theo trends _john ball

8/3/2019 Theo Trends _John Ball

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T H E O L O G I C A L T R E N D S

I n c u l t u r a t i o n

O N 6 JANUARY 1989 the present pope announced in Rome at the noonAngelus 'an initiative that will have great significance for the spread ofthe gospel'. He announced the calling of an African synod. The lineamentafor the synod were first presented at the Lom6 meeting of the bishops ofAfrica and Madagascar this year and published in Rome the following day.The document lists five issues for the synod: evangelization, inculturation,dialogue, justice and peace and the means of social communication.The Church of England Board of Mission and Uni ty set up some six yearsago a 'mission theological advisory group ' ( MTA G) to discuss and report ontheological issues connected with mission. They have already produced onedocument The measure of mission and are on the verge of publishing theirsecond report which has as its subject the gospel and contempora ry cultures,especially the different cultures to be found currently in England. As amember of this group I have experienced the range and depth of theproblems involved in this issue.

These are just two of many practical attempts to come to terms withproblems of inculturation. Books and articles abound. But the problem isnot new. Schreiter 1 points out that the New Testament includes severaldifferent local theologies and even the most casual reader can readily detectthe difference in approach between the Synoptic Gospels and that of John .The Latin fathers pursued a different tradition from that of the Greekfathers. There has always been a range of different liturgical rites recognizedby Rome together with different canonical traditions. Perhaps Africa hasmade us more keenly aware of the need for inculturation, perhaps thedwindling numbers committed to the Church in Europe and America haveled us to wonder whether it is our presentation that lacks meaning.Furthermore, Chris tianity's failure in Asia to impress where the great worldreligions have existed for centuries has prompted many Asian Christiantheologians to write on inculturation and also prompted liturgical exper-imentation that has gone further than on other continents.

Inculturation is usually considered to be a problem met by overseasmissionaries--how does one translate 'the Lord is my shepherd' intoEskimo? This notion that we have to make sense of the gospel acrossdifferent cultures is sometimes referred to as synchronic inculturation. Butthere is also a diachronic problem. How do we make sense for ourcontemporaries who share our own culture of gospel texts and conciliardocuments written centuries ago? Within the last forty years in Britain alonethere has been a steady stream of versions of the New Testament 'incontemp orary English '. For all that folk hanker after the King James


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T H E O L O G I C A L T R E N D S 1 3 5v e r s i o n ( o f t e n t h o s e w h o a t t e n d c h u r c h t h e le a s t s e e m t o h a n k e r t h e l o u d e s t ),a s k i n g th e L o r d t o ' p r e v e n t o u r a c t i o n s ' i s m i s l e a d i n g f o r p r e s e n t - d a yl is te n er s. A n d M T A G h a s m a d e i t c l e ar t h a t w e d o n o t n e e d t o tr a v e l f a r t oe n c o u n t e r d i f fe r e n t c u l t u re s . T h e t ex t o f t h e ir f o r t h c o m i n g r e p o r t d r a w sa t t e n t i o n t o c u l t u r e s i n u r b a n p r i o r i t y a r e a s , n o t a l w a y s l i te r a r y c u l t u r e s( p e r h a p s w r i t i n g i s le ss a n d le ss t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y m e a n s o f c o m m u n i -c a t i o n ) , m i d d l e - c l a s s c u l t u r e s a n d o u r c u r r e n t e n t e r p r i s e c u l t u r e , y o u t hc u l t u r e s , e t h n i c m i n o r i t i e s .

T h e t h e o l o g ic a l i ss ue s in v o l v e d h a v e b e e n w r i t t e n o n m o r e a n d m o r e s in c eP o p e J o h n X X l I I i n t r o d u c e d th e S e c on d V a t ic a n C o u n c i l a n d m a d e h isf a m o u s d i s ti n c t i o n b e t w e e n t r u t h s o f t h e f a it h a n d t h e f o r m o f t h e irp r e s e n t a t i o n . B a s i c t o t h is w r i t i n g is a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f g o s p e l a n d a nu n d e r s t a n d i n g o f c u l tu r e . A n d it is w o r t h p o i n t i n g o u t t w o e r r o n e o u sp o s i t io n s o f t e n h e l d . T h e f ir st is t h a t t h e g o s p e l h a s b e e n c a r v e d i n s t o n e i ns o m e o b j e c t iv e l y li te r al s t a t e m e n t o f s o m e u n i v o c a l f a c t. T h i s o f t e n s e e m s t oe n t a il a b e l i e f t h a t t h e v e r y w o r d s a r e th e m s e l v e s s o m e h o w t h e t r u t h . I s l a m i cu n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e Q u ' r a n is th a t t h e A r a b i c t e x t is ac t u a l l y w r i tt e n b y t h eh a n d o f G o d - - t h e A r a b i c t e x t is a n e x a c t c o p y o f t h e te x t in h e a v e n . U n t i lr e l a t iv e ly r e ce n t ly th e Q u ' r a n r e m a i n e d u n t r a n s la t e d f o r o r t h o d o x M u s -l im s . T o r e a d t h e Q u ' r a n , o n e h a d f ir st t o l e a r n A r a b i c . S u c h a f u n d a m e n -t al is t a p p r o a c h t o th e g o s p el is n o t c o m m o n a m o n g C a t h o l i c t h e o l o g ia n s b u tf o r m s o f i t e x i st . T h e o t h e r f a ls e p o s i t i o n is t h a t t h e r e is a n i n v i o l a b l e t h i n gc a ll e d ' c u l t u r e ' w h i c h is e q u a l l y s u p p o s e d t o b e c a r v e d i n s to n e . S o m e t i m e sw h e n o n e q u e s t i o n s , s a y , p o l y g a m y , o n e is t o l d t h a t i t is ' c u l t u r a l ' a n dt h e r e f o r e i n v i o l a te . N o w w h i ls t it is s u r e l y c o r r e c t th a t s o m e t i m e s m i s s i o n -a r ie s h a v e b e e n t o o q u i c k t o a t t a c k w h a t w a s s t r a n g e t o t h e m , y e t it is g o o d t or e m e m b e r t h a t c u l t u r e s c h a n g e , d e v e l o p , a s s i m i la t e , a n d t h a t c u l tu r e s c a ne m b o d y v a l u e s th a t a r e c o n t r a r y t o t h e g o s p el .

T h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e r e l a ti o n o f g o s p el to c u l t u re is l in k e d t o o n e ' su n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e n a t u r e o f r e v e l a ti o n a n d t h e r e la t io n s h i p b e t w e e n g r a cea n d n a t u r e o r t h e s u p e r n a t u r a l a n d t h e n a t u r a l . B a r t h ' s i n si st e nc e o n th eu t t e r t r a n s c e n d e n c e o f G o d a n d t h e o t h e r n e s s o f r e v e l a ti o n m e a n s t h a t t h e r eis , f o r h i m , n o t h i n g f in i te i n r e v e l a t i o n , t h e w o r d o f G o d is u t t e r ly o t h e r .C a r d i n a l l ~ a t z i n g e r is p e r h a p s r e m i n i s c e n t o f B a r t h ' s h i s to r i ca l s i t u a ti o n .W h e n h e s p e a k s o f i n c u l t u r a t io n h e c h o o s es N a z i G e r m a n y a s h i s i n s ta n c e o fc u l t u r e a n d n a t u r a l l y c o n c l u d e s t h a t th e g o s p el c an h a v e n o t r u c k w i t h s u c h av a l u e s y st e m . D a v i d T r a c y ' s ' o r t h o d o x ' m o d e l o f t h e o l o g y is s im i l ar : ' T h ec l a im s o f m o d e r n i t y a r e n o t u n d e r s t o o d t o h a v e a n y i n n e r - t h e o lo g i c a lr e l e v a n c e ' . 2 T h e p a r a l le l p o s i t i o n i n l i tu r g i c a l c o n c e r n s w o u l d b e t h a t o fL e f e b v r e w h o h o l d s t h a t t h e L a t i n M a s s o f P o p e P i u s V c a n n o t b e a l te r e de v e n b y a si n g le w o r d . I t h a s a l s o t o s t a y i n L a t i n . S o m e w o u l d h o l d t h a t t h eC o u n c i l o f C h a l c e d o n g a v e ce r t a in G r e e k w o r d s s p e c if ic m e a n i n g s . W o r d sl ike ous ia , phys i s , hypo s tas i s h a v e b e e n g i v e n a d e f in i ti v e m e a n i n g w i t h i n f i xe dd o g m a s . N o t h i n g c a n b e d o n e w i t h s u c h w o r d s o t h e r t h a n t o t ra n s l at e o rb e t t e r t r a n s l i te r a t e t h e m . L i n d b e c k 3 l ik e n s t h is t o t h e b e l i e f t h a t C h r i s t i a n


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~[36 T H E O L O G I C A L T R E N D St h e o l o g y , o r t h o d o x t h e o l o g y , c o n s i s ts o f a se t o f p r o p o s i t i o n a l t r u t h s . T h eo r t h o d o x s t a t e m e n t c o r r e s p o n d s t o t h e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e k n o w n , t h e r e is af o u n d a t i o n i n r e a l i t y f o r e a c h s t a t e m e n t w h i c h i s e i t h e r t r u e o r f al se . E i t h e rt h e r e a r e t h r e e p e r s o n s i n t h e T r i n i t y o r t h e r e a r e m o r e o r l es s t h a n t h r e e .T h e r e c a n b e o n l y o n e ' t r u e ' n u m b e r .

N o b o d y w o u l d r e q u i r e t h a t t h e o l o g y c o n f in e i ts e lf t o m e r e r e p e t i ti o n o ft h e te x ts . T h e o r t h o d o x m o d e l w o u l d c o n s i d e r t h a t t h e t a s k o f t h e th e o l o g i a nis t o l o o k f o r a n a l o g i e s i n n a t u r e / c u l t u r e a n d t o u se t h e s e a n a l o g i e s f o r as y s t e m a t ic u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e i n t e r - c o n n e c t i o n o f t h e t r u th s o f f a it h . I nD a v i d H a r e ' s p l a y Racing demon, t h e B i s h o p o f S o u t h W a r k a t ta c k s w h a t h es ee s a s M o d e r n i s m . ' Y o u d i s m a n t l e t h e be li ef s. Y o u e n d l e ss l y r e i n t e r p r e ta n d u n d e r m i n e . Y o u w i t t e r o n u n t il y o u b e c o m e all t h i n g s to all m e n . Y o ud r a i n r e l ig i o n o f r e l i g i o n . ' F o r h i m , t h e s h e e p a r e n o t f e d a n y l o n g e r.U n d e r l y i n g t h i s w h o l e a p p r o a c h i s a q u a s i - s c i e n t i f i c a p p r o a c h , n o tu n li k e th e i d e a t h a t ' N a C I ' h a s a u n i v o c a l m e a n i n g f o r all t im e a n d a m o n ga ll p e o p l e . E x e g e s i s c o n s i s ts i n t r y i n g t o f i n d th e m i n d o f t h e o r i g i n a la u t h o r . T h e t e x t , o r i n o u r c a s e , t h e g o s p e l , i s t o b e a l l o w e d t o s p e a k f o rits elf . I f w e c a n u n e a r t h t h e i n t e n t io n s o f t h e g o s p e l - a u t h o r a n d t h ei n t e re s t s o f t h o s e t o w h o m i t w a s o r i g i n a l l y a d d r e s s e d t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e i rs o c i o - c u l t u r a l s i t u a t i o n , t h e n w e w i l l a r r i v e a t t h e o r i g i n a l m e a n i n g .C h a r l e s K r a f t h a s d e v e l o p e d a r a t h e r m o r e s u b t le a p p r o a c h t o t r a n s l a t io ni n h i s ' d y n a m i c e q u i v a l e n c e ' m o d e l . O n e t a k e s th e o r i g in a l t e xt , c o n s i d e r st h e e f f e c t i t h a d o n i t s c o n t e m p o r a r y a u d i e n c e , c o n s i d e r s h o w o n e c o u l da c h i e v e t h e s a m e e f f e c t o n a p r e s e n t - d a y a u d i e n c e a n d t h e n f i n d s t h ew o r d s i n t h e p r e s e n t - d a y l a n g u a g e w h i c h w i ll h a v e t hi s e ff ec t. A n I n d i a nc o n g r e g a t i o n c o u l d s i t i n t h e l o t u s p o s i t i o n t o p r a y w h e r e t h e o r i g i n a lc o m m u n i t y s at o r s to o d o r k n e lt . A n A f r i c a n c o m m u n i t y m i g h t d a n c e t od r u m s w h e r e t h e o r ig i n al c o m m u n i t y c h a n t e d p s a l m s . T h e g o a l is t o ' g e ti n s i d e ' t h e m i n d o f t h e o r i g i n a l a u t h o r . T h e g o s p e l t h e n is s e e n a s e x i s t i n gs e p a r a t e l y f r o m i ts c u l t u r a l s i t u a t io n , a s h a v i n g i ts o w n e x i s t e n c e q u i t ea p a r t f r o m a n y s o c io - c u l tu r a l c o n t e x t. P a u l V a l a d i e r c o m p l a i n e d t h a tEvangeIii nuntiandi w a s w r i t t e n a s t h o u g h t h e g o s p e l w a s a h i s to r i c a l, a st h o u g h t h e r e is a n o b j e ct iv e m e s s a g e t h a t c a n b e c a rr i e d e v e r y w h e r e a n dp r o c l a i m e d i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f t h e c o n t e x t . 4

O n e a l t e r n a t i v e t o t h is n a i v e a p p r o a c h is t o r e q u i r e t h a t t h e m e s s a g ec o n f o r m t o t h e r a t i o n a l p r o c e s s e s o f i ts a u d i e n c e . I f a ll k n o w l e d g e isu l t i m a t e l y r e d u c i b l e t o r a t i o n a l p r o c e s s e s t h e n t h o s e p r o c e s s e s m u s t b e t h em e a s u r e o f t h e m e s s ag e . R a d c l i f fe - B r o w n a s s u m e d t h a t o n c e w e h a ds u ff ic i en t i n f o r m a t i o n , a n d i t w a s o n l y a m a t t e r o f t i m e b e f o r e w e h a d i t,t h e n i t w o u l d b e p o s s i b le t o a n t ic i p a t e a ll h u m a n b e h a v i o u r s i n c e it w o u l d a llb e d e s c ri b a b l e b y m a t h e m a t i c a l l a w s w h i c h h a v e u n i v o c a l m e a n i n g f o r a llp e o p l e s . I f t h e r e is n o t h i n g t h a t e x is ts t h a t c a n n o t a t l e as t i n p r i n c i p l e b em e a s u r e d , t h e n G o d b e c o m e s t o ta l ly i m m a n e n t a n d th e t r a n s c e n d e n td i s a pp e a r s a n d ' h u m a n i t y c o m e s o f a g e ' . T h e l i be ra l a n d m o d e r n i s tt h e o l o g i a n i s c o m m i t t e d t o t h e b a s i c c o g n i t i v e a n d e t h i c a l c la i m s o f t h e s o c i o -


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THEOLOGICAL TRENDS 137cultural which he or she shares. The Christian gospel is to be re-written inaccordance with the assumptions of contemporary thought. David Tracyquotes Schleiermacher: 'T he theses of faith now become the hypotheses ofthe theologian'.5 Anything might one day be disproved. Don Cupitt wouldbe an obvious English example of this approach and some of thefrancophone African writers seem to be so committed to African practicethat they feel justified in ignoring traditional Christian practice and belief.Their justification is usually that this Christian practice and belief wasEuropean . Sadly, there also seems to be an anger in some of their writing.The East African writers are nothing like as successful since for the most partthey write with a European mind-set. Mbiti looks for African concepts ofGod, taking as his criteria the traditional Greek concepts, omnipotence,eternity, omniscience, impassibility and so on.At another level this approach accepts the cultural practices of the society.'God bless the squire and his relations and let us keep our proper stations.'The Vatican diplomatic service gives the impression that it would signconcordats with the devil provided the Church was left free to worship.Priests, religious and laity are urged not to upset the social structures but tobe law-abiding and to keep order. Chaplains bless armies going into battleand politicians refuse to pray for fallen enemies. In the sixteenth centuryMatteo Ricci adopted the clothing and manners of a Chinese mandarin , theclass of people learned in Confucian philosophy. A generat ion later deNobili adopted the life-style of a Brahmin , the highest Indian caste. Both ofthem wished to direct their evangelizing to the ruling classes of the societythey found themselves in. Some writers would hold that the Church inEngland has become too accepting of the competitive self-seeking societywith its materialistic values.

Liturgically, it is urged that sacramental rites must reflect the cul ture--n obread or wine in lands where these are considered to be unknown, but theEucharist to be celebrated with rice cakes and palm beer or whatever is thelocal equivalent. It is interesting however that nobody has yet attempted anytruly radical re-writing of the eucharistic prayer.

The more fruitful approaches to inculturation have been attuned to ourpresent understanding of the relationship between a text and its reader.For that is where the problem lies. The question is not 'W ho is Chris t?'Rather the question is 'Who is Ch ri s t for us?' Lonergan has written of theprinciple of the empty head. Nobody comes to a text 6 or to the gospelwithout their own experience, intelligence and judgement, without theirown pre-conceptions. Everybody brings their own cultural framework tothe work of understanding. It is impossible to come to the gospel with ablank mind. To interpret means to use my own preconceptions. Toexplain an action is to relate it to the underlying norms that make itpossible. If my norms differ from the norms of the agent I might be led tosay 'That isn't cricket' and so fail to understand the action. If I am anatural scientist I will consider my surroundings to be merely objects and


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1 3 8 T H E O L O G I C A L T R E N D St h i n g s a n d m y ' e x p l a n a t i o n s ' w i l l b e s o l e ly i n t e r m s o f c a u s e s a n d e ff ec ts ,b u t i f I a m f u l l y h u m a n t h e n t h e s e o b j e c ts a n d t h i n g s w i l l b e o b j e c t s a n dt h i n g s w i t h m e a n i n g . A n d m e a n i n g is n o t j u s t s o m e t h i n g t h a t w e r e c o v e rb u t s o m e t h i n g th a t w e p r o d u c e o r c r e a t e . I n t e r p r e t a t i o n m u s t t r a n s f o r mt h e w o r l d , n o t m e r e l y r e c o v e r t h e p a s t . I n t h e c a se o f t h e h e a r e r o f t h eg o s p e l , o f c o u r s e , i t i s t h e h e a t e r ' s w o r l d t h a t is t r a n s f o r m e d . B u t f o r t h ist o b e p o s s i b l e t h e l a n g u a g e c a n n o t b e t o t a l l y a l i en . T h e g o s p e l m u s t b ea r t i c u l a te d b y t h e C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t y u n d e r t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f p r e s e n ts t r u c t u r e s . G o d s p e a k s in th e s e c u l a r a b o u t t h e s e c u l a r .

A n a l t e r n a t i v e i s t o r e d u c e t h e g o s p e l to t a l l y t o t h e p r i v a t e s p h e r e , t o s eet h e g o s p e l a s a d d r e s s e d t o i n d i v i d u a l s fo r th e s a v i n g o f t h e i r s o u l s . I t is t o s e et h e k i n g d o m a s b e i n g o f a n o t h e r w o r l d e n t i re l y w i t h n o r e l e v a n c e f o r t h i sw o r l d , o r e v e n t o s ee re v e l a t i o n as s o m e t h i n g i n t e r n a l o n l y a n d w i t h o u tw o r d s , t h e s u p e r n a t u r a l a s d e s t r o y i n g c o r r u p t n a t u r e .

E v e n t o a t t e m p t t o e n v i s a g e a w o r d l e s s r e v e l a t i o n m a k e s i t c l e a r t h a te v e r y i n d i v i d u a l is a s o c ia l b e i n g . I a m a n i n d i v i d u a l in m y s o c ia l s p h e r e .T h e g o s p e l c a n n o t b e a d d r e s s e d t o m e i n i so l a t i o n f r o m m y b e i n g . I t i s t h en a t u r e o f t h e m e e t i n g b e t w e e n g o s p e l a n d i n d i v i d u a l th a t w e a r e c o n -c e r n e d w i t h . T h e C h r i s t i a n w i t n e ss is n o t p r i m a r i l y to d o c t r i n a l s ta t e -m e n t s , n o r t o e c c l e s i a s ti c a l s t r u c t u r e s o r e t h i c a l s y s t e m s , r a t h e r i t i s t o th ed i v i n e a c t i o n in o u r w o r l d n o w . T h i s is n o t d e n y i n g t h a t t h e r e i s a c o n t e n t .T h e g o s p el h a s c o n t i n u a l l y to b e r e d i s c o v e r e d in o u r w o r l d a n d f o r o u rw o r l d . T h e g o o d n e w s m u s t b e a d d r e s s e d to o u r n ee d s a n d h e n c e m a n y o ft h e w r i t e rs w i ll s a y ' t h e w o r l d s e ts t h e a g e n d a ' . B u t a s D e a n I n g er e m i n d e d u s , ' t h e c h u r c h t h a t i s m a r r i e d t o th e s p i r i t o f t h e a g e w i ll b e aw i d o w i n t h e n e x t ' . A n d so w e c o m e t o t h e p r o b l e m - - w h a t a r e t h e c r i t e r iab y w h i c h w e r e c o g n i z e t h a t t h is i s t r u l y g o s p e l , t h a t t h is is t r u l y G o d ' sa c t i o n , t h a t w h a t h a s c o m e a b o u t is t r u l y a p p r o p r i a t e t o th e C h r i s t i a nt r a d i t i o n ? T h e d e m a n d f o r i n c u l t u r a t i o n i s a d e m a n d t h a t t h e p r e s e n t a t i o no f t h e g o s p e l b e d i s c lo s i v e f o r t h e h e a r e r , t h a t i s, t h e r e m u s t b e s y m b o l st h a t c a n b e r e l a t e d to t h e i m m e d i a t e l i v e d e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e h e a r e r . B u t i ft h e b e a r e r ' s p r e c o n c e p t i o n s a r e f u n d a m e n t a l l y n o n - o r e v e n a n t i - C h r i s t i a nw h a t i s t h e n t o b e d o n e ? I f I b e l i e v e t h a t n a t u r e i s t o t a l l y c o r r u p t a n df u n d a m e n t a l l y f l a w e d I w il l s i m p l y i g n o r e n a t u r e , e x p e c t th e r e t o b e n op o s s i b le i n c u l t u r a t i o n . I f I h o l d t h a t G o d a l w a y s s p e a k s i n a n d t h r o u g hn a t u r e a n d t h a t g r a c e b u i l d s o n a n d d o e s n o t d e s t r o y n a t u r e t h e n I w i l ls e e k i n c u l t u r a t i o n . B u t I w il l s ti ll b e a w a r e o f t h e s i n f u l i n n a t u r e a n d n e e dto b e w a r y o f m a k i n g t h e g o s p e l c o n f o r m e n t i r e ly to th e n a t u r a l . W h e r e d oI f in d t h e c r i t e r i a to d i s t i n g u i s h ?

S p e a k i n g a t S ed o s e a r l i e r t h is y e a r , t h e I n d i a n J e s u i t M i c h a e l A m a l a d o s sc o n t r a s t e d i n c u l t u r a t i o n a n d m i s s io n . F o r A m a l a d o s s t h e g o s pe l is o nm i s s i o n p r e c i s e l y w h e n i t i s c o u n t e r - c u l t u r a l , c o n f r o n t a t i o n a l o r p r o p h e t i c .' W h e n t h e g o s p e l r a is e s i ts v o ic e a g a i n s t w h a t is s i n fu l a n d l i m i t e d i n ac u l t u r e t h e n i t i s d o i n g m i s s i o n . ' S u c h m i s s i o n m a y s u f f e r f r o m o v e r -i n c u l t u r a t io n . M T A G o f fe rs ' s i g n s o f a u t h e n t i c i t y ' b y w a y o f c r i t e r i a , b y


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THEOLOGICAL TRENDS 139way of ensuring that the inculturation has not ceased to be faithful to theChristian tradition. They are taken from the scriptures.

1. The recognition that the entire created order is a gift of God2. The affirmation of the supreme values of justice and lovingkindness3. The acceptance that all huma n beings must be accorded equal dignity

and worth4. The awareness of the existence of evil and suffering in the world5. The experience of forgiveness and reconciliat ion6. The fostering of hope in a transformed order of human life7. The entering on a new way of being hum an8. The enjoyment of responsible freedom9. The creation of life in communi ty

10. The celebration of the good newsThese might perhaps look somewhat vague. But nobody can lay downprecise criteria for every single local situation. Vatican II appealed tocollegiality, to the notion that the local community must deal with its localproblems. Through the history of the Church there has always been thistradition ofpluri formity. There have been different liturgical rites, differentsets of canon law, and even different approaches to the questions ofsystematic theology. When Aquinas shifted from a Platonic to an Aris-totelian basis for his theology there was an outcry. When contemporarytheologians look for a basis in Heidegger there is an outcry. We must gofurther and follow the tradition established by Ricci and officially approved,of using other philosophical bases. Ricci used Confucius. There is a widerange of Eastern philosophies available. Greek philosophy has no divinerights. The difficulty will be when we are called to assess their appropriate-ness, their fidelity to the Christ ian tradition. Already the Latin Americanscomplain that their prams must not be assessed by European criteria. WhenBishop Joh n Robinson was asked by what authority he wrote as he did heanswered: 'By the authority of the Christian community over the nexthundred years or so'. In the end it is the Christian community that will haveto safeguard its own tradition.

Some writers are asking: do we have to confine ourselves to the Tanach,the Jewish scriptures, as a basis for our Christian theology? Can we notbuild on, for instance, the Hindu scriptures and see how they are fulfilled inthe good news? Wha t of a Buddhist Christianity? When it is pointed out thatmost Buddhists would have difficulties with the notion of a personal God,the reply is that this concept of person is merely derived from one particularphilosophical school and could be replaced.Underlying this is the realization that we necessarily bring our preconcep-tions to our task of understanding. We bring our cultural prejudices.Necessarily, the hearer is part of the meaning. The locus of faith is our wayof being in the world. Christ, a Galilean Je w speaking Aramaic in Palestineunder the Roman occupation (all factors in some way constraining hiswitness), confronted Peter, and a new mean ing was brought about in Peter's


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140 T H E O L O G I C A L T R E N D Sl if e. I n s o m e w a y C h r i s t c o n f r o n t e d P a u l t o o , a m a n w i t h a d i f fe r e n tb a c k g r o u n d a n d a d i ff e r en t s et o f p r e ju d i c es , a n d a n e w m e a n i n g w a sb r o u g h t a b o u t i n P a u l ' s l if e. T h e h o p e is t h a t t h e g o s p e l w h i c h c o m e s t o u s ina n d t h r o u g h t h e w i t n e s s o f a n o t h e r , p e r h a p s e v e n o f a d if f e r e n t c u l t u r e , w i lls o m e h o w e x p a n d o u r o w n h o r iz o n s a n d b r i n g a b o u t n e w m e a n i n g f o r u st o o . I f w e b e l i e v e , a s t h e E p i s t l e s t o t h e E p h e s i a n s a n d t o t h e C o l o s s i a n sm a k e c l e a r , t h a t C h r i s t is s o m e h o w a l r e a d y p r e s e n t in a ll c u l tu r e s , t h o u g hh i d d e n , t h e n w e h o p e t h a t t h is d ia l o g u e b e t w e e n t h e g o s p e l a n d t h e c u l t u r ew i ll b r i n g t h e c u l t u r e t o it s f u l f i l m e n t , t o t h e g o a l t h a t G o d h a s i n m i n d f o r i t,s o t h a t ' k n o w i n g t h e l o v e o f C h r i s t w h i c h i s b e y o n d a l l k n o w l e d g e , ( it ) m a yb e f i ll ed w i t h t h e u t t e r f u ll n es s o f G o d ' ( E p h 3 , 1 9 ).

C u l t u r e is a s y s t e m a t i c m e a n i n g f u l o r d e r i n g o f p e r s o n s a n d t h in g s . I t is am e a n i n g f u l p a t t e r n i n g u n d e r l y i n g a n d l i n k i n g t o g e t h e r a l l t h e d i f f e r e n te v e n t s , p e o p l e , a s p e c t s , f i e ld s a n d l e v e l s o f l if e i n a s o c i e t y . I t d o e s n o t e x i s ti n th e a b s t r a c t . I t w ill n o t b e d e t e c t a b l e e x c e p t b y i n f e r e n c e f r o m t h e w a y i th a n d l e s m a t e r i a l . N o r is i t s ta t ic . N e w l y a b s o r b e d m a t e r i a l w i ll a l t e r f u t u r ep a t t e r n i n g s . A n d r e l ig i o n is a c u lt u r a l f r a m e w o r k t h a t s h a p e s t h e w h o l e o fl if e a n d t h o u g h t . C l i f f o r d G e e r t z s a y s t h a t a r e l ig i o n is a s y s t e m o f s i g n i f ic a n ts y m b o l s . G i v e n s o m e t h i n g n ew , s u c h as t h e C h r i s t ia n p r o c l a m a t i o n , t h eh e a r e r , t h e c u l t u r e - b e a r e r , w i ll h a v e t o b r i n g a b o u t n e w m e a n i n g f r o m t h et w o s o u r c e s , t h e p r o c l a m a t i o n a n d t h e w a y o f b e i n g i n t h e w o r l d , o r c u l tu r a lp r o c e s s . B u t p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e t h e s e t w o s o u r c e s d o n o t e x i s t i n th e a b s t r a c t ,b u t a r e t o b e f o u n d o n l y a s w i t n e s s e d to b y c u l t u r e - b e a r e r s , t h e p r o b l e m o fi n c u l t u r a t i o n a r i s e s .

W h i l s t t h e t h e o r e t i c a l a p p r o a c h t o t h e p r o b l e m c a n a p p e a r e x t r e m e l ya b s t r a c t a n d d i ff ic u lt , P ra c t ic a l a p p r o a c h e s c a n b e m o r e a c c e ss ib l e. M T A Gi d e n ti f ie d c e r t a i n c u l t u r a l a r e a s t h a t r a i s e p r o b l e m s - - s t y l e s o f l e a d e r s h i pm i g h t b e d i f f e re n t fo r d i f fe r e n t c u lt u r a l g r o u p s a n d t h e C h u r c h ' s u s u a l s ty l em i g h t b e a l i e n a n d u n a c c e p t a b l e . S ty l es o f w o r s h i p a r e o b v i o u s l y d i f fe r e n ta c r os s t h e w o r l d . W a y s o f l e a r n i n g a n d t r a i n i n g w ill h a v e t o v a r y - - o u rc la s si ca l p a t t e r n o f p r i e s t l y t r a i n i n g , e x c e s s iv e l y r a t i o n a l a n d c o n f i n e dm a i n l y to r e a d i n g a n d l e c tu r i n g , m a y w e ll h a v e b e c o m e u n s u i t e d t o m a n yg r o u p s i n th is c o u n t r y , n e v e r m i n d o t h e r c o u n t f ie s . U r b a n m i n i s t r y w illd i f fe r f r o m r u r a l , a n d e t h n i c m i n o r i t y g r o u p s w ill h a v e d i f f e r e n t r e q u i r e -m e n t s . T h e r e is a n e e d t o id e n t i f y t h e s y m b o l s o f t h e g r o u p . T h u s w r i t e r sn o w a d a y s w i ll c a ll f o r a n t h r o p o l o g i c a l a n a l y s i s o f a s o c ie t y . I n L a t i nA m e r i c a t h e r e is a l r e a d y a s t r o n g t r a d i t i o n o f s o c ia l a n a l y s is i n o r d e r t oi d e n t if y o p p r e s s i v e s tr u c t u r e s . T h e f o r m o f t h is a n a l y s i s h a s b e e n a b o n e o fc o n t e n t i o n , b u t t h e t h e o r y u n d e r l y i n g t h e a n a l y s is is t h a t t h e g o s p e lc h a l le n g e s u n j u s t s t r u c t u r e s w h i c h t h e r e f o r e m u s t b e i d e n ti f ie d .I n t h e l it u r g ic a l f ie ld t h e m o s t d e v e l o p m e n t h a s b e e n i n A s i a a n d A f r i c a .C a r d i n a l T a b e r a , t h e P r e f e c t o f t h e C o n g r e g a t i o n f o r D i v i n e W o r s h i p , s a idin 1971 ,

L i t u r g y i s c o n s t a n t l y o n t h e m o v e . I t h a s n o e n d i n i ts elf . W h e n G o da n d m a n m e e t i n d i a l o g u e , l i tu r g i c a l f o r m s e x p r e s s , g u i d e a n d


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T H E O L O G I C A L T R E N D S 1 4 1a c c o m p a n y o u r t u r n i n g t o G o d . T h i s l i tu r g y c o n s t a n tl y d e ve l op s . . . T h e i n s t r u c t i o n a p p e a l s t o b i s h o p s t o s t u d y t h o r o u g h l y t h er e l ig i o u s a n d s o c ia l c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e i r p e o p l e a n d t o i n v e s t i g a t e h o wb e s t t o h e l p t h e m i n t h e i r s i t u a t i o n .

P o p e P a u l V I i n K a m p a l a i n 1 96 9 a s ke d : m u s t th e C h u r c h i n A f r i c a b eE u r o p e a n , o r L a t i n o r O r i e n t a l . . . o r A f r i c a n ? S i n ce t h e r e a r e f u ll yo r t h o d o x L a t i n a n d O r i e n t a l r it es , w h y c a n n o t t h e r e b e a n A f r i c a n ri te ?' Y o u c a n a n d y o u m u s t h a v e a n A f r i c a n C h r i s t i a n i t y . ' H e w e n t o n to l a yd o w n t w o c o n d i t i o n s - - f id e l i t y to th e C h r i s t ia n p a t r i m o n y a n d , i n e x p re s -s io n , m a n i f e s t i n g th e l a n g u a g e a n d s ty le o f t h e c u lt u re . H e c o m m e n d e dp l u r a l i s m o f w o r s h i p . T h e Z a i r e b i s h o p s s e t a b o u t c r e a t i n g a l i t u r g y w h i c hw o u l d ' i n c a r n a t e t h e m e s s a g e o f r e v e l a t i o n i n t h e Z a i r e s o c i o -c u l t u ra lc o n t ex t a n d p r e s e n t t h e m y s t e r y c e l eb r a te d b y t h e C h r i s t ia n c o m m u n i t y i n ac o m p r e h e n s i v e m a n n e r ' T h e y s o u g h t th e a d v ic e o f a n t h r o p o lo g i s ts a n dl it u r g ic a l e x p e r t s a n d p a i d p a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n t o th e E t h i o p i a n r it e a n do t h e r k n o w n A f r i c a n ri te s. T h e r e s u l ta n t r i te , a p p r o v e d b y R o m e i n 1 9 88 ,t ri e s to t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t s o m e o f t h e i n s i g h ts o f f e r e d f r o m t h e s e r e s e a r c h e s T r a d i t i o n a l A f r i c a n r it u a ls b e g i n w i t h ' r it e s o f c o n t a c t ' e x p r e s s i n g a s e n se o ft h e t r a n s c e n d e n t , b r i n g i n g t h e v i s ib l e in t o t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e i n vi si b le . T h eZ a i r e M a s s b e g i n s t h e n w i t h th e i n v o c a t i o n o f s a in t s a n d a n c e s to r s .T r a d i t i o n a l r i tu a l s m o v e o n t o t he u n i o n b e t w e e n t h e v is ib le a n d i n vi si b lew o r l d s a n d t h e Z a i re M a s s m o v e s t o t h e c e l e b r a ti o n o f t h e W o r d o f G o d . I t ist h e W o r d o f G o d w h i c h r e v e a ls t o us o u r s i nf u ln e s s a n d t h e t ra d i t i o n a lA f r i c a n r i t u a l p u t s p u r i f i c a t i o n r i t e s h e r e . T h e Z a i r e M a s s h a s t h e r i t e o fp e n a n c e , t h e a s p e r s i o n o f t h e c o n g r e g a t i o n a n d t h e s i g n o f p e a c e a f t e r th ec e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e W o r d . T h e o f f e r in g o f g if ts is e x t e n s iv e a n d p a t t e r n e d o nt h e o f f e r i n g o f g if ts to a c h i e f a n d i n v o lv e s t h e c o n g r e g a t i o n i n t h e p r a y e r s o fo f f e r in g . A n d t h e e u c h a r i s ti c p r a y e r ( w h i c h fo ll ow s P r a y e r I I ) h a s m a n yr e s po n s e s f o r t h e c o n g r e g a t i o n w h o b e c o m e m u c h m o r e a c t iv e l y i n v o lv e dt h e m s e l v e s . T r a d i t i o n a l r i tu a l s i n v o lv e s h o r t t e xt s w i t h m a n y r e s p o n s e s .M u s i c a n d c h a n t s a r e t a k e n f r o m t r a d i t io n a l s ty le s a n d u s i n g t r a d i t i o n a li n s tr u m e n t s . T h e G o o d F r i d a y s i n g in g o f t h e P a s s i o n h a s b e e n s et t o m u s i cb y C a r d i n a l M a l u l a h i m s el f.

O n t h e w h o l e t h o u g h , w h i ls t t h e re is a s ig n i f ic a n t li tu r g i c al d e v e l o p m e n tw h i c h h a s c o m e a f te r c a re f ul r es e a r c h, t h e m o u l d o f t h e R o m a n r it e h a s n o tb e e n b r o k e n . S o m e w o u l d w a n t to be fa r m o r e r a d ic a l. T h e n e x t d e v e lo p -m e n t m u s t b e t h e e u c h a r i s t i c p r a y e r i ts el f. O u r l if e m u s t b e t r u l y i n t e g r a l i no u r f a i th a n d o u r w o r s h ip .

John Ball


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142 T H E O L O G I C A L T R E N D S

N O T E S1 S c h r e i t e r , R o b e r t : Co nstructing local theologies, N e w Y o r k , O r b i s , 1 9 8 5 .2 T r a c y , D a v i d : Blessed rage or order ( N e w Y o r k , S e a b u r y , 1 9 7 5) , p 2 4 .3 V a l a d i e r , P a u h ' L ' ~ v a n g e l i s a t l o n d a n s Ie m o n d e m o d e r n e ' , i n E t u d e s 3 4 4 ( 1 9 7 6 / 4 ) ,p p 6 0 5 - 6 1 0 .4 T r a c y , D a v i d : op. t i t . , p 27 .5 H e r e ' t e x t ' i s a s h o r t h a n d f o r w h a t T r a c y c a l ls t h e ' C h r i s t i a n f a c t ' . T h e n o n - b e l i e v e r isc o n f r o n t e d b y s y m b o l s , r it u a l s , e v e n t s , w i t n e s s e s , li fe - st y le a n d s o o n . W h a t t h e p h i l o s o p h e r sh a v e w r i t t e n a b o u t t e x t s T r a c y h o l d s t o b e a p p l i ca b l e t o t h i s w h o l e s i t u a t i o n .7 A m a l a d o s s , A . : ' M i s s i o n : f r o m V a t i c a n I I i n t o t h e c o m i n g d e c a d e ' , i n International review ofmission (Apr i l 1990 ) , p 213 .0 G e e r t z , C l i f f o r d : Th e interpretation o f cultures ( L o n d o n , H u t c h i n s o n , 1 9 7 5 ) , p 9 0 .

theo trends _john ball

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