Click to Download - Mission Theology
This thesis traces the origin of the church to the mission of the son and the Holy Spirit. This makes the church missionary by nature.
This thesis traces the origin of the church to the mission of the son and the Holy Spirit. This makes the church missionary by nature.
·
Acknowledging the plurality of religions
and theologies and the church invites the faithful to uphold the uniqueness of
Jesus Christ and at the same time to discern God’s salvific presence in other
religions and cultures as well.
·
The thesis rightly points out the
approach to mission has to be and integrated process, incorporating inter
religious dialogue, ecumenism, inculturation and establishing justice.
Church
is missionary by nature:
·
The God of the bible is other centered
and relational.
· As God is love, he wants to share his
love, he manifested his love through – Creation, Prophets, kings, and finally
god sent his Son.
·
Jesus experienced god as Abba.
·
Manifested his love through his words
and deeds.
·
The church is to manifest God’s love
that was expressed in Jesus Life ( Lk 4, 16 -21 = God’s mission began at
creation and expressed through his son, continued by the H, carried out by the
church.)
(Lk 4: 16 -21 –
·
To proclaim good new to the poor
·
freedom to the captives
·
sight to the blind
·
proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord
= Sabbatical year = Jubilee year
·
Sabbath is a day of rest for animals and
land.)
The mission of Jesus is the mission of
the church.
·
AG
1 -6 (1 -9: original) gives a theological basis for the
mission of the church.
·
It systematically develops the nature of
the church is missionary.
·
AG
– 1
church is divinely sent to the nations as universal sacrament of salvation. (Church
is called to be the salt and light).
·
(Rahner – Schillebeux, Dulles, Gutierez,
Tilead)
AG
– 2:
Source of mission: is father’s love
– fountain like love of God.
AG
– 3: Mission of the son: God enters
into human history through his son (incarnation) to establish a relationship of
peace and communion.
AG
– 4:
Mission of the spirit: Continues the mission of god/ Jesus in the church
(Pentecost)
AG
– 5:
Mission of the Church: Initially through the ministry of the disciples
and then through the church, the mission of Christ is continued even today. The
church is the sacrament of salvation today.
AG
– 6:
What is mission?
·
“Missions” term for particular
undertakings by the heralds of the gospel – sent
out by the church going forth into the whole world, carrying out the task of
preaching the gospel and planting the
church among the peoples or groups who do not yet believe in Christ.
·
The proper purpose of this missionary
activity is evangelization.
2. In the context of the pluralism of
religions and theology (LG 16, NA 1 -2)
·
The source of resurrection is ONE and
the same but perceived differently and experienced differently in the diverse
religious traditions.
·
India is a country with pluralism of
religions.
·
Variety of beliefs”
·
Diverse doctrines
·
multiplicity of rites and cultures
·
In this context, catholic church in
India faces the dual task of remaining faithful to its beliefs and in the
“uniqueness of Christ and in “discerning God’s salvific presence in the
plurality of religions and cultures”
·
LG
16: Speaks of salvation of non Christians. Those who
have not yet received the gospel are related to the people of God in various
ways.( Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Atheists, tribals)
·
NA
– 1 : All human beings form one human community, having
common origin and common destiny. That is in God .
·
NA
– 2 : CC church rejects nothing that is true and holy in other religions. It exhorts
spiritual + moral goods of these religions must be acknowledged, promoted and
preserved.
3. The CC has to remain faithful to its beliefs in the uniqueness of Jesus Christ(Rm – 5-8,
EA 10 -14) and continue his mission of making present God’s love and realize
the divine reign( EN 8,26,RM 13 -16) while discerning God’s alvific presence in
the plurality of religions and cultures( EA 15)
The uniqueness of Jesus Christ(Rm – 5-8, EA 10 -14) –
(Christology)
·
Church while acknowledging the goodness
in other religions ( LG 16,NA 1-2) affirms the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in RM
and EA.
·
Basing on Peter’s confession (Acts 4, 12)
RM teaches there is no other name….( that is there is salvation in no other
name except Jesus Christ.)
·
Also it quotes Paul saying that - there is one God and One Mediator.( 1 Tim
2,5)
·
EA 10: Jesus is the highest gift that
church can offer to the people of Asia.
In this sense mission is a privilege and duty of the church.
·
EA 11: Jesus is the God man who saves.
·
EA 12: Only in the person of Jesus does
God’s word of salvation appear in all its fullness.
·
EA 13 : Jesus Christ is the truth of
humanity
·
EA 14: Uniqueness and universality of
salvation in Christ.
Jesus Christ mains history’s center and
goal.
RM
5 – 8 affirms the uniqueness of Christ.
RM
5: Uniqueness and universality of salvation:
No one comes to the Father except through me + Acts 4, 12. He used Paul, John
and Timothy to support this view.
RM
6 : No
separation between Jesus of history and word of god.
RM
7-8 : Faith in Christ is directed to man’s freedom. It doesn’t abrogate his
freedom.
Mission of making present God’s love and
realize the divine reign( EN 8,26,RM 13 -16)
·
Jesus Christ through his life manifested
God’s love ad his mission was to establish the KOG.
·
During his earthly life and ministry the
kingdom of god was his sole priority. Ex
Mk 1,15: Jesus promises the kingdom. the manifesto of Jesus (Lk 4,16 -20) is
the actualization of the kingdom – parable, his deeds, words, table fellowship,
the prayer.
·
“Our Father” show his primary concern
was to manifest God’s love and to realize the divine reign.
EN
8 : as an evangelizer, Christ primarily proclaimed the
KOG.
EN 28 : ….to evangelize is
first of all to bear witness, that in his son, God has loved the world.
RM
13 – 16: Speaks of KOG.
·
RM
13 : Christ makes the kingdom present. that is through
his life and public ministry inaugurated the kingdom.
·
RM 14
& 15: This kingdom for all:
·
brings forgiveness
·
healing
·
leads to salvation( Lk 18, 14 -30)
·
transforms human relations\
·
Kingdom demands us to love and serve one
another.
RM
16 - KOG is fulfilled in the Risen Lord and
proclaimed. After the resurrection, there is a transition from kingdom of God
to Jesus Christ himself because Christ (risen) becomes the
manifestation/expression of the kingdom of God.
Discerning God’s salvific presence in the
plurality of religions and cultures.(EA 15)
EA 15 –
·
Affirms that one can discern
God’s salvific presence in the plurality of religions and cultures.
·
Speaks of the presence of
spirit of God in creation and history.
·
HS sow seeds of truth among
all people irrespective of their religion, culture, or philosophy( means these
are capable of helping people to work against
- evil to promote life.)
·
HS serves as prime agent of
– Dialogue – cultures – and religions.
Consequently the proclamation of the
goodnews in a particular context demands an integrated process of inter religious dialogue(EA 29,31),
Ecumenism(LG 15; EA 23 -28), Inculturation(EA 21 -22) ad work for justice, both
for humans and whole earth.(EA 32 -41).
·
Any activity where the faith
of the other (along with one’s own) is respected/ taken seriously is called
IRD.
·
Here Christian faith is not
to measure the faith of the other but to serve through dialogue.
·
Dialogue demands a
rootedness in one’s own faith and openness to the faith of the other.
IRD is based on Christian
faith which involves 3 aspects:
a.
Anthropological (NA – 1 :
All humans have common origin and common destiny)
b.
Theological ( God the creator,
created us all and enlightens us(Gen 1, Jn 1,1 ; Sir 17, 8)
c.
Ecclesiological ( as Jesus
established community as a sacrament/sign of the kingdom, so also church is to
be a sign/ sacrament of this kingdom).
·
EA 29: Desire for dialogue
is not simply a strategy for peaceful co-existence among peoples but an
essential part of Church’s mission.
EA 31 : Speaks of IRD:
IRD is developed in a
context of
·
Desire to respect.
·
Understanding
·
Openness to the believers
·
Willingness to listen to
their differences.
For this it demands: a love of others
·
resulting in collaboration
·
harmony
·
mutual enrichment
Different
types of dialogue:
1.
Dialogue
of life: Where people strive to live in an open
and neighborly spirit sharing in joys and sorrows,, human problems and
occupations.
2.
Dialogue
of Action :
for integral development and liberation of people.
3.
Dialogue
of theological exchange: Where specialists seek to deepen their
theological understanding.
4.
Dialogue
of religious exchange:
Share their religious riches with regard to prayer and contemplation
etc.
EcumenismLLG 15, EA 23 -28)
Ecumenism is a process directed towards
achievement of unity among all Christian churches.
Done by
- overcoming mutual suspicion and hatred.
·
Collaboration – taste of proclaiming
God’s love.
·
Establishing the KOG.
·
Not oneness ( bringing into one God) but
unity( a conciliar fellowship).
·
witness to Christ.
LG
15 : Speaks of unity among / with other baptized Christians by recognizing :
·
Jesus I the norm of faith and life.
·
Believing in God the Father.
·
Receiving Baptism and other sacraments.
·
Celebrating Eucharist.
·
Devotion to Mary.
Church recognizes the power of the HS in
them which is a move towards ecumenism.
EA
24: in the midst of many different peoples, cultures, religions,
the life of the church as communion – assumes greater importance.
Hence
unity within the church has specific relevance in Asia where there are
divisions, conflicts et.
EA
25: Communion within the Church (at every level such as
particular church, parish level, etc.
EA
26: Solidarity among churches (openness and collaboration
with one another – Regional
National
International
EA
27: catholic eastern churches (calling for more and
more collaboration between east and west – overcoming fears and
misunderstandings)
EA
28: Speaks of sharing hopes and sufferings.
Inculturation: (EA 21 -22)
· Inculturation is a relationship between
gospel and a particular culture in which gospel enters into a culture and
transforms it from within.
EA
21: speaks of inculturation. Church gives importance to
inculturation because – evangelization and inculturation are naturally and
intimately related to each other.
EA
22: Areas of Inculturation:
Theology
Liturgy
Formation
os evangelizers.
Obstacles:
·
Exclusivist and dogmatic claims by the church
·
Language of exclusivism and
superficiality.
·
Western spirituality and theology.
Work
for justice:
Jesus Christ manifested god’s love and
established the KOG here on earth, identified with the poor, destitute and the
oppressed; restored their dignity( LK 4, 16 -20 = manifesto of Jesus)
-
YHWH God who loves the poor, hears the
cry of the oppressed. In the same way, the church which is called to do the
mission of Jesus – should identify itself with the – poor –oppressed – work for
justice, peace and equality and restore human dignity(uphold human rights).
-
EA
32: Church is called to reach out all people especially
in loving service of the poor and destitutes.
-
EA
33: speaks of the dignity of human person and
encourages all to work towards the promotion of human rights, justice peace
etc.
(Moltman, lindbeck(Synod of Bishops –
1971) – EN, LE, SRS, Centiasimus Annus)
-
EA
34: Preferential love for the poor and voiceless,
because the Lord has identified himself with them.
-
EA
36 : work for health care(HIV,AIDs, etc)
-
EA
37 : Education for all
-
EA
38 : peacemaking among all.
-
EA
40 : Condemns foreign debts, corruption, misappropriation
of Public funds.
-
EA
41 :
Environmental( stewardship) – protecting the environment and caring for the
earth.
Conclusion:
Challenges of Indian Mission:
a.
Challenge
of being church – to serve and not to be served.
b.
Challenge
of prayer : whether Christian religious
communities are centres of prayer and contemplation.
c.
Challenge
of dialogue :
-
With faith seekers – discipleship –
witness.
-
With the poor and the marginalized –
solidarity.
-
People of different cultures –
inculturation
-
People of different religious tradition
– IRD.
d.
Empowering the poor – Preferential
option for the poor.
