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The subtitle of the premier statement of the U.S. Catholic bishops on Asian and Pacific Catholics, Asian and Pacific Presence (December 2001), is Harmony in Faith. The central theme of the entire document is harmony as Asian and Pacific Catholics are urged to share this gift of harmony with other American Catholics and to build the American Catholic Church as a community of harmony. The most fundamental characteristic of Asian peoples in general may very well be their desire for and practice of harmony in their lives. Harmony as a way of living is central to Asian thinking. The Theological Advisory Commission of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, founded in 1970 on the occasion of Pope Paul VI’s second visit to Asia, devoted a lengthy study to this theme in 1995 entitled Asian Christian Perspectives on Harmony (Franz-Josef Eilers, ed., For All the Peoples of Asia: Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences. Documents from 1992 to 1996, vol. 2 [Quezon City, Philippines: Claretian Publications, 1997], 229–298). Harmony is said to constitute “the intellectual and affective, religious and artistic, personal and societal soul of both persons and institutions in Asia” (232).

Harmony: What does it mean?

What is harmony? Etymologically, it comes from the Greek word meaning “joining together” or “union.” In music, it refers to the simultaneous combination of notes in a chord, producing pleasant sounds, as opposed to discord or dissonance. It may also refer to a combination of diverse elements into a pleasing whole, as when we say “the harmony of the universe.” The term is also used to refer to an arrangement of different texts side by side to show where they agree with each other, as in the “harmony of the synoptic Gospels.” Finally, it may mean the agreement in mind and heart of a particular group of people, as when we say that Hindus and Muslims in India should live in harmony with each other.

Harmony is not something that just happens; rather, it is something we bring about, often with great effort and sacrifice. Harmony is the opposite of unanimity, being created out of many diverse and potentially conflictive elements, flourishing not in spite of but thanks to difference and multiplicity. Consequently, harmony is constantly threatened by contention, discord, dissension, dissonance and strife. The union, order, beauty and enjoyment that harmony produces are precarious and require constant cultivation. Finally, harmony is not merely an intellectual consensus but also a matter of the heart, of mutual love and effective solidarity. It is, in a nutshell, a way of life.

Harmony: A necessity for Asia

Harmony as an ethical ideal among Asians bears all these characteristics. It is highly treasured by Asians precisely because they live amidst enormous differences in terms of geography, race, ethnicity, language, politics, culture and religion. Asia is a vast continent including 53 countries and territories and 26 Pacific Island states. Two-thirds of the world’s population, of innumerable races and ethnicities, dwell on this continent. Asia’ languages number in the thousands, and its cultures are as diverse as its ethnic groups and languages. Politically, several systems of government are represented in Asia: monarchy, democracy and Communism. All major religions — Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Taoism — are represented there.

To survive and prosper in this dizzying variety, Asians must learn how to live together in harmony of mind, heart and action. This harmony has been achieved not by suppressing all the differences mentioned above but through dialogue, by consciously accepting differences as worthy of respect and by promoting them as the mutually complementary yin and yang. This harmony is, of course, never a full-fledged reality but always under threat, as the sad history of war and strife, hatred and discrimination, violence and killing among Asians amply demonstrates.

In part 2 of this series (appearing next issue), the spirituality of harmony is explored in detail. ML

Peter C. Phan is on the faculty of the theology department at Georgetown University. He is also the author of several books, including Journeys at the Margin: Towards an Autobiographical Theology in American-Asian Perspective (The Liturgical Press, 1999) and The Asian Synod: Texts and Commentaries (Orbis Books, 2002).

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