Francis Anekwe Oborji - IACM Executive Secretary (2000-2004)
International Association of Catholic Missiologists (IACM)
2^nd General Assembly & Workshop Encounter

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- General Report -

 

1. Introduction

The 2^nd General Assembly and Workshop Encounter (Congress) of IACM took place at the beautiful compound of the Salesian Retreat Center “Fatima”, Colcapirhua Cochabamba, Bolivia, from September 29 to October 3, 2004. The first three days of the meeting was dedicated to the scientific (theological) workshop Encounter (September 30 – October 1, 2004). The statutory session, IACM business and elections took place on October 2, 2004.  On October 3, after the solemn closing ceremony with the Eucharistic celebration at the Coliseo Santa Maria in the city of Cochabamba, participants visited, as a group,  some historic and tourist sights within and around the city.  About 73 members from all continents were present both for the workshop Encounter and the IACM statutory plenary session: Africa = 4; Asia – Oceania  = 7; Europe = 11; North America = 3; Latin America = 48.

2. The aim and theme of the workshop encounter

The theme for the Workshop Encounter was: “Hear What the Spirit says to the Churches (cf. Rev. 2,7) – Sharing Diversity in Missiological Research and Education: Issues of Theological Language and Intercultural Communication”.
Fr. John Gorski, the President of IACM (2000-2004), explained the aim and theme of the Workshop Encounter. The objective of this Workshop Encounter is not to arrive at theological conclusions or to take stands on issues regarding the ample theme of diversity of theological language in missiology. It is rather to listen to how missiologists in different parts of the world presently experience the problematic of this diversity in their local ecclesial contexts and how this affects their research and teaching of missiology. The discussions in plenary sessions and smaller groups would help to identify those particular points that call for further investigation and clarification. It is expected that this follow-up study of the implications and consequences of theological diversity in missiological research and activity would take place in the coming years. It would be realized by designated ongoing research groups that eventually will share their efforts in future Encounters in other continental areas. Right now, important missiological study is too localized, and not adequately shared on a worldwide level, and we want to remedy this.
As Catholic missiologists, we recognize above all the need to be faithful to the witness to divine revelation as transmitted in the doctrinal tradition of the Catholic Church. We realize that inculturated expressions of the faith in diverse cultural languages must not only be meaningful to particular human groups but also doctrinally and pastorally valid.

3. Position papers

Rev. Dr. Bertrand Roy coordinated the dynamics of the Workshop Encounter. Five principal papers were presented at plenary sessions. There was also a paper reacting to one of the principal papers. Fr. John Prior, SVD, articulated  the following summary of the position papers:

Rev. Dr. Joseph Mattam, S.J. (India): “The Message of Jesus and Our Customary Theological Language. Fr. Mattam spoke of the need to get behind biblical language to the primal paschal event when such biblical language is incomprehensible in linguistic worlds other than the Semitic, for instance in South Asia. Mattam called for a radical “back to basics” and for the freedom to express our Catholic faith in linguistics.
Rev. Dr. Sergei Shirokov (Russia): “The Icon as Theological Language: A Case in Missiological Dialogue between East and West.” Fr. Shirokov spoke of icons as a theological language which unites theology with worship and life, and indeed are an intercultural theology of prayer, reflection and faith. He reminded all that the Catholic tradition is wider than that of the Latin rite or Eastern rite and broader than that of Churches in full communion with any of these two traditions. Indeed the Indian participants came from the 2,000 year-old Syrian tradition which parallels that of the Latins and Greeks. We have three living, Catholic, ecclesial sources to draw from.
Sr. Prof. Teresa Okure, SHCJ, (a New Testament scholar from Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt, Nigeria),  gave the foundational address on “The Diversity of Theological Language in the New Testament”. Teresa sees theological language as essentially a language of accountability for what God has done in and for us in Jesus the Christ. The wide diversity of NT theological language challenges us to get in touch with God’s decisive intervention in our personal lives, to rejoice and respond to this intervention and make it the springboard of our theologizing. NT theologies spring from the life of believing communities as they strive to discern what God is doing in human history and how they might witness to God’s saving presence. “No language is sacred”, she declared; we should listen to the theologies of the people, especially of grassroots groups. In the last analysis Jesus is “God’s own theological language” and ever-active Word among us.
Fr. Eleazar Lopez, of Mexico’s Zapoteca people, spoke strongly and passionately on dialogue with the indigenous peoples of the Americas, a dialogue so necessary not only for the protagonists themselves but for the future of the Church and of creation itself given the urgent ecological crisis. Eleazar advocates ongoing theological reflection among the indigenous peoples of Latin America through the National Centre for Support of Indigenous Missions and the Latin American Ecumenical Articulation of Indigenous Pastoral (AELAPI).
Rev. Dr. Lance Nadeau, MM, (an American Maryknoll missionary living in Nairobi, Kenya), spoke of a new theological language in-the-making among Kenyan AIDS ministers, most of whom are women and lay. The paschal mystery is opening up a culture of death-denial to an appreciation of death as a positive, conscious act of faith. This life-affirming paschal theology arising from amidst the AIDS pandemic needs to be heard wherever death-dealing forces are tending to reduce people to a resigned negativity.
Rev. Dr. Francis A. Oborji (a Nigerian Missiologist), gave a synopsis of his response to the last paper by Dr. Lance Nadeau, in a paper entitled: “The Theological Language in Africa: A Missiological Reflection.” Fr. Oborji speaks of a language of theology in Africa which seeks spontaneously a more universal Christian theology that will connect the African people with the whole of humanity and history of salvation. In such a theology, one sees the effort to link the African ancestral world view and the African people with the self-revelation of God in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God; and which speaks of the universal brotherhood of the human family. The paper dismisses the assumption that the Africans have a culture of death-denial and lack of eschatological speculations. The African spiritual world view revolves around their concept of life and of the after-life as well as the respect they give to the dying person. The African culture and tradition are characterized by spiritual world view on life that could be gleaned by people’s belief in the One Supreme God, their sense of the after-life and veneration of ancestors. The paper calls for a new theological language that will replace the prevailing language of missiology which often speaks in derogatory terms about the African culture and people and which seeks always   to associate Africa with any embarrassing human problem. In particular, the paper decries the current tendency to label Africa as a continent of HIV/AIDS carriers. It notes that recent reaches have shown that in most African villages and towns where there are no foreign presence, we do not have cases of HIV/AIDS. All this means that the whole truth about the spread of this killer disease in Africa and other places, is not yet told.

Some shorter communications were also delivered, in three parallel groups. Each participant had the opportunity to hear two or three papers:
From Europe: Dr. Patrizia Pelosi and Rev. Dr. Giuseppe Buono, PIME: “Bio-Ethics: A New Missiological Language.”
From North America: Rev. François Jacques: “The Mission to Quebec and Its call for a New Theological Language.”
From Asia: Rev. Dr. John Mansford Prior, SVD: “The Language of Ritual and Rights in Eastern Indonesia.”
From Latin America: Sr. Gabriella Zangarini, OP: My search for a Theological Language based on the life Experience of Women.”
From Europe: Rev. Fr. Marek Rostkowski, OMI: “Language as instrument of inculturation according to Church documents.”
There were small study-group tasks the results of which were shared and discussed in the plenary sessions. 

4. High points of the workshop plenary sessions

Dr. Franz Dokman (The Netherlands), and Rev. Dr. Joaquin Garcia, OP. (Peru), assisted in taking notes of the salient points raised during the workshop plenary sessions (in English and Spanish respectively). After the study-groups have presented their three main areas of research or reflection to be given priority in the future, the discussion focused on the following issues:
Theological languages do need return to the roots of the people. Theological languages do need to express the experience of life: A life which opens all aspects: joy, suffering, etc. The meaning of theological languages can be found in life; in thinking about life one finds God, the Creator of life. It is suggested to be open to the fruits of theological reflections on indigenous spirituality, to listen to the experience of life of indigenous people, because also in their life, God presents himself for scientific reflection. This kind of reflection will enrich theological languages, and missiology can be inspiring such development.
This brings up the questions which image of God and what kind of ecclesiology correspond with a theological language expressing life and indigenous spirituality? One concludes that image of God and ecclesiology are close connected. God creates/recreates life but how this image reflects on ecclesiology remains unanswered.
There was also the concern to reverse the tendency in which the language of missiology has hitherto continued to perceive in the negative way, the cultures and peoples in the South. Africa is noted to have suffered most of this negative characterization (or stigmatization) that are often found in the reflections of missiologists and missionaries, and in the communications media. Our theological language should respect the dignity of the human person and project the positive image and aspects of the people and their culture. In our theological research and writing our language must be balanced and respect the other people’s cultural and historical sensitivity.
The plenary session also witnessed a strong attention for the connection between language and identity. Cultural identities are constructed by language. By using a language, for instance Spanish, or a more local language embedded in the past, a person expresses its cultural orientation. One experiences a tension between a more world-wide language and its indigenous authentic identity.
Apart from the topics of research presented by the small study-groups, the following issues need also attention:
Migrant Theology: As a result of globalization, Christian migrants leave their home countries and move into Diasporas. It is necessary and welcome if missiologists/missionaries, for instance in Europe, be engaged with those migrants; proclaiming the gospel and developing a local migrant theology for a tolerant environment. The knowledge and experience of missionaries with the migrants in their home countries in the South, can be very helpful in this process. These migrants also bring with them the vitality of the Christian faith in their home countries which they could share with their new host country.
Europe is confronted with a process of de-Christianization. Therefore, European mission institutes need to change their focus as mission ad gentes and also reflect on Europe. Mission is not only moving to places in the South or East but also working for the non-believers back home.
As a result of this process, the idea and practice of reversed mission is growing. This means that missionaries from Africa, Asia, Latin America could come to work in the West. This opens a challenge to Catholic missiologists to develop a model as reversed mission shapes a new encounter of mission and culture.
It was also noted that the Church which for long has mainly focused on the economically poor, has to adapt to the reality that mission is also much needed by the economically rich. Pastoral work in the cities are highly recommended. 

5. Conclusions from group discussions

Each group was requested to present at the plenary session, three points from their discussion. The groups considered the three principal areas of research or reflection that should be prioritized in the future? In the afternoon of September 30, the following were conclusions from the group work:

Group I (Spanish)

Start with the contextualization of the Church and the theologies open to macro-ecumenism.
Open ourselves to the new theological languages with interdisciplinary cooperation, keeping in mind that all of human history, the achievements and failures, are Salvation History.
Strengthen the area of mediations, for example, mobilizing peoples, being present in the public arena, the university, culture, communication media, the cities that transform diverse aspects of cultures, the world of science and art. etc.

Group II  (Spanish)

Look to overcome a framework that is purely religious within the Church and respond to the need to return our focus to the human as the manifestation of Salvation History.
Allow the Church to be inculturated from within the cultures of the local churches that have been born within the diversity of identities.
To dialogue using new theological languages from human life and creation and from there, enrich doctrine, dogmas and mission itself.

Group II  (English)

Inculturation and Local Churches.
Missiological response to globalization.
Mission ad gentes in the European context.

Group III  (Spanish)

To dialogue and share with other cultures our experiences of faith.
To dialogue and share the religious experiences of other peoples.
From the perspective of the Christian faith, to reconnect with human life and the sciences.
(The theme of gender runs through all three areas: this is understood to include both male and female).

Group IV (Spanish)

Decide which is the image of God we want to announce.
Decide which Ecclesiologies are in play.
Advance the reflections about evangelization in the large cities.

Group VI (English)

The importance of visual language- images, feelings, stories, etc.
 Mission-orientated/centric theological formation.
A church accompanying and serving the people.
In the afternoon session of October 1, 2004, the groups presented the following reports:

Group I (Spanish)

To insist in the contextualization of: the Local Church, theology, liturgy, etc.
To discover the new theological languages or meta languages beyond the rituals or folklore in order to arrive at meta languages as instruments of inculturation.
The intercultural and the diversity as a challenge to mission.
To maintain alive the memory of the past, present and future.

Group II (English)

Mission in conflict situations:
Prayer – healing – reconciliation
Healing- purification of memories
Popular Religiosity: Benefits and dangers
Meaning of missionary/activity and pseudo missionaries.

Group III (Spanish)

To continue the reflection and the construction of the ecclesiology of the Vatican II that has led us to discover the local church incarnated in the local culture.
To support, sustain and drive forward the theological reflection and pastoral praxis contextualized from the perspective of the Paschal Mystery of Christ.
To enrich the theological reflection and the missionary praxis from the perspective of gender.

Group IV (English)

1. Priority to the practice of dialogue with cultures: 
a) we need the necessary freedom,
b) from a dialogical church.

2. The Christian as bridge builder
            - multi-lingual
            - pluri-cultural
            - multi-religious personality

Group VII (Spanish)

To strengthen the task of theology from the different protagonists and with their own languages.
To acknowledge the areas of legitimate differences both in theory and in practice using intercultural and inter-religious dialogue as the media.
To promote the solidarity of the emerging theological voices, creating networks.

Group VIII (Spanish)

Intercultural dialogue (encounter of cultures).
New Christian imaging (signs, symbols, icons, etc.)
To establish clear criteria for authentic inculturation in the future: liturgy, catechetics, proclamation, etc.

6. Plenary session on group discussion   

During the plenary session on Group discussions, the following themes were delineated:

Dialogue
The Contextualization of the local church
Interculturality
Globalization
Inculturation in the local churches
Gender issues & evangelization
Accompanying emergent theologies
Inculturation in time of globalization
Evangelization in big cities
Mission in conflict situations
Theological missionary formation
Mission ad gentes in European context
Mission and new areopagus
Mission and human mobility\migration
The need for inter-cultural missionary spirituality
Toward one vision of salvation history of creation
A missionary language for dialogue with the sciences
Christian image
The human being in his situation
Mission frontiers
A clear meeting criteria for inculturation
Popular religiosity: benefits & dangers
Priority of human experience of God
Healing and reconciliation
Prayer and healing – cure – caring
Ecumenism and macro ecumenical dialogue

The Assembly summarized the above themes and identified the following as the three Core Elements that should be prioritized in the future:

I.          In the midst of the challenges of the globalized world we are called to rethink missiology in terms of: the growing urban centers, situations of conflict, de-Christianized groups, secularism, migration, stigmatization of a particular group.

II.         To rethink missiology as we confront the urgent needs of the Indigenous peoples who have been denied (among them; women, Africans, Afro-Americans, Indo-Americans, etc.) as well as the human diversity: new protagonists, new languages, new areópagus, popular religiosity, gender, etc.

III. To determine what Church we want to be and to build: inculturated, local, without frontiers, in ecumenical and macro-ecumenical dialogue with other religions and with science, and enlarge “mission ad gentes”.

7. Formation of thematic study groups

The Workshop Encounter concluded with formation of four stable thematic study groups. Participants freely chose which group each would like to join for further research and study on the delineated theme. The thematic groups and their coordinators are as follows:
Globalization: (Coordinator: Fr. Lazar Thanuzraj, SVD.)
Contextual Theology and Praxis: (Coordinator: Fr. Eleazar Lopez)
Church and Dialogue: (Coordinator: Fr. Juan Gonzalez)
Theological Foundation and Methodology: (Coordinator: Fr. John Gorski, MM.)

8. Stautory Session, IACM Business and elections

Saturday, October 2, was dedicated to the IACM business and elections. After hearing the reports of the President, Fr. John Gorski, on the state of the Association, of the Executive Secretary, Fr. Francis A. Oborji, and the reading of the financial report sent by the treasurer, Sr. Madge Karecki, there was general discussion on the future priorities for the IACM. There was also formal acceptance of the Acts (minutes) of the Founding General Assembly (2000) and of the periodical reports which the Executive Secretary had already sent to all IACM members. Thereafter, the Assembly proceeded to the election of the new Executive Board. Members of the election commission were: Dr. Frans Dokman, Fr. Gustavo Piedrahita and Sr. Bertilla Keum-Ok Park. The following were elected as officers of IACM for the next four years (2004-2008):
1. President: Rev. Fr. Dr. William La Rousse, MM (USA/Philippines)
2.Vice President: Rev. Fr. Eleazar Lopez (Mexico)
3. Executive Secretary: Rev. Fr. Dr. Bertrand Roy, PME (Canada)
4.Treasurer: Dr. M/s. Luisa Melo Leyton (Chile/Italy)

Continental Representatives:

5.  Africa: Rev. Fr. Dr. Silvester Arinaitwe Rwomukubwe, AJ (Uganda)
Latin America: Rev. Fr. Dr. Joaquin Garcia, OSA (Peru)
North America: Rev. Fr. Nicanor Sarmiento, T., OMI (Canada)
Asia- Oceania:  Rev. Fr. Dr. Lazar Thanuzraj, SVD (India)
Europe: Rev. Fr. Dr. Paul Steffen, SVD (Germany/Italy)

8. General discussion

a) Collaboration between IACM and IAMS: During the Assembly’s general discussion, a question was raised about the nature of the relationship between the IACM and the International Association for Mission Studies (IAMS). It was explained that IACM is not in opposition to IAMS and that there are other Associations of Mission Studies. Indeed, there is a need for us to look at ourselves as a Church: The things achieved and of course, mistakes made. Another thing is how do we communicate or transmit the fruit of our missiological research. This is a trust in IACM which is often not stressed in some other organizations. For this and other reasons, IACM has a right to exist! It was also stressed that the richness of the IACM could be seen by the fruits that were enunciated in the themes discussed in the previous and present encounters, symposia, congresses, etc. Furthermore, the fact that in this Cochabamba Assembly, the major paper from Europe was not from a Roman Catholic but a Russian Orthodox Catholic, demonstrates the “universal” perspective of the IACM. The name of IACM already stresses the “Catholic” nature of the Association.
It was also noted that from IAMS there is a strong desire for collaboration with IACM. In fact, it was stressed that IAMS does not harbor any anxiety on the formation of IACM. However, this does not mean that there are no areas to clarify. The aim of what we discuss is the world – the world that will open itself to Christ. Let this reflect in the suggestions we are making for modus of working. Mission is bigger than the church and churches, and working together is part of it.
Again, It was stressed that the fact that so many Catholic missiologists from all continents indicate a positive desire to communicate and work together with others in this discipline is of course very positive. Ten or twenty years ago there was no structural support for this. Hundreds of persons acquired graduate degrees in missiology and then “disappeared.” Now the IACM offers a way for them to associate, collaborate and thus contribute to qualitative progress in this theological specialization. The clear Catholic identity of the IACM is a feature that attracts those who look for theological solidity without secularist vagueness, modernistic functionalism or post-modern reductionism.

b) Collaboration between the IACM and Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
A question was asked about the nature of relationship which IACM has with the office of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (CEP)? It was explained that IACM exists for the purpose of promoting missiological research, studies and educational activities and encouraging collaboration among Catholic missiologists. In addition to this, the Association is at the service of the missionary activity of the Church. This is the primary basis of  its relationship with the Missionary Office of the Church (the Propaganda Fide). Moreover, at its formation stage, IACM received a great support from the Congregation. Since then, the Association has maintained a cordial relationship with that Vatican Office. However, this relationship is based on the desire of both bodies to promote research in mission studies and thereby contribute in the missionary activity.
It was also stressed that in these days in which we emphasize dialogue, there is need to have a closer relationship with such Congregations like the CEP that promote mission studies and are engaged in constant dialogue with those involved in the actual missionary activity of the Church. This does not mean that we have to depend on them but that we need their experience in our mission research and education just as they need ours. Missiologists cannot pretend to do it alone! They need to do it along with others.

c) The relationship between missiology and theology: There was also a question about the relationship between missiology and theology. This question was answered by examining who is a missiologist? A missiologist is seen as one who has knowledge of culture – a complete knowledge of the cultural context, situations, etc. A missiologist is one who has the expertise to distinguish the diverse areas of study and publications in mission studies. It was noted that one of the problems today is the method of theological research – the study and knowledge of how the Holy Spirit is operating in diverse cultural realities and ambient of the Church! With what soteriology are we working? The fundamental of Christian theology is theological methodology. The time calls for studies of diverse cultural contexts. Missiology cannot pretend to do it alone. It needs to work along with other theological disciplines. Mission theology is developed from each particular context and from there the overall Christian theology and mission are enriched. This is the inter-disciplinary role of missiology in theological education and research.
d) Future program and priorities: These are already reflected on the reports of the Workshop Encounter and the President’s address.  In addition to that, it was expected that we should have our points clarified all the more and get the papers and deliberations of this Cochabamba meeting published. Furthermore, members were requested to put down their names in one of the formed thematic study groups. Members agreed that we could share the fruits of the groups’ studies through the IACM Newsletter and internet website (yet to be developed). On the last point, Fr. Joaquin Garcia volunteered to assist in the web net-working for the group works. Regions when they meet, can also decide on how they will promote the ideals of the IACM. Collaboration among ourselves and with other missiological associations was once more highlighted. It was suggested that in future, IAMS and IACM should rethink holding congress on mission by the two Associations in the same year. At this point, the Assembly was informed of the upcoming European Missiological Congress in Paris, France in 2006.

9. Other matters and closing ceremonies

Through out the four full days of the Workshop Encounter and the General Assembly, all participants joined  as a family in the morning Eucharistic celebration in the imposing chapel of the Salesian “Fatima” Retreat Center. The local community animated each day’s Eucharistic celebration with enchanting liturgical songs and music typical of the dynamism of the Bolivian local Church. The three bishops (His Excellencies, Bishops Samuel Ruiz Garcia, Roger Aubry, and Jesus Augustin Lopez de Lama) who took part in the Workshop and Assembly, had their turn in presiding at the Eucharistic celebrations and each gave very enriching homily in the spirit of the congress. And His Excellency, Archbishop Ivo Scapolo, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Bolivia (who also participated at the congress), was the presiding prelate and homilist at the closing Mass which was celebrated at the Coliseo Santa Maria in the city of Cochabamba on October 3, 2004. A message of greetings from the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, which was signed by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Secretary of State, was read to the Assembly. Cardinal Julio Terrazas, the Archbishop of Santa Cruz and President of Bolivian Bishops’ Conference also sent a message to the Assembly. Representatives of both the civil authorities and local Church of Bolivia as well as the Rector Magnifico of the Bolivian Catholic University (UCB), among others, graced the closing ceremonies.
At the end of the closing ceremonies at the Coliseo Santa Maria, participants were taken around in buses and visited some tourist sights and centers in and around the city of Cochabamba. On October 4, 2004, as participants from other parts of the globe were returning home, those from Latin America stayed behind to hold the first general meeting  of missiologists from that continent.
 In all, the participants at the four-day event left Cochabamba, filled with satisfaction and joy as they look to the future of the IACM with a realistic hope. In particular, it is believed that the Cochabamba meeting has clearly demonstrated the vitality and productiveness of the IACM and thus will stimulate interest and evoke a more active participation on the part of many members. It is also hoped that the new Executive Board would wish to decide on concrete means to promote professional and academic interaction among missiologists, particularly by consolidating the ongoing study groups and formation of national or regional Catholic missiological societies aggregated to the IACM that will assume in effective communion a decentralized responsibility for contributing to the realization of the Association’s objectives.

 

Ref.: Text from the Author. Sent by e-mail, October 2004.