Sharings

Inculturation conversation

In a recent issue of The Tidings, the Los Angeles archdiocesan newspaper, there was an article concerning the recent Asian lunar New Year and how Asian Catholic communities were celebrating. A priest offered a votive Mass for an Asian parish on the date of the New Year, and this was offered as a splendid example of inculturation..

Speaking as an Asian American who does observe certain ethnic customs, I wonder what other people think about such examples of inculturation in the liturgy. It bothers me a bit that the lunar New Year and the “Year of the Snake” are essentially pagan celebration and ideas, and that this was allowed to be carried into the church.

In a related story, a Caucasian priest on mission somewhere in Africa asked his bishop if (supposedly converted) tribesmen could be allowed to sacrifice animals in the Mass, and used inculturation as a support. The wise bishop said no and gave the theological reasons, but I find it disturbing that a priest could even ask such a question.

I am fully aware, of course, that the church has an illustrious history of bending and tweaking the essentials of the faith in order to convert a particular group, but I wonder if these examples go a bit too far. Thoughts?

Andrew Brownell
andrew@bayou.uh.edu

The bringing of the Asian New Year into a Catholic celebration ... interesting. Not unlike our use of trees and evergreens for Advent and Christmas. In fact, considering that our northern European ancestors worshiped trees, and that I don’t think Asians worship snakes, it would seem rather mild in contrast.

One could ponder this as a battle not unlike Elijah versus the prophets of Baal: Who is stronger? Is Catholicism strong enough in belief and stable enough in understanding to co-opt symbols of other faiths and cultures and overcome any overtly non-Catholic element? Maybe the answer to that is “not always,” and we have to take care.

Regarding the priest inquiring of animal sacrifices, I should point out that some of our bishops and hierarchy have confused the notions of Old Testament priesthood a time or two themselves. Anyway, I would applaud dispensing with (not for!) animal sacrifices. But you can probably bet St. Francis will not be a pet saint of that village.

Todd Flowerday
tf1212@netins.net

You’re right. Asians don’t worship snakes, so it is extremely mild by comparison to the use of Christmas trees. There’s certainly nothing wrong with asking God to bless the New Year, regardless of when it may fall. I guess what bothered me was the astrological ideas attached to the Asian celebrations. The “year of the (insert your favorite animal here)” concept is intimately tied to nature worship and fortune-telling in Asian culture. And I wonder if allowing such influences to bleed over into church might be seen as a tacit approval of (for lack of a better term) “superstitions.” But I suppose that might be something of a stretch.

Andrew Brownell
andrew@bayou.uh.edu
ML

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