Indian theologians and bishops have told a Vatican-sponsored
colloquium about the Church’s struggle in presenting Christ as the
“unique and only savior” in a multi-religious context.
A team from the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
led by its prefect Cardinal William Levada met with a group of
theologians and bishops of India Jan. 16-19 in Bangalore, ucanews.com
reports.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, president of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of India (CBCI), apprised about the struggles of the Indian
Church in a paper.
Twenty-six theologians attended the program where 29 Indian bishops and the six-member CDF team were present.
Cardinal Gracias explained the religious, social, cultural and
economic situation of India where Christians form only 2.3 percent of
1.2 billion Indians.
It is a “struggle” to proclaim Christ meaningfully before followers
of other religions and tribal religions so that they “understand, accept
and follow Jesus,” the Indian Church leader said.
Cardinal Gracias urged the Vatican to appreciate and encourage the
work of theologians to communicate Christ to those “who have a different
world-view, religious and philosophical convictions from that of the
traditional Christian world-view.”
Jesuit theologian Father Errol D’Lima, in his paper, explained there
could not be universal understanding of doing theology because of the
challenge of pluralism.
He stressed the need to appreciate Christian traditions, proclaiming
the Christian message in the civic life and the need for accelerating
dialogue as understood by Vatican II.
Another Jesuit theologian Father Michael Amaladoss in his paper said
since “the Church is not bound to any particular culture it can draw
from cultures elements compatible with its faith.”
His paper pointed out that all theology is contextual and “this is also true of Indian Christian theology.”
Carmelite of Mary Immaculate Father Sebastian Athappilly emphasized
the need of proclaiming Jesus Christ as the unique and universal savior.
He noted that some seemed to have watered down this “uniqueness of
Jesus Christ” in the context of religious pluralism. However, he did not
explain how this uniqueness of Christ could be communicated in
situations that question this position.
Salesian Father Dominic Veliath, a theologian, suggested the Church’s
attitude and lifestyle must reflect the teachings of Christ to
communicate Christ.
Bishop Thomas Dabre of Pune, who heads the CBCI’s Doctrine and
Theology Commission, wants theologians to consider the “faith of the
entire people of God” in doing theology.
Archbishop Luis Ladaria, CDF secretary, in his paper asked
theologians to “affirm the faith of the Church rather than personal
opinions.”
However, mere repetition of what the Church teaches does not offer a
service to the Church, he explained. The theologian, according to him,
is called to have “a humble audacity at the same time openness to
objective discussion, fraternal dialogue and readiness to modify one’s
own opinions.”
A paper also was presented reflecting on a 1989 CDF letter: On Some Aspect of Christian Meditation (Orationis Formas)
While asserting aspects of Christian meditation, the CDF had
criticized some eastern forms of mediations as “erroneous ways of
praying.”
Father Mathew Vellanickal in his paper, “Orationis Formas in an
Indian Context” said the self-redemption theories propounded by some
types of Eastern meditation techniques were incompatible with the
Catholic faith.
Indian Theologian Association president Father Jacob Parappally told
ucanews.com that “lively exchange of views and opinions” followed
presentation of each paper.
‘There was an atmosphere of cordiality, openness and mutual respect in seeking the truth together,” he added.
SIC: CTH/ASIA