million Bibles in 2007. The company is planning to increase its capacity to printing 12 million Bibles per year, which will mean 23 Bibles every minute (SAR News, June 16-30, 2008, pg 22). Such initiatives started in 1987. Over 50 millions have already been printed.
A Japanese edition of the Dictionary of Biblical Theology is available electronically. There is a popular course called “Bible in 100 weeks”.
2There is a complaint that the present style of teaching the Scriptures remains too academic, not sufficiently oriented to a spiritual and pastoral use of the Bible.
12. Folk media (dances, skits, dramas, recitations, story-telling) are skillfully used to retell the Biblical stories. The printed media give a Christian interpretation to current events. The electronic media (Radio Veritas, Shalom TV) bring Catholic news and views to remote villages. Catholic Information Centres have increased in number, and there are people who turn to Christ searching for meaning. Commitment to the biblical message provides a common ground for ecumenical initiatives.
13. Intense effort is being made to pass on in all fidelity the Christian teaching to the next generation. Children are taught traditional catechism, with competitions, quizzes, and dramatics to make the learning interesting. However, culturally meaningful communication styles ought to be given greater importance. Young adults study the Bible. They seek to deepen their understanding of the central Biblical messages and try to apply them to their social situation. They wish to become enthusiastic sharers of the Good News. It is interesting to note that 65% of Asia is young.
Prayer-Life Nourished and Church Growth Promoted by the Word
“Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way” (Acts 17:22).
14. These words are rightly addressed to Asians today; for, they continue to give importance to their religions in a rapidly secularizing world. “Despite the influence of modernization and secularization, Asian religions are showing signs of great vitality and a capacity for renewal, as seen in reform movements within the various religious groups” (EA 6). Dialoguing with members of vibrant religions can be a stimulus to one’s own faith as well. The sense of the sacred they foster is a great human asset.
15. We are grateful to God, that church-attendance on our continent is encouragingly high. Sundays are kept holy. In remote villages where Mass is not possible every Sunday, people gather around the ‘Word’ of God with great devotion. Prayer-life, both liturgical and situational, is enriched by readings from the Bible. Prayer-groups continue to grow in number. The Word of God provides powerful motivation for the apostolate and adds fruitfulness to our evangelical reach-out. People in large numbers flock to charismatic retreats that announce God’s Word in all its power. Lives are changed. Healing prayers draw non-Christian crowds as well. Miracles do take place, both of healing and of conversion.
16. Significant Church growth is recorded, where our apostolic personnel (priests, sisters and catechists) are actively engaged in missionary work among ‘responsive communities’, tour villages, visit homes, make personal and group contact through direct interaction. Among such groups we may mention many ethnic minorities (tribal people) in different parts of China, Indonesian islands, North Myanmar, Thailand, Northeast India and other places that have responded enthusiastically to this manner of sharing God’s Word. And Jesus’ message echoes from the high Himalayas to the distant oceans. It re-echoes in Central Asia.
Preparation of Proclaimers: Flowering of Vocations in Asia
17. It is evident that the announcers of the ‘Word’ ought to be given serious theological and spiritual formation. The harvest indeed is plentiful, and, thank God, the number of labourers too keeps increasing. Vocations are coming up in Asia even from new Christian communities. Seminaries and houses of formation multiply. Theological institutes, Catechist training centres and other institutions for the formation of religious and lay persons are on the increase. Existing ones expand their scope and diversify their services.
18. Religious life is understood in Asia, its relevance recognized, its contribution appreciated, and its representatives respected. For, there are native models of religious life belonging to other Asian religions. Religious values like renunciation, austerity, silence, prayer, contemplation, and celibacy are highly regarded. New congregations and institutes of apostolic life come into existence and new religious movements keep rising, because such a trend corresponds to the general atmosphere prevailing in the larger society, where every religion is renewing itself and spiritual guides are much sought after. Religious persons are considered the guardians of religious and human wisdom in Asia. With adequate formation, young religious can grow up as effective announcers of the Christian message
Deepening of Theological Reflection
“In the process of encountering the world’s different cultures, the Church not only transmits her truths and values, but she also takes from the various cultures the positive elements already found in them” (EA 21).
19. Strengthening of theological formation implies also the deepening of reflection on God’s Word in the Asian context of poverty and injustice; and also of a plurality of religions, civilizations, and cultures. It implies the use of categories of thought, symbolisms, spiritual traditions that make meaning to Asians. Here is a challenging task before the teacher of the ‘Word’.
20. As we know, words have different connotations in different cultural contexts. If he/she is too close to the traditional Christian expressions, the message may not be easily intelligible to those beyond the fold. If his main concern is to be intelligible to them, he may distance himself from original expressions. Misunderstandings can arise.
21. However, these are not hurdles that cannot be transcended. And when it is done after serious study and mature reflection, inculturation takes place at a very deep level; for, inculturation is not a matter of a few externals. Historically, the Gospel has crossed many cultural barriers in different parts of the world, the Hellenic, Germanic, Celtic, Slav, Syrian, and Egyptian. Each step furthered the development of theology and enriched Church life. But it called for great sensitivity to the culture concerned and to the sentiments of the believing community; equally, a great sense of responsibility to the local and the Universal Church, and fidelity to the ‘Word’. Magisterium has always been a valuable assistance. It is in order to further this effort that Asian theological journals keep offering a wide selection of indigenous theological reflection. And in this way, the Asian Church seeks to contribute to “the growth of the Word” (Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20).
22. When a civilization is closely related to a major religion (e.g., Islamic, Hindu, Confucian, Shinto), the borrowing of elements suited for faith and worship from those religions will need to be handled with care. If the teacher of the ‘Word’ begins to use expressions that adherents to these great religions consider as their own, they may take it as violation of what is sacred to them, and the Christian community as an imposition of something alien. The initiative may offend both communities. On the contrary, traditional Christian expressions may make no appeal to the collective psyche of a society to which the message is addressed. It is not our intention to give up our efforts for inculturation because of these difficulties.
23. When respectful attention to cultures and communities combine with apostolic boldness and fidelity to the ‘Word’, new ground is broken; and the space for new faith and worship expressions in that civilizational world expands. “Thanks to this action within the local Churches, the universal Church herself is enriched with forms of expression and values (RM 52). And Christ becomes incarnate in that culture. But we need to move ahead with care. For, we are dealing here with matters about which communities are extremely sensitive at the deepest level. And Asians have a deep sense of the sacred.
24. As modern society looks for relevance in religion in order to see meaning in it, Asians look primarily for depth. Pope John Paul II said, “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 greater extent on contemplation” (RM 91). It is the spiritual depth that comes from God-experience that Asians seek. Whoever can provide that, holds their attention. God-experience in this context does not mean some sort of ecstatic experiences, but has reference to sincerity and authenticity, genuineness, deeds matching words, egoless-ness evidenced by commitment to the common good. Such persons always win a hearing when they speak with spiritual unction.
Sharing of God’s Word in Life-contexts
25. The Good News of Jesus makes the greatest impact when it is shared in actual life-contexts. Much of Jesus’ teaching that has come down to us was given on the occasion of ordinary human encounters. Hearts were touched, lives were changed, and numbers were added to the community of believers. This is what is happening in Asia in a quiet but effective way through the effort of Christian believers: bringing a message of peace to situations of conflict, of justice to oppressed communities, of probity to corruption-ridden societies, of equality to unfair situations (related to caste, class, gender, race, ethnicity), of assistance to the hungry and the poor. These efforts are different from a textbook presentation of Christ based on truth claims, debates and arguments. But they explain the teachings of the Gospel most eloquently. They translate the Christian message into life.
26. In many countries in Asia, Christians are under heavy pressure. Freedom is restricted, new converts are harassed, and the believing community is persecuted as it has happened in Orissa (India) recently. However, the patience manifested by the community, the restraint shown, the moderation in response, the spirit of forgiveness…all these have an evangelizing power. The Christian community’s commitment to the common good and keen interest in the central concerns of humanity (justice, peace, family, environment, freedom, fairness, solidarity, sincerity, honesty, respect for life, concern for the poor, deep sense of responsibility for human affairs) are eloquent by themselves. These themes have a universal appeal and provide a language everyone understands; they become powerful carriers of the Gospel message.
27. The Christian community in Asia is grateful to God that they have active lay persons among them who keep trying to bring the Gospel into the field of education, government, administration, legislation, judiciary, science, technology, family, youth services, art, and music. They become bridge-builders across cultures, ethnic identities, ideologies, philosophies, political and economic interests. However, these remain always challenging tasks.
28. Peter urged, “Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet 3:15-16). Much of early Christian theology emerged from the writings of the Fathers of the Church who tried to explain the Faith to their friends and foes alike. So does it today. Our theologians and Christian thinkers in Asia seek to address their message to religious critiques, fundamentalists, ultra-modernists, radical thinkers and activists, Christians and non-Christians alike. Those who do this service deserve our thanks, as do the rest of the team of evangelizers. These exercises, responsibly done, can lead to new formulations, and even a deeper self-understanding within the Christian community itself.
The Gospel produces spiritually motivated Persons
29. Historians begin to notice that atheism in certain periods of history may have sprung from a deep sense of injustice in a believing society; so too certain forms of anti-clericalism and apostasy may have arisen due to the failure of Church personnel. Heresies and schisms may have been aggravated by cultural distances. In periods of social imbalances in human history, rapid transitions take place, leading even to revolutions. Asia is going through such a phase of rapid changes and uncertainties in its history: rejection of colonial exploitation and acceptance of self-imposed forms of exploitation, assertion of independence and acceptance of new forms of dependence, a movement towards democracy and away from it, towards economic equality and away from it, towards things modern along with a powerful re-assertion of the traditional culture.
30. There are stirrings in society and traditional cultures and values are being challenged. In spite of all this, religion does not seem to be weakening in Asia. It manifests itself in new forms, at times with a political touch. Pluralism in thought in Asia has not led to total secularization or nihilism. It has only taught respect for each other. However, it should not lead to indifference.
31. Amidst many political and social uncertainties, the little Church in Asia does not hold out illusions of a new Utopia before people, it does not promise to produce Supermen. But it searches for ways of producing ethically and spiritually motivated people and teams of persons earnestly committed to the good of humanity. And it will continue to remind people of their eternal destinies in Christ. The Gospel continues to reveal its inner strength even amidst all these social tensions.
The Sacred Word in Asia
32. Let us return to where we began: the Word of God. While people admire the vast and impressive Christian works, they are touched and transformed only by the power of God’s Word. The ‘Sacred Word’ makes meaning to Asians, because they have ancient books that are considered sacred and authoritative, which influence their life and culture profoundly: beliefs, conduct, relationships, worship, moral principles. They are thought to have the ability to show the way to salvation. These books that are considered holy have a definitive canon and can be interpreted only by authorized persons (priests, monks, scholars and councils). They are read, sung, chanted, meditated upon, repeated, memorized, represented in icons, recorded in calligraphy. They are to be grasped by the mind, accepted into the heart, and allowed to transform human realities.
One thing is certain: there is religious hunger in Asia still. This Asian earnestness about religion is an asset for the whole of humanity, not merely for the eastern continent. Religious movements are more deeply rooted in the collective psyche of Asian communities than political movements. Even people who are unwilling to change their faith are eager to search for greater spiritual depths. Asians are open to God’s Word. Biblical thought keep touching individual lives, affecting community values, transforming relationships, correcting philosophies, influencing plans for social betterment. For Asians know that “man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4).
May these words come true with regard to today’s Asia, “I will pour out my spirit on everyone, your sons and daughters will proclaim my message” (Acts 2:17). May this message reach to the ends of the earth.
