A New Way of Being Church in Asia:

The Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC)

at the Service of Life in Pluralistic Asia

JONATHAN YUN-KA TAN

This article delves deeply into the official papers of The Federation of Asian
Bishops' Conferences' (FABC) to reveal a uniquely Asian ecclesiology. This "new
way of doing church" is rooted in six predominant propositions: (I) the Asian
Church is called to be a "communion of communities" that is (2) shaped by, and
responds to the immense diversity and pluralism of Asia, (3) under girded by a
commitment and service to life, (4) inspired by an overarching vision of harmony,
(5) oriented toward a threefold dialogue with Asian cultures, religions and the poor,
and (6) seeking to build the Kingdom of God in Asia.

T he Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) is a transnational

body comprising 14 Asian Catholic Bishops' Conferences as full members,
viz., Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos-Cambodia, Malaysia-
Singapore-Brunei, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and
Vietnam, as well as ten associate members: Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Macau, Mongolia, Nepal, Siberia, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.1 The
foundation for the FABC was laid at a historic meeting of 180 Asian Catholic Bishops
in Manila during the visit of Pope Paul VI to the Philippines in November 1970. Com-
menting on that groundbreaking event, Indian theologian Felix Wilfred notes: "Never
before had Asian bishops come together to exchange experiences and to deliberate
jointly on common questions and problems facing the continent. The meeting marked
the beginning of a new consciousness of the many traditional links that united the
various peoples of this region of the globe" (Wilfred 1992: xxiii).
Since that momentous date, it would certainly be an understatement to say that the
FABC has had a significant impact on the development, orientation, and growth of the
spiritual and theological life of the Asian Catholic Church for more than three decades.
Wilfred himself acknowledges that "the FABC has created horizontal communication

Jonathan Yun-Ka Ian is assistant professor of Minorities' Studies and World Religions in
Xavier University's Department of Theology in Cincinnati, Ohio. His research areas include
Religion, Culture and Society in China and Southeast Asia; Asian-American Socio-cultural
and Religious Self-identity in the American Diaspora; Comparative Theologies, Comparative
Religions and Contextual Theologies with particular Attention to Asia.

Editor's Note: Portions of this paper were originally published in FABC Papers, no. 109, in August 2004.

Missiology: An International Review, Vol XXXIII, no. 1, January 2005

 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 73
between the bishops and the bishops' conferences; it has fostered a spirit of colle-
giality, communion, and cooperation among them" (Wilfred 1992: xxix). In a similar
vein, missiologist Stephen Bevans, writing in 1996, observes that "the FABC could
look back on twenty-five years of activity which had yielded an impressive body
of documents that are incredibly rich, amazingly visionary, and truly worth carefiü
reading and study" (Bevans 1996:2). This "impressive body of documents" is the re-
sult of seven Plenary Assemblies,2 consultations, congresses and colloquia, Bishops'
Institutes on Lay Apostolate (BUA), Missionary Apostolate (BIMA), Interreligious
Affairs on the Theology of Dialogue (BERA), Social Action (BISA), and Social Com-
munication (BISCOM), as well as the Faith Encounters in Social Action (FEISA), and
important position papers from the FABC Office of Theological Concerns (formerly
known as the FABC Theological Advisory Commission).
In its official documents, the FABC has proceeded on the basis that the Asian
continent, with its teeming masses and their rich diversity and plurality of religions,
cultures, and philosophical worldviews require a distinctively Asian ecclesiology, a
"new way of being church" that is at home in such diversity and pluralism.3 In this
paper, I would like to propose that a careful and in-depth analysis of its official docu-
ments4 reveal the emergence of a uniquely Asian ecclesiology that can be summarized
in the following six propositions: (1) the Asian Church is called to be a "communion
of communities" that is (2) shaped by, and responds to the immense diversity and
pluralism of Asia, (3) under girded by a commitment and service to life, (4) inspired
by an overarching vision of harmony, (5) oriented toward a threefold dialogue with
Asian cultures, religions and the poor, and (6) seeking to build the Kingdom of God
in Asia. In the rest of this paper, I will analyze critically each of these six propositions
and explore their implications for the FABC s vision of a new way of being church in
diverse and pluralistic Asia.

1. The Asian Church as a "Communion of Communities"

In the first decade of its existence, the FABC focused its attention on defining
and exploring the implications of the "local church." This term was specifically de-
fined by the First FABC Plenary Assembly as "the realization and enfleshment of the
Body of Christ in a given people, a given place and time" (FABC I, art. 10) that is
"incarnate in a people, a church indigenous and inculturated" (FABC I, art. 12, in
Rosales 1992:14).5 Beginning in the 1980s, the FABC began to explore the idea of
church as communion: "the Church is at its deepest level a communion (koinonia)
rooted in the life of the Trinity, and thus in its essential reality a sacrament (mys-
terium et sacramentum) of the loving self-communication of God and the graced
response of redeemed mankind in faith, hope and love" (FABC III, art. 7.1, in Ros-
ales 1992:56, italics in the original). This communion is expressed in the church as
"a communion of committed disciples — be they clergy or laity — working for the
liberation of Asia" (FABC TV, art. 4.1.3, in Rosales 1992:191). The turning point was
the Fifth FABC Plenary Assembly in Bandung, which coined the phrase "communion
of communities":
The Church in Asia will have to be a communion ofcommunities, where laity, Religious
and clergy recognize and accept each other as sisters and brothers. They are called
together by the word of God which, regarded as a quasi-sacramental presence of
74 A New Way of Being Church in Asia

the Risen Lord, leads them to form small Christian communities (e.g., neighborhood
groups, Basic Ecclesial Communities and "covenant" communities). There, they pray
and share together the Gospel of Jesus, living it in their daily lives as they support
one another and work together, united as they are "in one mind and heart." (FABC V,
art. 8.1.1, in Rosales 1992:287)

This understanding was reinforced by the Sixth FABC Plenary Assembly (Manila),
which reiterated the need for the Asian Church to move towards "a new way of being
Church, a Church that is committed to becoming 'a community of communities,' and
a credible sign of liberation and salvation" (FABC VI, art. 3, in Eilers 1997:3). More
specifically, the Fifth Plenary Assembly (Bandung) explained that this new way of
being church as a "communion of communities" is marked by three characteristics: it
is participatory, dialogical, and prophetic.
First, the Asian Church is called to be "a participatory Church where the gifts
that the Holy Spirit gives to all the faithful — lay, Religious, and cleric alike —
are recognized and activated, so that the Church may be built up and its mission
realized" (FABC V, art. 8.1.2, in Rosales 1992:287, italics in the original). Second,
it is called to be "a Church that faithfully and lovingly witnesses to the Risen Lord
and reaches out to people of other faiths and persuasions in a dialogue of life towards
the integral liberation of all" (FABC V, art. 8.1.3, in Rosales 1992:287-288, italics in
the original). This understanding echoes the groundbreaking insight of the First FABC
Plenary Assembly, which viewed the Asian "church in continuous, humble, and loving
dialogue with the living traditions, the cultures, the great religions—in brief, with all
the life-realities of the people in whose midst it has sunk its roots deeply and whose
history and life it gladly makes its own" (FABC I., art. 12, in Rosales 1992:14). Third,
it is called to be "a leaven of transformation in this world and serves as a prophetic
sign daring to point beyond this world to the ineffable Kingdom that is yet fully to
come" (FABC V, art. 8.1.4, in Rosales 1992:288, italics in the original).
Since the Bandung meeting, the FABC has implemented its vision of bringing
about a "new way of being church" by developing what it calls an "Asian Integral
Pastoral Approach towards a New Way of Being Church in Asia (AsIPA)" (see Eilers
1997:107-111, 137-139; and Eilers 2002:107-112). For the FABC, AsIPA is "a par-
ticipatory way of being Church," whereby the "whole community of the faithful are
enabled to actively share in the integral, global vision and mission of Christ, in the
multi-dimensional [sic] context of Asia" (Eilers 1997:108).

2. The Asian Church Responding to the Immense Diversity and Pluralism

of Asia
On the one hand, Asia, home to two-thirds of the world's population, is blessed
with a diversity and plurality of the world's religious, philosophical, and socio-cultural
traditions. These traditions are very much alive and influential because they are inti-
mately intertwined with the socio-political and cultural lives of millions of Asians, as
well as nourishing their present spiritual needs. But on the other hand, Asia remains
the continent with the smallest Christian population despite almost two millennia of
Christian missionary activity, beginning with the pan-Asian missionary endeavors of
the Assyrian Church of the East in the first Christian millennium. At the beginning of
the third Christian millennium, Christians account for approximately four percent of
 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 75

Asia's population, and the only Asian countries with a significant Christian presence
are the Philippines, South Korea, and East Timor. As an Indian commentator, Augus-
tine Kanjamala puts it bluntly, "Asia, with the exception of a few tribal belts, is the
most difficult mission in the world" (Kanjamala 1993:197). The then FABC Theo-
logical Advisory Commission (now renamed FABC Office of Theological Concerns)
arrived at a similar conclusion, observing that the "Church in Asia is truly a little
flock, pusillus grex, an infinitesimal minority in an ocean of people who profess other
religious faiths or belong to other religious traditions" (FABC-TAC 1991:4). Article
13 of the 1991 FABC Theological Consultation identifies some reasons for this state
of affairs:

As a social institution the church is perceived as a foreign body in its colonial origins
while other world religions are not. The lingering colonial image survives in its tradi-
tional ecclesiastical structures and economic dependence on the west The church
is even sometimes seen as an obstacle or threat to national integration and to religious
and cultural identity.... The church remains foreign in its lifestyle, in its institutional
structures, in its worship, in its western-trained leadership and in its theology. (Rosales
1992:337)

The difficulty of doing Christian mission in the diverse and pluralistic Asian world
cannot be underestimated. In his review of Paul Knitter's Introducing Theologies of
Religions, the Vietoamese-American theologian Peter C. Phan points out that "it is in
Asia that the question of religious pluralism is literally a matter of life and death," and
more importantly, "the future of Asian Christianity hangs in balance depending on how
religious pluralism is understood and lived out" (Phan 2003a: 117). In response, the
FABC has sought consistently to work within the diverse pluralism of the Asian milieu
with its manifold peoples, cultures, and religions from its establishment, eschewing
all forms of religious exclusivism, and perceiving religious pluralism as an innate
and unique aspect of the Asian socio-religious landscape (Fernando 2000:864-869).
While many Christians consider the diversity and plurality of postmodern Europe and
North America as challenges that Christianity has to confront and overcome, for the
Asian bishops, the question is rather how the Asian Church could be at home within the
diversity and plurality of the Asian milieu. The following statement from the FABC s
Theological Advisory Commission summarizes the situation succinctly:

In the course of the last two thousand years the church has encountered and dialogued
with various peoples, cultures, and religions, with varying levels of success. Today,
however, especially in Asia, in the context of the Great Religions, which are in a
process of revival and renewal, the church is aware of a markedly different situation.
We do not ask any longer about the relationship of the church to other cultures and
religions. We are rather searching for the place and role of the church in a religiously
and culturally pluralistic world. (Theses on Interreligious Dialogue, art. 0.8 1987)

This comes as no surprise because the Asian bishops themselves have been born
into, and are living amidst such rich diversity and plurality. They recognize that they
and their fellow Christians have non-Christian family members, friends, neighbors,
and colleagues. At the same time, many of them also havefirsthandexperiences of
communalists, nationalists, and fundamentalists who reject such diversity and plurality
76 A New Way of Being Church in Asia

and are seeking to impose their narrow vision as normative through coercion, harass­
ment, and at times, violence. As a result, the Asian Bishops recognize that diversity
and pluralism lie at the heart of what it means to be Asian, because, ironically, in
the absence of such diversity and pluralism, there is no room for the Christian gospel
in Asia, a continent dominated by the world's great religions. Thus, the First FABC
Plenary Assembly recognized that the great religious traditions of Asia are:

... significant and positive elements in the economy of God's design and salvation.
In them we recognize and respect profound spiritual and ethical meanings and values.
Over many centuries they have been the treasury of the religious experience of our
ancestors, from which our contemporaries do not cease to draw light and strength.
They have been (and continue to be) the authentic expression of the noblest longings
of their hearts, and the home of their contemplation and prayer. They have helped to
give shape to the histories and cultures of our nations. (FABC I, art. 14, in Rosales
1992:14)

But more importantly, the First Plenary Assembly insisted that the Asian Church is
called to engage "in continuous, humble, and loving dialogue with the living traditions,
the cultures, the religions—in brief, with all the life-realities of the people in whose
midst it has sunk its roots deeply and whose history and life it gladly makes it own"
(FABC I, art. 12, in Rosales 1992:14).
One year after the conclusion of FABC I, BISA Π came out, among other things,
with the following statement on pluralism that would under gird all subsequent discus­
sions on pluralism in the various FABC Plenary Assemblies and Bishops' Institutes:
"Pluralism is a necessity once we work through the mediation of secular analysis and
worldviews. This pluralism should not be a threat to our Christian unity, but on the
contrary, a positive and creative sign that our unity is deeper than whatever the con­
crete technical analysis or viewpoints might show: a genuine value that emphasizes
unity in diversity" (BISA II, art. 10, in Rosales 1992:204). For the FABC, pluralism is
not as something negative,

... but a source of richness and strength: peace and harmony in Asian societies,
composed as they are of many cultural, ethnic and linguistic groups, would require
recognition of legitimate pluralism and respect for all the groups. Unity, peace, and
harmony are to be realized in diversity. Diversity is not something to be regretted
and abolished, but to be rejoiced over and promoted, since it represents richness and
strength. Harmony is not simply the absence of strife, described as "life and let live."
The test of true harmony lies in the acceptance of diversity as richness. (BIRA TV/11,
art. 15, in Rosales 1992:321)

Going one step further, the Final Statement of the 1995 FABC Hindu-Christian
Dialogue made it clear that the FABC viewed religious pluralism as constitutive of
the Asian reality:

Beyond the extremes of inclusivism and exclusivism, pluralism is accepted in resonance

with the constitutive plurality of reality. Religions, as they are manifested in history,
are complementary perceptions of the ineffable divine mystery, the God-beyond-God.
All religions are visions of the divine mystery. No particular religion can raise the
claim of being the norm for all others. We religious believers are co-pilgrims, who
 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 77

share intimate spiritual experiences and reflections with one another with concern
and compassion, with genuine openness to truth and the freedom of spiritual seekers
(sadhakas). In this process we become increasingly sensitive to human suffering and
collaborate in promoting justice, peace, and ecological wholeness. (BIRA V/3, art. 6,
in Eilers 1997:157-158)

This rejection of any religious exclusivism echoes an earlier statement: "When var-
ious religious groups lay absolute claim to truth, aggressive militancy and divisive
proselytism follow and, in their wake, bitter religious divisions" (BIRA TV/4, art. 4, in
Rosales 1992:300). Thus, an Indian commentator is able to conclude that the Asian
Bishops "consider religious pluralism as a grace and as a God-given call to be co-
pilgrims along with the believers of other religions in search of truth in love" (Fernando
2000:865).
At the same time, the FABC has acknowledged that critics of religious pluralism
often raise the specter of unbridled relativism or subjectivism. In response to these
critics, the FABC Office of Theological Concerns explains in a recent document en-
titled Methodology: Asian Christian Theology, Doing Theology in Asia Today that,
among other things, recognition of the religious pluralism does not necessarily lead to
an acceptance of subjectivism or relativism:

Pluralism need not always entail a radical subjectivism or relativism, in the sense
of claiming that all points of view are equally valid. However, it is also true that
the dawn of pluralistic, democratic, modern societies has paved the way to excessive
individualism and subjectivism, and a consequent relativizing of all reality. Thus, today
there are persons and groups who hold all reality to be relative. For such persons or
groups, pluralism means relativism, in the sense that they claim all points of view are
equally valid. Such philosophical or theological positions are to be rejected; and, in
fact, all the major Asian religions condemn such relativizing of reality, especially the
relativizing of basic human values. However, just because certain persons and groups
are misled in their search for truth, and just because they tend to perceive pluralism as
relativism, or just because they tend to relativize all reality, we cannot conclude that
all pluralism leads to relativism. (Eilers 2002:334)

3. The Asian Church Undergirded by a Commitment and Service to Life

The FABC s vision of a "new way of being church" begins with a commitment
and service to life that arises out of a holistic view of life together with a sense of
reverence that sees God's Spirit as active in the diverse and pluralistic Asian milieu.
As the Sixth FABC Plenary Assembly explains:

Ours is a vision of holistic life We envision a life with integrity and dignity, a life of
compassion for the multitudes, especially for the poor and needy. It is a life of solidarity
with every form of life and of sensitive care for the earth At the heart of our vision
of life is the Asian reverential sense of mystery and of the sacred, a spirituality that
regards life as sacred and discovers the Transcendent and its gifts even in mundane
affairs, in tragedy or victory, in brokenness or wholeness. (FABC VI, art. 10, in Eilers
1997:5, italics in the original text)6

In point of fact, the theme of the Sixth Plenary Assembly was "Christian Discipleship
in Asia Today: Service to Life" (Eilers 1997:1-12) and the first two sections of its
78 A New Way of Being Church in Asia

Final Statement are entitled "25 Years of FABC Commitment to Life" (Eilers 1997:2-
3) and "A Vision of Life Amid Asian Realities" (Eilers 1997:3-5). In particular, the
Sixth Plenary Assembly uses the imagery of Jesus' foot-washing to root its call for
commitment and service to life: "We join Jesus in serving life by washing the feet
of our neighbors" (FABC VI, art. 14.3, in Eilers 1997:9). More specifically, the Sixth
Plenary Assembly unpacks its vision of commitment and service to life as follows:

Our solidarity requires a resolve to work with ourAsian sisters and brothers in liberating
our societies from whatever oppresses and degrades human life and creation, most
especiallyfromsin. We offer die radical freedom of life in Christ Serving life
demands communion with every woman and man seeking and struggling for Ufe in
the way of Jesus' solidarity with humanity. Without Asian sisters and brothers, we
will strive to foster communion among Asian peoples who are threatened by glaring
economic, social, and political imbalances. With them we will explore ways of utilizing
the giñs of our diverse religions, cultures, and languages to achieve aricherand deeper
Asian unity. We build bridges of solidarity and reconciliation with peoples of other
faiths and will join hands with everyone in Asia in forming a true community of
creation. (FABC VI, art. 14.2, in Eilers 1997:8, emphasis added)

The Seventh Plenary Assembly develops this commitment and service to life in
the Asian milieu further when it calls for the "emergence of the Asianness of the
Church in Asia": "We are committed to the emergence of the Asianness of the Church
in Asia. This means that the Church has to be an embodiment of the Asian vision
and values of life, especially interiority, harmony, a holistic and inclusive approach to
every area of life" (Eilers 2002:8). As the Plenary Assembly explains:

We are also convinced that only by the "inner authority" of authentic lives founded
on a deep spirituality will we become credible instruments of transformation We
are aware that this Asianness, founded on solid values, is a special gift the world
is awaiting. For the whole world is in need of a holistic paradigm for meeting the
challenges of life. In this task, together with all Asians, the Church, a tiny minority
in this vast continent, has a singular contribution to make, and this contribution is the
task of the whole Church in Asia. (Eilers 2002:8-9)

In making this statement, it cites with approval, art. 6 of Ecclesia in Asia:

[We believe in] the innate spiritual insight and moral wisdom in the Asian soul; and it
is the core around which a growing sense of "being Asian" is built. This "being Asian"
is best discovered and affirmed not in confrontation and opposition, but in the spirit of
complementarity and harmony. In this framework of complementarity and harmony,
the Church can communicate the Gospel in a way which is faithful both to her own
tradition and to the Asian Soul. (Eilers 2002:8-9)

More specifically, such a call for a personal commitment to, and active solidar-
ity with the life experiences of the Asian peoples entails more than mere sympathy,
empathy, or occasional encounters of theologians, bishops, and other pastoral leaders
with the daily lives of the Asian peoples, especially the poor and marginalized. Rather,
it calls for their personal commitment, deep immersion, and experiential participation
in the lives of these peoples, not as outsiders who drop by to visit, but as insiders
 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 79

who are bound in solidarity with them. As the First FABC Plenary Assembly puts
it, this "dialogue of life... demands working, not for them merely (in a paternalistic
sense), but with them, to learn from them (for we have much to learn from them!)
their real needs and aspirations" (FABC I, art 20, in Rosales 1992:15). Such a com-
mitment and service to life may be understood from a two-fold perspective, viz., an
explicit epistemological perspective which allows one to better understand the Asian
peoples and their life experiences, but more importantly, an underlying theological
perspective which recognizes the presence and workings of God in the Asian peoples'
diverse Sitz-im-Leben. Accordingly, the FABC is of the view that Jesus Christ is to
be encountered in Asia within the specificity of the Asian peoples' life realities, and
especially in the midst of the poor and marginalized:

The Christian community, it seems to us, must live in companionship, as true partners
with all Asians as they pray, work, struggle, and suffer for a better human life, and as
they search for the meaning of human life and progress. Because the human person
created in Christ, redeemed by Christ, and united by Christ to himself is the way for
the Church, the church must walk along with him/her in human solidarity." (FABC V,
art. 6.2, in Rosales 1992:283)

4. The Asian Church Inspired by an Overarching Vision of Harmony

The FABC s overarching vision of harmony is rooted in its firm belief that "there
is an Asian approach to reality, a world-view, wherein the whole is the sum-total
of the web of relationships and interaction of the various parts with each other, in
a word, harmony, a word which resonates with all Asian cultures" (Asian Christian
Perspectives on Harmony, art. 6, in Eilers 1997:298). For the FABC, the quest for
harmony is its contribution to "the cause of unity of the peoples of Asia marked by
such a diversity of beliefs, cultures, and socio-political structures," because "in an
Asia marked by diversity and torn by conflicts, the church must in a special way be a
sacrament—a visible sign and instrument of unity and harmony" (FABC V, art. 4.2,
in Rosales 1992:282). This call is especially prophetic and poignant today, in view
of the occurrence of religious strife in many parts of Asia, e.g., the Hindu-Christian
conflict in India and the Muslim-Christian conflict in Indonesia.
According to the FABC, the notion of harmony is well-placed to act as this com-
mon underlying foundation for communication amidst much diversity and pluralism
because it is authentically Christian, yet quintessentially Asian, viz., harmony appears
"to constitute in a certain sense the intellectual and affective, religious and artistic,
personal and societal soul of both persons and institutions in Asia" (BIRA TV/1, art. 13,
in Rosales 1992:249). In this regard, BIRA V/2 presents the following understanding
of harmony that speaks to both Christians and non-Christians alike:

Harmony can be perceived and realized at various levels: Harmony in oneself as

personal integration of body and mind; harmony with the Cosmos, not only living in
harmony with nature, but sharing nature's gift equitably to promote harmony among
peoples; harmony with others, accepting, respecting, and appreciating each one's
cultural, ethnic, and religious identity, building community in freedom and fellowship;
harmony in our collaborations as a means of promoting harmony for all in the world;
andfinallyharmony with God or the Absolute or whatever we perceive as the ultimate
goal of life. (Eilers 1997:151)
80 A New Way of Being Church in Asia

Indeed, the FABC speaks of the experience of harmony within an overarching and
holistic vision of unity in the Asian milieu:

In therichdiversity of ancient Asian cultures and faiths is a vision of unity in diversity,

a communion of life among diverse peoples Ours is a vision of holistic life, life that
is achieved and entrusted to every person and every community of persons, regardless
of gender, creed or culture, class or color.... At the heart of our vision of life is the
Asian reverential sense of mystery and of the sacred, a spirituality that regards life
as sacred and discovers the Transcendent and its gifts even in mundane affairs, in
tragedy or victory, in brokenness or wholeness. This deep interiority draws people to
experience harmony and inner peace and infuses ethics into all of creation. (FABC VI,
art. 10, in Eilers 1997:5)

This statement builds on the earlier statement by the Fourth FABC Plenary Assembly:
"Asian religious cultures see human beings, society, and the whole universe as inti-
mately related and interdependent. Fragmentation and division contradict this vision"
(FABC IV, art. 3.1.10, in Rosales 1992:181). More importantly, such an understanding
of harmony is also rooted in the foundations of a cosmic harmony and unity which
accepts the pluralism and diversity of the Asian religio-cultural traditions as a positive
and rich expression of the mystery of the divine plan of creation:

When we look into our traditional cultures and heritages, we note that they are inspired
by a vision of unity. The universe is perceived as an organic whole with the web of
relations knitting together each and every part of it. The nature and the human are
not viewed as antagonistic to each other, but as chords in a universal symphony. The
whole reality is maintained in unity through a universal rhyme (Rta; Tao). This unity
of reality is reflected in the human person in that his senses, consciousness, and spirit
are organically interlinked, oneflowinginto the other. When this unity and harmony
are manifested in inter-human relationship of justice, order, and righteousness, it is
considered dharmic (dharma, dhamma). Sensitivity in human relationships, close ties
of love and cooperation in families are highly valued in our cultures. Furthermore,
traditionally, the various groups in Asian societies were held together harmoniously
through forces of syncretism, spirit of tolerance, mysticism and through messianic
movements. (BIRA IV/11, art. 6, in Rosales 1992:319)

As BIRA V/4 subsequently explains, within the many Asian philosophical-religious

worldviews, harmony is perceived as "the spiritual pursuit of the totality of reality in
its infinite diversity and radical unity" that "evolves by respecting the otherness of
the other and by acknowledging its significance in relation to the totality" (BIRA V/4,
art. 6, in Eilers 1997:157). Harmony is also predicated upon the commonly held view
that since "the ultimate ground of being is unity-in-plurality, the divergent forms of
reality [in the Asian milieu] are perceived in the convergent rhythm that harmonizes
them" (BIRA V/4, art. 6, in Eilers 1997:157).
In the FABC s view, despite "religious, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity,
one can perceive a unity of values and perceptions" which is epitomized in the spirit of
harmony: "Harmony, in the created universe, within the human family, and internalized
in the individual person, has for centuries been an ideal to which peoples of the
region have striven" (Harmony among Believers of Living Faiths, art. 5, in Eilers
1997:174). More importantly, the simplistic and naïve understanding of harmony as a
 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 81

mere absence of strife is consistently rejected by the FABC: "Harmony is not simply
the absence of strife, described as 'Uve and let Uve.' The test of true harmony lies in
the acceptance of diversity as richness" (BIRA TV/11, art. 15, in Rosales 1992:321).
Also, the FABC rejects any suggestion that the quest for harmony is reductionistic and
willfully ignores valid distinctions and disagreements:

[H]armony does not consist in leveling off differences in order to arrive at consensus
at any cost. Avoiding controversies and bypassing disagreements do not pave the way
to harmony. To say that all religions are the same is simplistic and does not promote
honest dialogue, but to argue that religions do not meet at all would block any creative
interaction." (BIRA V/3, art. 7, in Eilers 1997:158)

Moving on to discussing the Christian perspectives on harmony, the FABC points

out that "Christianity teaches a threefold harmony: harmony with God, among humans,
and with the whole universe. Union with a personal God is viewed as the source of all
genuine harmony" (BIRA V/4,'art. 5, in Eilers 1997:164). From the Christian perspec-
tive, harmony is also divinely inspired, because "God is the source and summit of all
harmony. He is the foundation and the fulfillment of it" (Asian Christian Perspectives
on Harmony, art. 5.1.1.4, in Eilers 1997:288). In this respect, harmony as a theological
notion also draws its inspiration and strength from the harmonious unity of the Trinity:
"The marvelous mystery of unity and communion of the Trinity is a model as well
as a powerful challenge in our efforts to create harmony in all areas of life" (BIRA
TV/11, art. 7, in Rosales 1992:319).7 The trinitarian dimension of harmony was further
elaborated by the FABC Office of Theological Concerns in the following manner: "the
harmony of the universe finds its origin in the one Creator God, and human harmony
should flow from the communion of Father and Son in the Spirit, and ought to be
continually nourished by the 'circumincession' (perichoresis) in divine life" (Asian
Christian Perspectives on Harmony, art. 4.11.3, in Eilers 1997:285). Such trinitarian
and cosmic perspectives of harmony give rise to an understanding of harmony which
"acknowledges the sacredness of nature and invites us to live in harmony with nature
and to foster its growth" (BIRA TV/12, art. 33, in Rosales 1992:330). This notion of
harmony is inspired by a universal concern that is "geared ultimately to the well-being
and peace of the universe and humankind" (BIRA TV/11, art. 21, in Rosales 1992:322).

5. The Asian Church in a Threefold Dialogue with Asian Religions, Cultures,

and Poverty
From the very beginning, the FABC has always maintained that at the heart of the
task of mission of the Asian Church lies the dialogical encounter between the Asian
Church and the Asian milieu with its threefold reality of Asian religions, culture, and
poverty:

[A] church in continuous, humble and loving dialogue with the living traditions, the
cultures, the great religions—in brief, with all the life-realities of the people in whose
midst it has sunk its roots deeply and whose history and life it gladly makes its own.
It seeks to share in whatever truly belongs to that people: its meanings and its values,
its aspirations, its thoughts and its language, its songs and its artistry. (FABC I, art. 12,
in Rosales 1992:14)
82 A New Way of Being Church in Asia

Looking back at the First FABC Plenary Assembly, Michael Amaladoss comments that
the Asian Bishops saw mission as a dialogue with "the threefold realities of Asia,"
viz., "its rich cultures, its ancient and great religions, and the poor" and accepted
Asian religions as "significant and positive elements in the economy of God's design
of salvation" because they have "a living experience of other religions" (Amaladoss
1991:362, emphasis added).
For the FABC, dialogue is "an integral part of evangelization" (BIMAII, art. 14,
in Rosales 1992:100), "intrinsic to the very life of the Church" (BIRA I, art. 9, in
Rosales 1992:111), an "essential mode of all evangelization" (Message of the 1979
International Congress on Mission, art. 19, in Rosales 1992:131), and "a true expres­
sion of the Church's evangelizing action" (BIMA II, art. 14, in Rosales 1992:101).
More particularly, "dialogue is ecclesial: it is the very being and life of the Church
as mission" (Theses on Interreligious Dialogue, art. 3.3). On the one hand, the FABC
takes the position that "interreligious dialogue flows from the nature of the Church, a
community in pilgrimage journeying with peoples of other faiths towards the King­
dom that is to come" (BIRA IV/4, art. 2, in Rosales 1992:300). On the other hand, the
FABC also points out that dialogue does not preclude the need for the proclamation
of the Christian Gospel: in fact there could be a moment when "we shall not be timid
when God opens the door for us to proclaim explicitly the Lord Jesus Christ as the
Savior and the answer to the fundamental questions of human existence" (FABC V,
art. 4.3, in Rosales 1992:282, italics in the original). However, a distinctively Asian
approach of proclamation is needed:

Mission mayfindits greatest urgency in Asia; it alsofindsin our continent a distinc­

tive mode. We affirm, together with others, that "the proclamation of Jesus Christ is
the center and primary element of evangelization" (Statement of the FABC All-Asia
Conference on Evangelization, Suwon, South Korea, August 24-31, 1988).8 But the
proclamation of Jesus Christ in Asia means,firstof all, the witness of Christians and of
Christian communities to the values of the Kingdom of God, a proclamation through
Christlike deeds. For Christians in Asia, to proclaim Christ means above all to live like
him, in the midst of our neighbors of other faiths and persuasions, and to do his deeds
by the power of his grace. Proclamation through dialogue and deeds—this is the first
call to the Churches in Asia. (FABC Κ art 4.1, in Rosales 1992:281-282, italics in the
original)

On the basis of the foregoing, the Fifth FABC Plenary Assembly has equated the
FABC s threefold dialogue with the Christian mission imperative and concludes thus:

Mission includes: 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. Mission
will mean a dialogue with Asian *s poor, with its local cultures, and with other religious
traditions. (FABC V, art. 3.1.2, in Rosales 1992:280, emphasis added)

This identification of proclamation with the "witness of life" builds upon the earlier
statement made by the Third Bishops' Institute for Missionary Apostolate meeting in
Changhua in 1982:
 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 83

It is true that in many places [in Asia] Christ cannot yet be proclaimed openly by
words. But He can, and should be, proclaimed through other ways, namely: through
the witness of life of the Christian community and family, and their striving to know
and live more fully the faith they possess; through their desire to live in peace and
harmony with those who do not share our faith; through the appreciation by Christians
of the human and religious values possessed by their non-Christian neighbors, and
through these same Christians' willingness to collaborate in those activities which
promote the human community. (BIMA III, art. 10, in Rosales 1992:105)

More importantly, the Seventh Plenary Assembly (Samphran 2000), with the
benefit of two months' reflection on John Paul It's apostolic exhortation Ecclesia
in Asia, reasserted their preference for the "witness of life" as the Asian way of
proclaiming the Christian Gospel in Asia:

The most effective means of evangelization and service in the name of Christ has
always been and continues to be the witness of life. The embodiment of our faith
in sharing and compassion (sacrament) supports the credibility of our obedience to
the Word (proclamation). This witnessing has to become the way of the Gospel for
persons, institutions, and the whole Church community. Asian people will recognize
the Gospel that we announce when they see in our life the transparency of the message
of Jesus and the inspiring and healing figure of men and women immersed in God.
(Eilers 2002:12-13, emphasis added)

Dialogue with Asian Cultures

The rationale for the Asian Church engaging in a dialogue with cultures9 has been
explained by the then FABC Theological Advisory Commission (now renamed FABC
Office of Theological Concerns) in its groundbreaking document, Theses on the Local
Church, as follows:

Each culture not only provides us with a new approach to the human, but also opens
up new avenues for the understanding of the Gospel and its riches. When the Gospel
encounters the tradition, experience, and culture of a people, its hitherto undiscovered
virtualities will surface; riches and meanings as yet hidden will emerge into the light.
That is why it is so important to reinterpret the Gospel through the cultural resources of
every people; this reinterpretation truly enriches the Christian tradition. (FABC-TAC
1991:20-21)
By living within their particular context according to the "sense of faith aroused
and sustained by the Spirit of truth" (LG 12), the faithful will learn to express their
faith not only infidelityto the Apostolic Tradition, but also in response to their cultural
situations. This response is the responsibility of the whole community which discerns
God's Word and Spirit in its culture and history. (FABC-TAC 1991:28)

This dialogical encounter "facilitates the Incarnation of the Good News in the various
cultures creating new ways of life, action, worship, and reflection, so as to help the
growth of the local churches and to realize the catholicity and fullness of the mystery
of Christ" (BIRA III, art. 5, in Rosales 1992:120).
84 A New Way of Being Church in Asia

Dialogue with Asian Religions

The importance of engaging in a dialogue with the Asian religions wasfirstrecog-
nized by the 1970 Asian Bishops' Meeting: "We pledge ourselves to an open, sincere,
and continuing dialogue with our brothers of other great religions of Asia, that we
may learnfromone another how to enrich ourselves spiritually and how to work more
effectively together on our common task of total human development" (ABM, resolu-
tion 12, in Rosales 1992:9). It has been suggested that inter-religious dialogue is not
merely an activity of Asian Christians, but rather "it enters into the very definition
of what it is to be a Christian in Asia. To be Christian is not an abstraction, but a
contextual reality" (Wilfred 1988:428). Hence, the First FABC Plenary Assembly has
emphasized that it is only through dialogue that the Asian Church is able to give due
reverence and honor to these Asian religions and acknowledge that God has drawn
these religions to Godself (FABC I, art. 15, in Rosales 1992:14). In giving a privi-
leged place to the religious traditions of the Asian peoples, the First FABC Plenary
Assembly pointed out that:

In this dialogue we accept them [the great religious traditions] as significant and
positive elements in the economy of God's design of salvation. In them we recognize
and respect profound spiritual and ethical meanings and values. Over many centuries
they have been the treasuries of the religious experience of our ancestors,fromwhich
our contemporaries do not cease to draw light and strength. They have been (and
continue to be) the authentic expression of the noblest longings of their hearts and
the home of their contemplation and prayer. They have helped to give shape to the
histories and cultures of our nations. (FABC I, art. 14, in Rosales 1992:14)

Elsewhere, the FABC has affirmed that "it is an inescapable truth that God's Spirit
is at work in all religious traditions" (BIRA IV/12, art. 7, in Rosales 1992:326) because:

... the Spirit of Christ is active outside the bounds of the visible Church. God's saving
grace is not limited to members of the church, but is offered to every person. His grace
may lead some to accept baptism and enter the Church, but it cannot be presumed
that this must always be the case. His ways are mysterious and unfathomable, and no
one can dictate the direction of His grace. (BIRA II, art. 12, in Rosales 1992:115. Cf.
BIRA IV/1, art. 10, in Rosales 1992:249)

Hence, interreligious dialogue "is based on the firm belief that the Holy Spirit is
operative in other religions as well" (BIRA TV/2, art. 8.5, in Rosales 1992:253), because
the religious traditions of Asia "are expressions of the presence of God's Word and
of the universal action of his Spirit in them" (Theological Consultation, art. 43, in
Rosales 1992:344). In particular, the "great religions of Asia with their respective
creeds, cults, and codes reveal to us diverse ways of responding to God whose Spirit
is active in all peoples and cultures" (BIRA TV/7, art. 12, in Rosales 1992:310). For
the FABC, it is "the same spirit, who has been active in the Incarnation, life, death,
and resurrection of Jesus and in the Church, who was active among all peoples before
the Incarnation and is active among the nations, religions and peoples of Asia today"
(BIRA IV/3, art. 6, in Rosales 1992:259).
As far as the FABC is concerned, "interreligious dialogue flows from the nature
of the Church, a community in pilgrimage journeying with peoples of other faiths
 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 85

towards the Kingdom that is to come" (BIRA N/4, art. 2, in Rosales 1992:300). In
particular, "religious dialogue is not just a substitute for or a mere preliminary to
the proclamation of Christ, but should be the ideal form of evangelization, where
in humility and mutual support we seek together with our brothers and sisters that
fullness of Christ which is God's plan for the whole of creation, in its entirely [sic]
and its great and wonderful diversity" (BIMA I, art. 10, in Rosales 1992:94).

Dialogue with the Poor

The First FABC Plenary Assembly explained that the Asian Church has to par-
ticipate in a "dialogue of life" with the poor which involves a genuine experience
and understanding of the poverty, deprivation, and oppression of many of the Asian
peoples (FABC I, art. 20, in Rosales 1992:15). The First Plenary Assembly defines the
term "poor" as follows: "Poor, not in human values, qualities, nor in human potential.
But poor, in that they are deprived of access to material goods and resources which
they need to create a truly human life for themselves. Deprived, because they live
under oppression, that is, under social, economic, and political structures which have
injustice built into them" (FABC I, art. 19, in Rosales 1992:15).
This gives rise to a genuine commitment and effort to bring about social justice in
the Asian societies. In so doing, the FABC affirmed the Statement of the 1971 Special
Synod of Bishops on Justice in the World, which had insisted that "actions in behalf
of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as
a constitutive dimension of preaching of the Gospel..., for we believe that this, in
our time, is part and parcel of 'preaching the Good News to the poor' " (quoted in
FABC I, art. 22, in Rosales 1992:15-16), and pointed out that "evangelization and
the promotion of true human development and liberation, are not only not opposed,
but make up today the integral preaching of the Gospel, especially in Asia" (FABC I,
art. 23, in Rosales 1992:16). Hence, the poor is seen as "ultimately the privileged
community and agents of salvation (as has always been the case in the history of
salvation)" (International Congress on Mission, art. 4, in Rosales 1992:144). The
Sixth FABC Plenary Assembly explains succinctly:

Like Jesus, we "have to pitch our tents" in the midst of all humanity building a better
world, but especially among the suffering and the poor, the marginalized and the
downtrodden of Asia. In profound "solidarity with suffering humanity" and led by
the Spirit of life, we need to immerse ourselves in Asia's cultures of poverty and
deprivation, from whose depths the aspirations for love and life are most poignant and
compelling. Serving life demands communion with every woman and man seeking and
struggling for life, in the way of Jesus' solidarity with humanity. (FABC VI, art. 14.2,
in Eilers 1997:8)

Proclamation through Dialogue

In response to the traditional understanding of Christian mission as the procla-
mation of the Gospel to non-Christians, the FABC has consistently asserted that in
the Asian context, the proclamation of the Christian Gospel takes place through dia-
logue. The starting point for such an understanding may be traced back to the 1987
86 A New Way of Being Church in Asia

document Theses on Interreligious Dialogue of the FABC Theological Advisory Com-

mission (now renamed the FABC Office of Theological Concerns). Of the seven theses
enunciated in the document, thesis 6 asserts:

Dialogue and proclamation are integral but dialectical and complementary dimensions
of the Church's mission of evangelization. Authentic dialogue includes a witness to
one's total Christian faith, which is open to a similar witness of the other religious
believers. Proclamation is a call to Christian discipleship and mission. As a service to
the mystery of the Spirit who freely calls to conversion, and of the person who freely
responds to the call, proclamation is dialogical. (Theses on Interreligious Dialogue,
thesis 6)

As it unpacks this statement, it warns against any facile reduction of one to the other:

The relation between dialogue and proclamation is a complex one. In making an effort
to understand this relationship, we must avoid from the beginning any attempt to reduce
one to the other. Some would tend to say that dialogue itself is the only authentic form
of proclamation since the Church is only one among the many ways to salvation; others
would tend to say that dialogue is only a step, though with an identity of its own, in
the total process that culminates in proclamation. While the former approach robs
proclamation of any specific meaning, the latter instrumentalizes dialogue. (Theses on
Interreligious Dialogue, art. 6.2)

The document then stresses that proclamation should not be understood in the abstract,
but within the context of, and integrated into the threefold dialogue:

The Asian bishops have understood evangelization as the building up of the local
church through a threefold dialogue with the cultures, the religions, and the poor of
Asia. Inculturation, interreligious dialogue, and liberation are the three dimensions
of evangelization. Proclamation is not a fourth dimension added to these three, but
is the aspect of witness that is an integral element of all the three dimensions of
evangelization. (Theses on Interreligious Dialogue, art. 6.4)

Elsewhere, the FABC has reiterated that "dialogue aimed at 'converting' the other
to one's own religious faith and tradition is dishonest and unethical; it is not the
way of harmony" (BIRA V/3, art. 7, in Eilers 1997:158). As for the relationship be-
tween dialogue, proclamation and conversion, the FABC has pointed out, rightfully,
that "dialogue and proclamation are complementary. Sincere and authentic dialogue
does not have for its objective the conversion of the other. For conversion depends
solely on God's internal call and the person's free decision" (BIRA III, art. 4, in Ros-
ales 1992:120). While the sapiential "Asian" vision of the FABC does not neglect
the importance of proclamation, it also values friendship and trust, relationality and
relationship-building, dialogue and consensus, as well as solidarity and harmony as
constitutive elements of the task of mission in Asia.
On the one hand, the FABC does not exclude the explicit verbal proclamation of
the Christian Gospel as mission, but it recognizes that context plays a very impor-
tant role in determining which is the best approach to mission. Perhaps, one of the
inherent dangers of proclamation is that it may result in a triumphalistic monologue
 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 87

that tramples on the legitimate concerns of non-Christian Asians. In addition, procla-

mation often comes across as being overly discursive, i.e., there is an abundance of
words in proclamation that aims to prove or emphasize particular truth claims that the
Christian missionary may deem important. By contrast, it has been pointed out that
in the Asian mindset, "truth does not impose itself, but rather attracts everyone and
everything to itself by its beauty, splendour, and fascination" (Wilfred 1988:427) —
which is what dialogue is all about. In short, proclamation without dialogue runs the
risk of aggressive proselytism with its highly negative connotations. On this basis,
Michael Amaladoss is able to say that evangelization in Asia as a threefold dialogue
with the realities of Asia "means that we do not import readymade structures of 'sal-
vation' from somewhere, but we let the people of Asia dialogue with the Good News
in a creative and relevant way" (Amaladoss 2000:340).
On the other hand, through dialogue, not only the Asian socio-religious realities
may be enriched by Christianity, in turn, Christianity, too, may be enriched by the
Asian socio-religious realities. Otherwise, a one-way monologue opens Christianity
to the charge of instrumentalization, i.e., appropriating the soteriological elements
in Asian socio-religious realities for Christian use without respecting their integrity
within their Asian socio-religious matrix. Corollary to this view is the observation of
the Indian theologian, Felix Wilfred:

Any work of mission which does not recognise what God has been doing with a people,
with a country and continent, and with their history, is simply and purely arrogance
vis-à-vis God's own bounteous gifts Triumphalism and exclusivism of any kind
are diametrically opposed to spirituality. They fail to recognise and appreciate the
thousand flowers God has let grow,flourish,and blossom in the garden of the world;
they fail to acknowledge in practice the presence and working of the Spirit in the life
and history of peoples. (Wilfred 1990:590)

More importantly, implicit in such a missiology is the acknowledgment and accep-

tance of a fundamental ontological, soteriological, and existential relationship between
the Christian Gospel and the Asian peoples with their rich religious and cultural tradi-
tions, as well as their daily socio-economic challenges. Such a deep and profound
missiology enables the Asian Church to move away from the piantano ecclesiae
mentality, i.e., away from "an institution planted in Asia" towards "an evangelizing
community of Asia" (Theological Consultation, art. 15, in Rosales 1992:338). Clearly,
the FABC has great hopes that the local church is able to be deeply inculturated in
the Asian soil to the extent that it becomes not simply a church in Asia, but truly an
Asian church (BIRA TV/12, art. 50, in Rosales 1992:333).

6. The Asian Church Seeking to Bring About the Kingdom of God in Asia
The FABC s regnocentric approach to the task of Christian mission is "rooted in
the conviction of faith that God's plan of salvation for humanity is one and reaches
out to all peoples: it is the Kingdom of God through which he seeks to reconcile all
things with himself in Jesus Christ" (Theses on Interreligious Dialogue, art. 2.3). As
the document Theses on Interreligious Dialogue explains: "The focus of the church's
mission of evangelization is building up the Kingdom of God and building up the
church to be at the service of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is therefore wider
88 A New Way of Being Church in Asia

than the church. The church is the sacrament of the Kingdom, visibilizing it, ordained
to it, promoting it, but not equating itself with it" (Theses on Interreligious Dialogue,
art. 6.3).
This point was subsequently affirmed at the 1988 FABC All-Asia Conference on
Evangelization, which explained that the "ultimate goal of all evangelization is the
ushering in and establishment of God's Kingdom, namely God's rule in the hearts
and minds of our people" (BIMA IV, art. 5, in Rosales 1992:292). At the same time,
"the core of Christ's proclamation is the Kingdom of God" (BIRA TV/10, art. 6, in
Rosales 1992:314) and the Asian Church "is an instrument for the actualization of the
Kingdom" (BIRA TV/2, art. 8.2, in Rosales 1992:252). The FABC has explained the
relationship between the church and the Kingdom of God as follows:

[T]he Reign of God is the very reason for the being of the church. The church exists
in and for the Kingdom. The Kingdom, God's gift and initiative, is already begun
and is continually being realized and made present through the Spirit. Where God is
accepted, when die Gospel values are lived, where man is respected... there is the
Kingdom. It is far wider than the church's boundaries. This already present reality
is oriented towards the final manifestation and full perfection of the Reign of God.
(BIRA TV/2, art. 8.1, in Rosales 1992:252, emphasis added)

Similarly, art. 30 of the 1991 Theological Consultation insists:

[T]he Reign of God is a universal reality, extending far beyond the boundaries of
the church. It is the reality of salvation in Jesus Christ, in which Christians and
others share together. It is die fundamental "mystery of unity" which unites us more
deeply than differences in religious allegiance are able to keep us apart. Seen in this
manner, a "regnocentric" approach to mission theology does not in any way threaten
the Christo-centric perspective of our faith. On the contrary, "regno-centrism" calls for
"christo-centrism," and vice-versa, for it is in Jesus Christ and through the Christ-event
that God has established his Kingdom upon the earth and in human history. (Rosales
1992:342)

The Asian church is perceived as "constantly [moving] forward in mission, as it

accompanies all humankind in its pilgrimage to the Kingdom of the Father" (FABC III,
art. 15, in Rosales 1992:60). In tins respect, the FABC also pointed out that:

Christian communities in Asia must listen to the Spirit at work in the many communities
of believers who live and experience their own faith, who share and celebrate it in
their own social, cultural, and religious history, and that they (as communities of the
Gospel) must accompany these others "in a common pilgrimage toward the ultimate
goal, in relentless quest for the Absolute," and that thus they are to be "sensitively
attuned to the work of the Spirit in the resounding symphony of Asian communion."
(FABC III, art. 8.2, in Rosales 1992:57)

In addition, the 1991 FABC Theological Consultation concluded: "if the Church is
the sacrament of the Kingdom, the reason is that she is the sacrament of Jesus Christ
himself who is the mystery of salvation, to whom she is called to bear witness and
whom she is called to announce. To be at the service of the Kingdom means for
 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 89

the Church to announce Jesus Christ" (Theological Consultation, art. 33, in Rosales
1992:342).
In concluding thus, the FABC is convinced that there is one divine plan of salvation
that is wider than the church, and more significantly, the church does not have a
monopoly on God's salvation for humanity. As the Theses on Interreligious Dialogue
makes it clear:

The one divine plan of salvation for all peoples embraces the whole universe. The
mission of the church has to be understood within the context of this plan. The church
does not monopolize God's action in the universe. While it is aware of a special
mission from God in the world, it has to be attentive to God's action in the world, as
manifested also in the other religions. This twofold awareness constitutes the two poles
of the church's evangelizing action in relation to other religions. While proclamation
is the expression of its awareness of being in mission, dialogue is the expression of
its awareness of God's presence and action outside its boundaries.... Proclamation
is the affirmation of and witness to God's action in oneself. Dialogue is the openness
and attention to the mystery of God's action in the other believer. It is a perspective
offaith that we cannot speak of the one without the other. (Theses on Interreligious
Dialogue, art. 6.5, emphasis added)

The basis for this position is that the call to conversion and discipleship points
primarily towards God, and only secondarily towards the church:
The pilgrim church witnesses not to itself but to the mystery; and calls to conversion
and discipleship refer primarily to the relationship between God who calls and the
person who responds. Only secondarily do they refer to the church-community. The
identity of the church does not lie in being the exclusive "ark of salvation" but in being
in mission to transform the world from within as leaven, without being fully aware of
the forms that such transformation may lead to. (Theses on Interreligious Dialogue,
art. 6.12)

Moreover, far from being an excuse for putting aside the task of evangelization,
the paradigm of the Kingdom of God in Asia challenges the Asian church to work
"with the Christians of other churches, together with our sisters and brothers of other
faiths and with all people of goodwill, to make the Kingdom of God more visibly
present in Asia" (FABC V, art. 2.3.9, in Rosales 1992:279). Elsewhere in the same
document, the FABC pointed out that the ultimate goal of mission in Asia is "to pro-
claim the Good News of the Kingdom of God: to promote the values of the Kingdom,
such as justice, peace, love, compassion, equality and brotherhood in these Asian real-
ities. In short, it is to make the Kingdom of God a reality" (FABC V, art. 1.7, in Rosales
1992:275). The inclusivity of the Kingdom of God holds great appeal to the FABC,
which "acknowledge^] the Kingdom at work in socio-political situations and in cul-
tural and religious traditions of Asia" (Theological Consultation, art. 39, in Rosales
1992:344). As Felix Wilfred explains, the inclusive nature of the Kingdom of God
is able to encompass those people who are followers of Jesus Christ, his life and his
teachings and those who are inspired by Jesus Christ and his Good News, but choose
for various reasons to remain Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists or Muslims, and who are
otherwise excluded from the dialectical set-up of present ecclesial structures (Wilfred
1988:429).
90 A New Way of Being Church in Asia
Conclusion: A New Way of Being Church
The Vietnamese-American theologian Peter C. Phan has characterized the FABC s
ecclesiology as a "sort of Copernican revolution in ecclesiology" that "sees the goal
and purpose of the mission of the church to be not the geographical and institutional
expansion of the church (the plantatio ecclesiae),99 but "a transparent sign of and effec-
tive instrument for the saving presence of the reign of God, the reign of justice, peace,
and love, of which the church is a seed" (Phan 2003b: 14). Phan's incisive observa-
tion summarizes succinctly the FABC s vision of a new way of being church in Asia,
viz., being a participatory, dialogical, and prophetic "communion of communities" in
a continent that is marked by an immense diversity and plurality of religions, philoso-
phies, cultures, as well as deep-seated poverty and marginalization among many of
its inhabitants. What is most remarkable is the fact that the FABC views such di-
versity and plurality not as a challenge that has to be confronted and overcome, but
as a constitutive, denning aspect of the Asian landscape, such that cultural diversity
and religious pluralism lie at the heart of what it means to be Asian. Clearly, Asian
Christians live and work with believers of other religions who are their family mem-
bers, neighbors, friends, and colleagues, sharing with them the joys and sufferings,
blessings and misfortunes of daily living, as well as collaborating with them to build
a better world in Asia for all.
If that is the case, then it comes as no surprise that the FABC s ecclesiology is
rooted, first and foremost, in a "commitment and service to life." In emphasizing the
need for commitment and service to life, the FABC perceives the myriad of rich and
deeply profound experiences of life in Asia as the underlying foundation, framework,
and continuous referent for shaping a new way of being church in Asia. It goes without
saying that these life experiences are not abstract, metaphysical, intellectual, or theo-
retical constructs, but rather, they are made manifest in social, political, economic, and
religious dimensions. Such a commitment and service to life may be understood from
a twofold perspective, viz., an explicit epistemologici perspective that allows one to
understand the Asian peoples and their life experiences better, but more importantly,
an underlying theological perspective that recognizes the presence and workings of
God in the Asian peoples' life situations. This underlying theological perspective is
deeply rooted in the Incarnation and the Paschal Mystery, both of which undergird
God's solidarity with humans, especially the poor and marginalized, as well as God's
participation in the experiences of pain and suffering in their daily lives. Accordingly,
the FABC is of the view that Jesus Christ is to be encountered in Asia within the
specificity of the Asian peoples' life realities, and especially in the midst of the poor
and marginalized:
The Lord of History is at work in that world of poverty. Seeing the Lord in the poor,
making sense out of his action among them, discerning the direction of his action
among them—this we felt deeply within us was the more specific challenge we have
to face. (BISA VII, art. 20, in Rosales 1992:233)

What is clear is a paradigm shift from the traditional plantatio ecclesiae to an ec-
clesiology that calls upon the Asian Church to "live in companionship, as true partners
with all Asians as they pray, work, struggle, and suffer for a better human life, and as
they search for the meaning of human life and progress," because "the human person
 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 91

created in Christ, redeemed by Christ and united by Christ to himself is the way for
the Church, the Church must walk along with him/her in human solidarity" (FABC V,
art. 6.2, in Rosales 1992:283). In addition to being deeply rooted in the existential
concerns and aspirations of the Asian peoples, the Asian Church also collaborates
with them as they struggle with all aspects of daily living, with the principal goal of
bringing about God's Kingdom in the Asian milieu. According to the FABC, such an
approach also taps into the movement throughout all of Asia "among peoples of vari-
ous faiths to break down traditional barriers of division and hostility, and their initiative
to reach out to neighbors of other faiths in a spirit of love, friendship, harmony and
collaboration," and the FABC "discern[s] the hand of God" in "all these aspirations,
movements and initiatives" (BIRA TV/11, art. 5, in Rosales 1992:318-319).
Likewise, the FABC s "new way of being church" seeks to immerse the Asian
Church in the diverse and pluralistic Asian Sitz-im-Leben, sharing life in solidarity
with the Asian peoples and serving life, as Jesus had done. In doing so, the FABC
unequivocally privileges solidarity, companionship, and collaborative partnership with
the Asian peoples and their myriad religions, cultures, and immense poverty.
In his keynote address at BIRA IV/12 in February 1991, the late Angelo Fernan-
des, Archbishop Emeritus of Delhi, insisted that Asians of other faiths were not to be
regarded as "objects of Christian mission," but as "partners in the Asian community,
where there must be mutual witness" (Fernandes 1991:548). Archbishop Fernandes
explained that the dialogue between the Asian Church and the Asian peoples should be
seen as a "manifestation of lived Christianity" with its own integrity that leads towards
the Kingdom of God (Fernandes 1991:548). Here, Archbishop Fernandes' assertions
captured succinctly the FABC's threefold dialogue with the Asian peoples and their
cultures, religions, and their marginalizing life challenges. For the FABC, dialogue
enables the Asian Church, which is in danger of being sidelined in its self-imposed
ghetto, to be immersed in the mainstream of Asian societies and life challenges.
Moreover, the FABC sees this threefold dialogue as a collaboration that seeks to
realize the fullness of life in Asia, as well as the common destiny of all Asian nations
and peoples in God's Kingdom. As the Fifth FABC Plenary Assembly made it clear,
the Asian Church has "to discern, in dialogue with Asian peoples and Asian realities,
what deeds the Lord wills to be done so that all humankind may be gathered together
in harmony as his family" (FABC V, art. 6.3, in Rosales 1992:283). This is because it
is "the local churches and communities which can discern and work (in dialogue with
each other and with other persons of goodwill) the way the Gospel is best proclaimed,
the church set up, the values of God's Kingdom realized in their own place and time.
In fact, it is by responding to and serving the needs of the peoples of Asia that the
different Christian communities become truly local Churches" (FABC V, art. 3.3.1, in
Rosales 1992:281).
It is the overarching vision of the FABC that "the church is called to be a commu-
nity of dialogue. This dialogical model is in fact a new way of being church" (BIRA
TV/12, art. 48, in Rosales 1992:332). As a community of dialogue, the Asian church
"seeks not to exclude others but to be truly catholic in its concerns, in its appreciation
of the gifts of others, and in its readiness to work with others for a world at once more
human and more divine" (BIRA TV/12, art. 49, in Rosales 1992:333). As far as the
FABC is concerned, the church is at the service of the Kingdom of God, and Asian
92 A New Way of Being Church in Asia

Christians are called to contribute to Asian cultures, religions, and socio-economic

challenges, even if these cultures, religions and societies do not become institutionally
Christian. The church is called, not to conquer Asia in the name of a triumphant Christ
or build a triumphant Christendom on Asian soil, but to serve by giving of themselves
and bringing the life and hope of God's Kingdom to Asia, a continent beset with
challenges and problems in the present age.
Not surprisingly, the FABC prefers a qualitative ecclesiology that seeks to trans­
form and heal the brokenness in Asian cultures and Asian realities, rather than a
quantitative ecclesiology that emphasizes institutional growth that can be measured in
terms of numerical and territorial expansion of the Asian church. In the final analysis,
the FABC accepts that the Asian Church will always be a "little flock" in the sea
of diverse Asian religions and cultures in pluralistic Asia. What is more, the FABC
is convinced that "if Asian churches do not discover their own identity, they will
have no future" (Asian Colloquium on Ministries in the Church, art. 14(ii), in Rosales
1992:70). In the final analysis, for the FABC the way forward is not a defensive and
inward-looking church, but a church that seeks to collaborate with others to address
the challenges of twenty-first century Asia: "As we face the needs of the 21st cen­
tury, we do so with Asian hearts, in solidarity with the poor and the marginalized, in
union with all our Christian brothers and sisters, and by joining hands with all men
and women of Asia of many different faiths. Inculturation, dialogue, justice, and the
option for the poor are aspects of whatever we do" (FABC VU, in Eilers 2002:8).

Notes
1. All of the important documents of the FABC have been collected and published in a
convenient three volume collection: Rosales 1992, Eilers 1997, and Eilers 2002. Unless otherwise
indicated, all references to the documents of the FABC are taken from this three-volume collection.
For an excellent overview of the FABC, its history, and theological perspectives, see Chia 2003.
For a more popular presentation of the FABC s early beginnings and significant accomplishments,
see Fox 2002.
2. The FABC convenes in Plenary Assembly, the highest body, with the participation
of all presidents and delegates of member conferences once in every four years. To date seven
plenary assemblies have been held: FABC I: Evangelization in Modern Day Asia (Taipei, Taiwan,
1974), FABC Π: Prayer—the Life of the Church in Asia (Calcutta, India, 1978), FABC ΙΠ: The
Church—A Community of Faith in Asia (Bangkok, Thailand, 1982), FABC IV: The Vocation
and Mission of the Laity in the Church and in the World of Asia (Tokyo, Japan, 1986), FABC V:
Journeying Together Toward The Third Millennium (Bandung, Indonesia, 1990), FABC VI:
Christian Discipleship in Asia Today: Service to life (Manila, Philippines, 1995), and FABC Vu:
A Renewed Church in Asia on a Mission of Love and Service (Sampran, Thailand, 2000).
3. This forms the core thesis of Thomas Fox's thought-provoking book, Pentecost in Asia:
A New Way of Being Church (2002).
4. For the purposes of this paper, the Final Statements of all seven FABC Plenary Assemblies
from 1974 to 2000, as well as the statements of the various Bishops' Institutes, the FABC Office
of Theological Concerns (formerly the FABC Theological Advisory Commission), and FABC-
sponsored consultations, colloquia, conferences, and symposia will be studied and evaluated.
5. Cf. Asian Colloquium on Ministries in the Church, arts. 25,26 and 27 (Rosales 1992:72-
73), as well as FABC III, arts. 3.1, 3.2 and 8.1 (Rosales 1992:54, 56-57).
6. For an in-depth discussion of this point, see FABC-OTC 1998.
 A New Way of Being Church in Asia 93

7. The late Korean-American theologian Jung Young Lee has used the Chinese notion of
harmony as expressed in the philosophical construct of yin-yang with its inherently "both-and"
worldview to illuminate a new way of understanding the Trinity. See Lee 1996.
8. The relevant paragraphs state: "While we are aware and sensitive of the fact that evan-
gelization is a complex reality and has many essential aspects,... we affirm that there can never
be true evangelization without the proclamation of Jesus Christ" (BIMA IV, art. 5, in Rosales
1992:292). "The proclamation of Jesus Christ is the center and the primary element of evan-
gelization without which all other elements will lose their cohesion and validity, hi the same
way, evangelization will gather together the believing community, the Church, through faith and
baptism" (BIMA TV, art. 6, in Rosales 1992:292).
9. For comprehensive discussions on how the FABC understands and develops its concept
of culture and theology of inculturation in its official documents, see Nemet 1994:87-88, Bevans
1996, and Menamparambil 1997.

References Cited
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 ^ s
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