MISSIOLOGY - The history of the Church is the history of the mission

Outline of the Course
Introduction
General Problems of Mission or Missionary Fields
Theology of Mission of Vatican II (AG)
Mission and Missions
Evangelii Nuntiandi
Missionary perspectives of Syro Malabar Church


INTRODUCTION
Redemptoris Missio 16 says, “We are in a new missionary age. A new missionary advent has come.” The history of the Church is the history of the mission. History tells us how the Church carried out the mission and how she understood it –also the emphasis and deficiencies in the mission.
There are different stages in the evolution of the mission starting from the Apostles. The modern age of missionary activities began in the 16th century. It ended with Vatican II. We are in a new missionary age. So it is our duty to formulate a mission theology, the attitudes and methods to be carried out.
The word ‘mission’ is used for many things. It is a common word. It is not always related to propagation of the Word. Mission has become a major theme of reflection in all the Christian denominations.
Mission mission (Lt) Mittere = to send. But we use the word ‘mission’ to signify the propagation of the word of God.
In 1558, Jakob lanez (second Jesuit General) used the word to signify the work of Jesuits among the Maronite Christians in Lebenon = the act of proclamation.
Mission is an enterprise that is undertaken by somebody else’ initiative. Mission is always entrusted by somebody. It is that shall be given. Mission = sending someone to accomplish something. Jesus was the first missionary who was sent by the Father. A faithful is the missionary of Christ.
Missio Dei = Mission of God.
Missio Ecclesiae = Mission of the Church.

Missiology: Missio + Logos (Lt + Gk). Missiology is the systematic study of the evangelising activity of the Church, as well as the ways in which this activities are carried out. It is a scientific study of the missionary activities of the Church in which scientific discipline and missionary charism enrich each other.
AG II: the pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature. All the Christians are missionaries. All that we study should have a missionary dimension, because we by nature are missionaries. Missiology is the heart of ecclesiology. Vatican II recommends systematic study of mission theology (AG 16) in the seminaries either as a part of ecclesiology or independently.
According to Karl Rahner Missiology is the self realisation of the Church. This is mission theology.
Missiology makes use of the findings of other theological subjects.
Missionary, in the traditional sense, is a person who is sent to a foreign place to preach gospel among the non Catholics. According to the new understanding Church is missionary, and therefore all are missionaries. Preach the gospel and implant the Church are the duties of the missionaries. The elements in the missionary activity, according to the old understanding, are the sender, the person sent, destination, objectives and motives. (Sender = the Church in a Christian country, especially, European countries; destination = to non Christian regions; objectives = to save the souls.)

Situation of the Mission at the end of the Council: New Trends affecting Missions
The crisis in Christian Missions: Christian mission in the late 60s facing a great crisis all over the world. Both internal and external difficulties weakened the missionary thrust of the Church.
Tracy Jones speaks of the colossal confusion in the Christian mission all over the world – both catholic and protestants.
By twentieth century Christianity is there all over the world.
The reasons of crisis:
1. The decline of colonial era. European colonialism and Christianity are intermingled. Western mission is another form of imperialism, says critics. Europeans were not giving Jesus and his gospel; they were trying to Europeanise Asia. “God and Gold, Church and State, Cross and Sword, Missionary and Soldier go hand in hand.” The motto for them is to conquer the land. The colonial system came to an end. There is no more supremacy of the west. National and cultural autonomy no more exists. Political domination of the west is also no more. People are suspicious of neo colonialism – both cultural and economic.
2. Phenomena of Dechristianisation: the number of practicing Christians is on the decline. There is no sense of dividing the world into sending Church and receiving countries. Christianity has been spread all over the world. Church is missionary all over the world.
3. Theological reasons:
a) Question of salvation outside the Church: Vatican II speaks of possibility of salvation outside the Catholic Church in other religions. (Church does not say ‘there is’ but ‘there is the possibility’. God’s revelation is not limited to the Catholic Church. LG16 – 17. even before the Council theologians like Danielou, H. De Lubac, Congar, Rahner etc. were holding this view. They developed a theology of religions in the theology of the Catholic Church. The catholic missionaries can no longer approach people of other faith with a view of saving their souls. This deteriorated the mission spirit.
b) There are theologians who hold the view that revelation is something personal. Words have to be interpreted in the light of the personal experience. They tried to identify the Christian words with a particular message. Interpret the word in the light of personal experience. People of other faith also are capable of receiving the word of God and interpret the word on the basis of their own personal experience in a (better) way in a (better) formula. So we cannot categorically say that ours is the better or only view.
c) Religious Freedom: Every individual is free to believe and free to belong to any religion. Church respects the freedom of individuals. Therefore today people don’t threaten or force others to join the Church. Even who are joining the Church are free to formulate the faith which they had received.
d) A new World Vision: a vision regarding the Word: Catholics no more considers the world as an enemy. World is not hostile to Christians now. Christians are involved more and more in the problems and trails of the world – to work for justice etc. GS gives a new theology of the world. The trails and problems of the world is that of the Church too. So we have to involve more and more in the affairs of the world. Formerly we were concerned only with preaching; we were not looking into the life of the people. Work for liberation, inculturation etc. also are considered as parts of evangelisation. This also weakened the interest of traditional mission.
e) Developments in Ecclesiology: new vision of the Church – Church is the universal sacrament of salvation. Church includes all who respond to God’s call . she has to identify herself with the poor and the oppressed. It is the duty of everybody to do missionary work. Church includes all those who believe in God. Vatican II says that Church has to put on the mantle of a suffering servant, rather than that of a triumphant ruler. Church is a spirit-led people. So everybody is a missionary. Missionary work is no more the privilege of a few people called missionaries. The missionary duty is one and the same for all; but the method they use may be different.
Formerly the success of missionary was counted on the basis of the number of new converts. But today catholicity is not understood on the basis of territory. Number and territory are not given much importance today.

4. Decline in the number of missionary vocations especially, in Europe. There is lack of true missionary spirit in the traditional Christian countries.
Vatican II says that Church is missionary. Vatican II has awakened an interest among the Christian missionaries and people.

What is Mission?
The concept of mission is often reduced to one or other dimensions of mission: E.g. Expansion of the Church, option for the poor, liberation, political freedom, social justice, development, dialogue and mutual enrichment etc.
Words do not have fixed meanings. It may change as time goes on or when the situation changes.

Paraphrases concerning Mission
Up to 17th century there were many paraphrases about mission:
Mission was understood by some as missionary works and missionary journeys. Acosta SJ in 1588 wrote, mission as journeys and undertakings carried out from town to town for the sake of the word of God. He was reflecting the mind of Ignatius Loyola.
Protestants of 17th century were having more concern for mission rather than the Catholics. They defined mission (Philip Nicholai, Johann Heinrich Etc.) as spreading the kingdom of Christ throughout the whole world. Philip Jakob Spener says that mission is the extension of the kingdom of God and promotion of glory of God and Christ.
Systematic paraphrasing came in a later period.

1. Mission is understood here as propagation of faith. (Propaganda Fidei). This congregation was established in 1622 July 22 by Pope Gregory XV. Vatican II changed the name to “Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.” This congregation was established to control the political influence of Portugal and Spain in the so called mission countries. Because it was the time of Padroado. According to Pope Nicholas V. (1447 – 55), the newly founded world would be divided into Portuguese and Spanish countries for missionary works. The kings of these countries were in charge of missionary works in the newly found world. When this influence became too much Rome decided to establish a Congregation – propaganda Fidei, which has the right of missionary work all over the world. Thus Portuguese and Spanish Padroado was suppressed. According to the decree Propaganda Fidei is a papal institution for the propagation of faith in the whole world to preach gospel to all creatures, to gather the ignorant and the godless and to lead them to Christ and his Church. Propaganda’s attention was centred mainly on foreign missions. According to this, mission means ‘mission to the non Christian world’, only the foreign mission.
2. Mission as expansion of the kingdom: it is a Protestant idea, originally came from the Lutheran, named, Philip Nicholai. In his Rule of Christ (DE Reigno Christi) he put foreword a new theory concerning missions. He was convinced of the apostolic zeal or the preaching of the apostles. Through the preaching of the Apostles the gospel has come even up to India. He was also convinced of the zeal of the Catholic missionaries. He wanted to wipe away the influence of the Catholic missionaries. He said God wants to save everybody. This saving will of God is valid always and all over the world. What is this kingdom? The kingdom of God is identified with the Christian community (Church). Expansion of the kingdom means the expansion of the Church. As members of the Church we have the obligation of spreading and expanding the Church, according to him. (But today we cannot agree with this).
3. Mission as the Conversion of the Heathen: Bringing the good news to those people who do not yet know Christ or who have not yet heard the name of Jesus or those who have not acknowledged Jesus as saviour. Turn such people to Christ (convert to Christ). Proclamation must effect in the hearers a metanoia (conversion). They must experience Jesus and become children of God. Recognize Jesus as the centre of his life. It is not proselytizing, i.e., taking members from one group and making them members of another group.
Mission is certainly Christianising in theological sense, not in pure sociological sense. It is not changing one’s affiliation to one’s community. The important thing is membership in the kingdom of God and Christ. Membership in the Church does not guarantee this. Christ and his kingdom is not identical with the visible boundaries of the Church. We cannot identify the visible Church with the kingdom.
4. Mission as Process of founding new churches: St. Paul understood mission in this sense; Catholics also understood it in the same way. Church was considering from the very beginning, establishing new Christian communities. Multiplying new congregations was taken as the mission. In the catholic circle Louvein school of Missiology considered mission as establishing new Churches. This idea was over emphasised by them and less importance was given to proclamation of the gospel. In proper sense it is valid today also- establishing communities which are firmly rooted in their peoples – not simply a gathering of the new converts. It must have its own leaders and tradition and way of worship. Vatican II gives much importance to local Churches against the extreme centralisation of the Roman Church. Prior to Vatican II, emphasis was on centralisation. Founding of the new communities is theologically sound.
5. Mission as Reaching out (Contribution of Horst Burkle, Mission Theology): this idea of mission as reaching out is already found in the fathers. This means the universality of the gospel: Gospel taking root in every culture. It is not a question of expanding the boundaries, but Christianising people through gospel. A community that has no missionary out reaching programme cannot be able to sustain even its own members.
6. Mission as Herald Service: Herald is the messenger who proclaims the message of the one who has sent him to proclaim. 2 Tim 1, 11: St. Paul calls himself ‘the herald of good news’. Herald participates in the experience of the one who sent him. The Apostles were called to continue the mission in the name of Jesus. They were heralds of Jesus. The missionaries are heralds in the sense that they proclaim message of Christ given to them through the Church. Proclaiming something unique which is capable of even changing the world. The newness of the message of Christi is the criterion for its uniqueness.
All these dimensions are acceptable to the Church even today.

Mission Theology According to the Catholic Authors
We are living in a golden age of Missiology. There are a number of theological studies in mission. Vatican II says that study of mission must be included in the curriculum of seminaries and theological institutions.
As a theological discipline Missiology is only 100 years old. The first chair of Missiology was started in Edinburg in 1867 by the Protestants. Another chair in the University of Halle in 1869, held by Gustar Warneeh, who is called the father of mission theology.
From the Catholic side: Rogert Streit OMI, is the pioneer of catholic mission theology. (1875 – 1930). He was not a theologian, but he contributed much to the development of Catholic Missiology. He published a number of articles on this topic in Maria Immaculata. Later he started a movement for the scientific investigation of missionary apostolate. In 1907 he published his guiding principles of modern Missiology. He wanted missionary problems to be dealt with dogmatically, scripturally, historically and juridically. He was of the opinion that more importance must be given to missionary topics in seminaries and catholic institutes. A chair of Missiology must be started in a catholic university. He also suggested the publication of a scientific missionary review and the preparation of a bibliography. He himself started it. His work Bibliotheca Missionum. Seven volumes were published by 1930. Now there are more than that.
Joseph Schmidlin, who is called the founder of Catholic Missiology (1876 – 1944), was professor of Missiology in the university of Munster. In 1911 he started a Mission Review in Germany. He also started the university Missionary Movement. He has a number of books or Missiology. He is also known as the founder of the mission school of Munster. (The two schools of catholic mission theology are Munster School and Leuvein school. They developed Mission theology in different ways.) Schmidlin considered the non Christian world as the object of mission. We are sent to convert them. So their view is known as ‘theory of conversion’. According to them missionary action consists in proclamation, instruction, individual conversion and salvation of the souls. Through baptism the non Christians are received into the Church (when they are ready to accept Jesus). Thus small communities are formed. Later they are organised into an autonomous local Church. Later these churches would become a diocese. They insist very much on individual conversion. But they don’t neglect the establishment of the Church. For them proclamation and conversion are the first aims of missionary work. They are very much influenced by the Protestants.
He was identifying the visible Church with the kingdom of God. It is christocentric in its approach, i.e., conversion is to Christ. All over the world the non Christian religions are being disintegrated. He wanted Christianity to be established all over the world. (he considered European countries as possessors of culture.) he did not give importance to integral salvation, but concentrated only on salvation of the soul. The concept of mission that he gave was the concept of colonial mission. He was not bothered about political freedom and so on.

Louvain School: It was started by Lange SJ. It was developed by Pierre Charles SJ. They were critical of the Munster school. They started the idea of establishing the hierarchy- founding now native churches and winning of the souls of the non-Catholics. They insisted very much upon the establishment of the Church. Their theory is called theory of ‘planting the Church’ or ‘implanting the Church’. This theory is more ecclesial in its outlook. It is ecclesio centric, i.e., expanding the visible boundaries of the Church was the target of this school. (plantation Ecclesiae). They are not against conversion; but conversion is not the specific purpose of the Church.
Founding the Church is not held by scripture or the fathers. The protestants disliked this very much saying that this is a static concept. This overlooks the command of Christ. Gospel is to be preached no to the territories, but to the people and they bypass the salvation to non Christians, because they are not bothered about the non Christians this theory is a pre Vatican concept; a 19th century concept of the Church. But the catholic missiologists preferred this school to Munster school. Through mission Church is established in races and regions where the Church does not exist. Formation of hierarchy is more important, formation of the local clergy too is important. Once a local Church is established, conversion of the non Christian local people is the duty of the Church. They don’t exclude conversion and salvation of the souls, but these are not the specificity of mission. Among the theologians and Bishops of Vatican II there was divergence of opinion regarding these two schools.

Missionary Encyclicals
The encyclicals show the mind of the Church about the missionary activities.
1. Maximum Illud (Pope Benedict XV, 1919). This focuses on founding of the local churches. Pope wanted to have a revival of catholic mission, because all these were damaged by the first world war. He reminded the heads of the missions to be fatherly and gentle in their behaviour. They have to give due importance to the formation of local clergy. The missionaries have to avoid nationalism, they have to lead a holy life and study languages.
People in traditional Christian countries are to be missionary oriented. For the pope church is the kingdom of God. All the Christian faithful have to help the mission through prayer, personnel, and funds. In this document a negative approach is found. There is no awareness of social situations of the natives.
As a result of this missionary courses were started at propaganda College of Rome.

2. Rerum Ecclesiae (1926) of Pius XI: It insists very much on the formation of local clergy. Local vocation is to be fostered. Seminaries shall be set up for this purpose. He says, contemplative life among the missionaries must be fostered. There is the need of training of the catechists or the catechists are to be trained. Pope urges everyone to be zealous about the missionaries. He emphasises the importance of prayer in missionary activities. The missionary union of clergy is helpful for mission. The motivation of mission is love of God and love of neighbour. Missionary work means spreading the faith, establishing the Church and saving the soul.

3. Evangelii Precones (Preachers of the Gospel) of Pope Pius XII, 1951. to commemorate the silver Jubilee of Rerum Ecclesiae. It exhorts missionaries to love the country to which they are sent. The pope praises missionary vocation. They have to learn the languages, agriculture, medicine, history, geography etc. they have to foster education, health care, press, social justice etc. lay people are to participate in the missionary activities especially through prayer and financial support. The object of missionary activity is to bring the light of gospel to every nation and to form new Christians. The ultimate goal is to establish the Church on sound foundation among the non Christians. Quantitative aspect of progress is considered significant according to this encyclical. The encounter between gospel and culture is emphasised as an important aspect of missionary work. The attitude of the pope towards the non Christians is positive. It is a remarkable change. He also exhorts to respect everything that is noble and good.
4. Fidei Donum (Gift of Faith) of Pius XII, 1957: This is about the urgency of missionary work In Africa. Some of the principles of missionary work is seen in it. It is mainly an appeal to the universal Church to co operate in the missionary work in Africa. Missionary work is aimed at establishing the Church and - geographical expansion of the Church is stressed. This is similar to the Leuvein school’s idea.
5. Princeps Pastorum (Pastoral Principles) of Pope John XXIII, 1959: It was written at the 40th anniversary of Maximum Illud. There must be collaboration between local clergy and missionaries from other places. There must be seminaries for the formation of the local clergy in the local environment. There must be spiritual, intellectual and missiological formation given in the seminaries. The call to holiness is addressed to all – both to clergy and laity. It is through the sanctity of the preacher, the preaching is made more effective. Quality must be stressed along with the quantity. Spreading the faith is the duty of everybody in the Church. So personal and community witness through committed life is important.

6. Ad Gentes (Vatican II’s Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church): Vatican II was a trend setter in the history of the Church. According to Pope John XXIII a better understanding of the missionary activity of the Church is one of the main purposes of this council. The mission of the Church in the world is the most important theme of the council. LG and AG speaks of the mission of the Church.
There is a gradual progress in the understanding of the concept of mission.
History of Redaction: there are six stages in the redaction of AG

1. Ante preparatory stage (1959 – 61)
2. Preparatory Stage (1961 – 62)
3. Council Session I (1962)
4. Council Session II (1963)
5. Council Session III (1964)
6. Council Session IV (1965).

1.Ante Preparatory Stage: In this stage the opinion from different people were collected about the themes of discussion. A commission was made to collect opinions of the world episcopate and theologians regarding the topics. During this period neither the Bishops nor the congregation wanted to have a separate decree. Mission was considered as foreign mission lands. Missionary activity means preaching of the gospel to the non Christians.

2.Preparatory Commission: A preparatory Commission was appointed by the Holy Father. The duty of it was to organise different committees or commissions for the forth coming council. This commission was strictly under a juridical consideration. It maintained a territorial view of missions. Missionary activities are always in the mission lands. Practically nothing was done with regard to missions. But the merit was that one commission was entrusted to study the topic of missions, even though they did not want to have a separate decree.

3.Council Session I: the topic Mission did not come for discussion in the council hall even though the commission for mission had prepared a draft. In the first session liturgy was the main topic of discussion, which was very much dear to the Bishops from the mission lands, especially the use of vernacular language in liturgy etc. they did not ask for a separate decree on missionary activity. Though the bishops came without much expectation, they were hopeful after the first session. It gave a boosting to the missionary bishops.

4.Second Session: the main theme of discussion was ‘the Church’. This topic prompted many bishops to think about the mission of the Church and also the missionary activities of the Church. They asked for a decree on missionary activity of the Church. The bishops wanted to have a third session for the council.

5.Third Session: Before the starting of the third session the commission for mission and central Secretariat prepared 14 propositions instead of a decree. It was a truncated schema (mutilated schema). But this made the Bishops angry. They circulated two counter schemas rejecting the 14 propositions as “dry bones”. Holy Father said that the 14 propositions must be revised and a full decree must be prepared. When the discussion started the group was divided into two. There were only few people who stood for territorial or geographical sense of mission. Many others said that mission must be oriented to people and not to land.

6.Fourth Session: A new draft was prepared by Y. Congar and Ratzinger. They were not in favour of territorial concept of the mission. They were in favour of a theological understanding of mission. Out of 2399, 2394 bishops voted in favour of the decree. This decree gives the theological foundation for the mission of the Church. This foundation is a Trinitarian foundation. The mission of the Church is based on the Holy Trinity. (LG is the central document of Vatican II; it gives a new ecclesiological vision – an ecclesiology of Episcopal collegiality and of communion. It is more ecumenical in tone. Pope presides over charity. LG affirms that missionary activity is at the heart of the Church. The very opinion of this constitution is “Christ is the light of all nations.”, i.e., Church is upholding a missionary eschatology.
Basing on LG Ad Gentes gives us the theological vision on the mission of the Church. The Church is missionary by her very nature. LG begins, ‘Christ is the light of all nations.” It is expressive of the mind of the Church. This is the missionary mind of the church. Prior to Vatican II missionary command was known as the theological foundation of mission. AG makes clear the mission and missionary activity of the Church is based on Trinity. The mission of the Church is a sharing. The very root of the missionary activity is the God who has revealed to us as Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
AG 2: the pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature. It is from the mission of the Son and the Spirit the Church receives her missionary activity. All mission activity flow from the love of God the Father. He is the principle of everything. Salvation of humanity is the outcome of God the Father’s will. For this he sent his only son to the world. This sending is the beginning of all other sendings. Jesus was the missionary of the father. Every missionary has a mission. Jesus’ was to save the humanity. The Holy Spirit makes the Church a missionary one. Church remains as the culmination of Jesus’ mission. Jn 20, 21: the Church remains in a sent state – sent by Jesus. Church remains as the missionary of the Son. Holy Spirit animates the Church – to grow and to expand; calls everyone to Church and builds up Church, the body of Christ. The missionary character remains as the very existence of the Church. Church continues the mission of the Father and of the Son; so we call Church a missionary.
Mission is of two types: Ad Intra and Ad Extra. Ad Extra means the historical manifestation of the coming of the Son and of the procession of the Holy Spirit.
Mission is not simply a question of obeying the missionary command. It is a co operating in the divine plan to make the humanity one people of God. Even though the Trinitarian aspect is the unique contribution of Vatican II this concept is already there in the Fathers, especially in the Capadocean fathers. Henri De Lubac had written- Church is essentially missionary, her mission is none other than the first means, the missionary activity. Missionary activity is in built in the Church. Church is missionary by her very nature.
Missionary activity (Missions or Mission Ad Extra): Mission towards the people: In Vatican II there is a transition from ‘mission’ to ‘missions.’ AG 9 says that missionary activity is nothing less and nothing less than God’s will. Missions has the origin in the mission and mission has the origin in the second and third persons of Trinity the Church has only one mission – sharing in Son and Spirit. The mission of the Church is bearing witness to Christ and Spirit in the world – to bear witness to God’s love. This one mission has many spheres and aspects. One of these is known as missionary activity or missions.
In Redemptoris Missio 31, Pope John Paul II says, mission is one and undivided, having one single origin and final purpose. This mission is carried out in different way. Redemptoris Missio 41, Mission is a single, but complex reality. It develops in a variety of ways. Missionary activity is an essential and never ending mission of the Church. This is a primary and principal service which the Church must render to all, i.e., Church is to be a missionary all the time. This is a binding duty of the Church. Without missionary activity the church’s missionary dimension would be deprived of its essential meaning, because she is missionary by very nature. It is a must for the Church to be a missionary.
There is difference between missionary activity, pastoral work and ecumenism. Missionary activity is always directed to those who are outside the Church.

Goals of missionary activity: 1. Preaching the gospel and 2. establishing the Church. Evangelisation and implantation are not opposing each other; instead they are complementing to each other. Evangelisation is used here in a strict sense. Evangelisation means the missionary preaching here. It is different from preaching, catechumenate and homily. Evangelisation means the first preaching of the Word of God to non Christians. The non Christian world hears the Word for the first time; it is evangelisation. The content of this preaching: Jesus was the content of the Apostolic preaching. They were announcing the good news of Jesus. Apostles were highlighting the death and resurrection of Christ. Acts 2, 23 – 24; 3, 14 – 15;
AG 13 says, we have to preach the living God and Jesus Christ. The council does not specify the particular events in the life of Jesus such as his death and resurrection. Present Jesus as the saviour of the world. If we do not present Jesus as the saviour there is no evangelisation. How we have to know Jesus. But this knowledge always mean a comprehensive knowledge. Evangelisation is for having a contact with the person of Jesus. This contact means ‘faith’. Faith is the real response from the part of the new converts. As a result the converts have to lead a new life of faith.
AG 12: how can we bring the good news to those regions where the direct proclamation is forbidden? Here evangelisation means spreading the gospel message through other means such as the witness of life,. Charity and dialogue.
AG 11: the silent present of the Church, sometimes and somewhere, is the only presence possible for the church. Our life help them in the long run to know Christ. Living is important. Christianity is to be lived before being taught.
AG 12: Closely united with men Christians bear witness to Christ even where they are not able to proclaim Christ fully. The missionaries have to engage themselves in dialogue with non Christian environment. Genuine dialogue is a means for witnessing and evangelisation. We have to collaborate with non Christians in socio –economic fields and collaborate others in works of charity. The support of the non Christian world is to be sought of it. This will help us to have a real contact with the non Christians.
The heart of missionary activity is preaching; but witnessing, dialogue and charitable activities must precede this preaching. Preaching is a fundamental and indispensable demand. The Church is duty bound to propagate the faith.
AG 13: How to preach? The decree forbids all kinds of compulsion and triumphalistic attitudes. Gospel is good news; it must be just proposed, not compelled. In short evangelisation means, preaching of gospel so that non Christians are led to conversion and faith in the person of Jesus Christ. Those who acknowledge Jesus will be gathered together into an ecclesial community. This is the second stage of establishing the Church or implanting the Church. Through missionary preaching the implantation of the Church is achieved. Implantation means the gathering of the people of God into an ecclesial community – a community of the faithful. The essence of evangelisation is establishing the Church. Implantation means the formation of the local Eucharistic community. Mere individual conversion is not enough, but it should establish local Eucharistic communities which would in long run become an individual church. Mere instruction and baptising of the individuals is the style of Protestants. But Catholic view is different – we should go beyond mere conversion to formation Eucharistic communities. Establishing the Church does not mean acquisition of properties and construction of buildings. What is needed is permanence of faith and sacraments – build up the community in faith and sacraments and in Christian charity. “We have to form a community of faith, liturgy and love” (AG19).
There are three stages in the formation of a community: 1. catechumenate 2. sacramental life and 3. the formation of the lay leaders.
The first process involves the announcement of the gospel – Kerygmatic proclamation (first announcement) and catechesis. Chatechumenate is an initiation to the life of the Christian community. It is not simply memorisation of certain prayers and dogmas. It is the entrance into a new form of life – in morality and in sacramental life.
In the second stage: catechumenate leads to the sacraments of initiation. People are led to a journey of faith through mystegogical catechesis – catechesis on the sacraments or on the mystery of the church, gospel, liturgy and charity.
Formation of the lay leaders is the third stage for the functioning of this community. To achieve the goal of a local Church we must have a local clergy, different forms of religious life, lay leaders and local hierarchy. Lay leadership means catechists and leaders of community. Also in this Church there must be different forms of contemplative and monastic life. If all these factors are there it can be called a truly developed diocese.
The third chapter of AG is devoted to the study of the missionary activities of the particular churches or dioceses. But it is equally applicable to individual churches (Dioceses) or Sui Iuris Churches; perhaps it is more applicable to individual churches (Eg., liturgical practices – each diocese cannot have different liturgies; but an individual Church can have it.).

Growth and Position of Particular Churches
The work of implantation reaches a definite stage with the formation of a full fledged stage – when it is capable of handing on the faith to the next generation. It is not simply a gathering of people; but the gathering of worshippers. AG 19: An adapted catechesis, a liturgy in harmony with the culture of people, canonical legislation etc. should be there. In the process of implantation we must give more importance to the people of God. Formation to the community is essential for the growth of a particular Church. Implantation and the growth are two phases of the same reality. In this , the bishop has to oversee the growth of the particular Church entrusted to him. Bishop, together with the entire presbyterium, is a member of the college of Bishops. That means he has responsibility to the entire Church and to his church. It is through the Bishop apostolicity is maintained in the Church. To safeguard the faith tradition of the Church is the primary duty of the Bishop. The newly formed diocese should have an intimate communion with the universal Church.
Proper Mission: the diocese also share the same ecclesial mystery and same apostolicity. So every diocese has the duty of sending out people to proclaim the gospel. There is no difference between sending Church and receiving churches. All churches should become evangelising churches. Each diocese has two missions: inside the territory and outside the territory. The Bishops are the heralds of the good news. The diocesan clergy must co operate with the missionaries form outside. Besides, they themselves must be ready go outside for missionary activities.
AG 23: Rights of the particular churches: Each Church can have its own liturgy, theological and spiritual heritage and proper discipline. There must be co operation between the bishops and the Episcopal conferences not only between Bishops, but between churches. AG Chapter 6: the norms of this co operation between the conferences are given. The diocese must consider the formation of the missionaries as their responsibility. They must be given theological catechetical formation and it is the responsibility of the diocese to give it.

Role of the Laity
Every baptised person is called to be a missionary. The three fold missions is assigned to the laity: 1. Bear witness to Christ through their words and deeds in family, social groups and in profession. Bear witness to the faith wherever we are. 2) they are called to be men of charity towards other people. Everybody is called to be an epiphany of God’s love. 3) Preach and teach the gospel and Christian doctrines.



Inter Ecclesial Relations in the Missions
More than one catholic community may exist in the same region. India is the best example for it. In such situations all of us have the same right and duty to evangelise because the mission of evangelisation is entrusted to the Church. AG 15: Above all charity should prevail among Catholics of all traditions. This is a warning directed towards Near East and Indian situations where missionaries belonging to different traditions work together. Co operation between churches in the same mission is the duty of the Bishop. Communion and common work is essential for fruitful evangelisation.

Relationship Between Catholics and Non Catholics (Ecumenism)
An ecumenical spirit must be kept in the missions. AG 6, 12, 16, 19, 36 etc. there are references to the ecumenical spirit that must prevail among Christian denominations. All preach Christ who is the common Lord of all and also all have the same sacramental baptism. Indifference, unhealthy intermingling and rivalry are to be avoided. (AG 15). There must be co operation instead of rivalry. There must be unity between Christians, because division or disunity will damage the most holy cause of preaching the gospel. “A divided Christendom cannot fully present Christ among the non christens” (AG 15). For a non Christian there is no difference between Catholics and non Catholics. So unity is a must. AG 15 says that there must be co operation in individual and communal levels. It reflects the ecumenical spirit of the Council. A united witness only can have result in the mission.
The decree insists on teaching ecumenism. Catholics are to be instructed about the true faith of Orthodox and of the Protestants. Brotherly communion must be there between different denominations. Co operation in different realms including the rituals. There is should be co operation and mutual appreciation between different Christian churches. In mission we should have authenticity of faith and true charity. (Co operation does not mean giving up our faith.).

Non Christian Religions and the Missions
The council said that there is the possibility of salvation outside the catholic Church. LG 16 – 19 says this. Church upholds a positive view about other religions. AG does not treat this question at length. This question is dealt with in NA. but in AG there are certain remarks about the non Christian religions. The council acknowledges the work of divine grace everywhere. Hence salvation is offered to all. God, through His own Spirit, is present everywhere. There are truth and grace in the world as well as in religions (AG 9). There is the secret presence of God among the other people. AG 11, 15 says that in their national and religious traditions there is hidden the seeds of the Word. So God will provide them with the means of salvation. They also have seeds of asceticism. and contemplation. But they are not to be equated with Christianity; they are only a preparation to gospel. They are to be enlightened and purified. This is the work of the missionaries. All Christians are to enter into dialogue with the non Christian religions. Thus we can also recognize the treasures, that God has distributed among them. This dialogue is not mean for conversion; but for a mutual understanding, love and unity.
There is a change in the understanding of the catholic Church towards the other religions. It has not come all on a sudden. It was the result of theological thinking prior to Vatican II. Theologians like Paul Knitter says the God experience was there among the pagans and non Christians. Many theologians affirmed the universality of Christ and grace. Holy Spirit was at work even before the glorification of Jesus. Religions in the world are grace filled means of salvation and are positively included in God’s plan of salvation. To some extent these theologians equate other religions with Christianity. But Rahner says, the religions in the world are incomplete without Christ; hence there is the need of continued missionary activity. The full presence of Christ is lacking in other religions. The council only says that they also are in the plan of God’s salvation. It does not equate other religions with the catholic Church.

Post Conciliar Thinking about the Missionary Activities
In the council there was a shift from the concept of ‘missions’ to ‘mission’ (evangelisation). The term mission was substituted by the term ‘evangelisation’. Mission is the nature of the Church; evangelisation is the activity of the Church, by which the nature is presented before the world. “The missionary Church exists to evangelise.”, says Pope Paul VI.
The term evangelisation was not in use until post conciliar time. It was used only in the sense ‘the first announcement of the good news’, not as a substitution to the term ‘the missions’ or ‘mission’. The modern re discovery of the term took place in Protestant circles. They were using it from the very beginning of the twentieth century. ‘evangelisation’ appears about 35 time in the documents of Vatican II, but not always in the same sense, but never as a substitute for ‘mission’. The most common usage of the term in catholic Church began with the Synod of Bishops (of which the theme was ‘evangelisation of the modern world) in 1974. it was popularised by the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi(1975) of Pope Paul VI. Ever since its publication the term ‘mission’ was substituted by evangelisation. But the other terms also are in use. A shift from ‘mission’ to ‘evangelisation’ is a development in the post conciliar time.
Why evangelisation instead of mission? Theological and historical reasons are there: first of all the de Christianisation of Europe due to industrialisation and secularisation. They became neither Christian nor non Christian. The Church has the duty of preaching gospel to them also. They wanted to find a term which indicates preaching of the gospel to non Christians, Christians and de- Christians. Preaching to the first is called ‘mission’, to the second ‘pastoral activity’, and to the third, ‘new evangelisation’ or ‘re evangelisation’. Thus the term evangelisation came to catholic usage.
Historical reason: the post independent situation of the ‘one time colonies’ also demanded a new term. Because in the former days there was both colonisation and evangelisation. But the historians say that this is an unholy association between these two. After independence in these colonies there emerged an aggressive attitude towards the Christian missionaries because of the above mentioned fact. Many missionaries were attacked and killed by the native people. There was a hatred towards the terms like ‘missions’, ‘missionaries’, ‘mission work’ etc. missions and missionaries were seen as agents of western domination. So they were in search of a new term.
Theological reasons: Vatican II gave us a new vision of man and a new theology of the world. Even the concept of salvation was changed from mere salvation of the soul to integral salvation. The missionaries have to work for the integral salvation of the humanity. The traditional ‘missionary activity’ does not include all thse terms. So a new term was needed.
Evangelii Nuntiandi (Dec 8, 1975). It is pastorally and theologically better than encyclical Redemptoris Missio of 1990. it is a post synodal exhortation. This has taken up and developed the unfinished agenda of the Synod of 1974, which did not have a final message, because there were two divergent schools or opinions operative in the synodal hall. Instead of making a final message they gave their own suggestions to the Holy Father. On the basis of this the Holy Father made an apostolic exhortation. This is actually a papal meditation on evangelisation. It is rich in its doctrinal, theological and pastoral aspects. It is very simple and direct in its presentation. Exhortatory style is found in the document. Seven chapters with 82 articles. This was designed to mobilise the whole Church especially the evangelisers. Pope is more concerned about the pastoral aspect of evangelisation. It gives a global or wider understanding of evangelisation. The meaning of evangelisation was expanded from ‘preaching the word to the non Christians’ to all the efforts made by the Church that the faith may be spread all over. Evangelisation is the grace and vocation proper to the Church. Church exists for evangelisation. It is not remaining only on the missionary command of Christ to preach the good news to the whole world. Evangelisation is constituting its very basis for the Church for it existence. No evangelisation, no Church. Evangelii Nuntiandi has a wider conception of evangelisation apart from identifying it with one or other aspects of evangelisation (with preaching, catechesis, liberation, inculturation etc.). There is only one mission for the Church: to continue the mission of Christ; it is carried out in many ways. Everything that is designed to accomplish this mission is called evangelisation.
Evangelii Nuntiandi (Shortened to EN) 17: any partial or fragmentary definition of evangelisation distorts and impoverish the concept. Evangelisation consists of different elements. We must be aware of it. So evangelisation is a complex, rich and dynamic reality. One has to take into account all these essential elements and aspects. (EV 24.) Preaching of the word of God is only a part of evangelisation. Evangelisation is a complex process made up of different elements. These elements are complimentary and mutually enriching. (EN 17, 24, 26). To grasp the meaning of Evangelisation we have to take into consideration all these elements such as the renewal of humanity, witness, explicit adherence etc. the task of evangelisation has a particular task – the renewal of the humanity.
EN 18: definition of concept of evangelisation: To evangelise means to bring the good news into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence, transforming humanity from within and making it new through its influence. So evangelisation also includes the normal pastoral activities carried out among Christians. The ultimate goal of evangelisation is not the conversion of non Christians, but the renewal of humanity, which would take place only with an interior change of individuals.
EN presents a new concept of evangelisation. This evangelic mission is a binding duty for every Christian from which no one is exempted. In this sense both evangelisation to non Christians and pastoral activities among Christians are not different.
Essential elements of Evangelisation: 1. Witness of life by Christian communities to Christian values (EN 21). 2. clear and unequivocal proclamation of word 3. Sacramental life. The absence of one of these elements makes evangelisation meaningless. They are the constitutive elements of evangelisation.
Humanity in general is the recipient of the beneficiary of evangelisation irrespective of Christians or non Christians or territorial differences. Evangelisation is a global concept because its concern for human development and liberation, according to the new vision. (EN 31 – 38). Evangelisation is not mere proclamation of the Word, but also liberating mission. Also we are not interested in quantitative growth; but qualitative growth is the motto of the Church. Liberation and inculturation are pertaining to the aspect of evangelisation. In EN importance is given to integral salvation- spiritual as well as secular. Evangeliser is sent to redeem the humanity from all kinds of liabilities. The good new of Christ offers life and liberation from all kinds of bondages. John Paul II says, to evangelise means to proclaim the gospel. Gospel is summed up in Jesus – in his words and deeds. Jesus is the saviour and solution to every problem. Evangelisers must be faithful to the message and to the people whom he address. It must be according to the context.

Three Essential Elements of evangelisation
1. Christian witness 2, explicit proclamation of good news and 3. celebration of sacraments are traditionally understood as constitutive elements of evangelisation. So evangelisation is a tri -dimensional reality (also multi dimensional reality.). These three elements correspond to the reality of Jesus Himself – the way, truth and life. He is the way that must be witnessed to the truth that must be proclaimed and the life that must be shared.
In evangelisation the Church proclaims the death and resurrection of Christ. This proclamation of the word and participation in sacraments must be preceded by Christian testimony or Christian witness of the community and of the individual. Good news must be proclaimed first and foremost through Christian witness. Church realises her prophetic mission through proclamation, priestly mission through sacraments and royal mission through testimony of life. All these three are to be taken in a unity. They are interdependent and interactive.
The Church has paid attention from the very beginning to the aspect of living the word of God. The preacher must be a witness, who is authentic and credible in his preaching. Proclamation without witness produces no effect. He must practice what he preaches like Jesus. Bearing witness to Christ even in silence is the authentic evangelisation. It is wordless, but powerful. Even mere presence of a Christian is evangelisation. Acts 1, 8: Jesus sends the Apostles with the command of witnessing all over the world. They bore witness to Jesus. This is the model we have to follow.
Church is the agent of evangelisation. So it is the Christian community which should bear witness by being good citizens and by obeying the legitimate authorities. The gospel message is to be addressed to the human person in his totality. The proclamation touches his intelligence whereas the testimony of life appeals to the will. The former expresses, the latter impresses. The impression is more important. In order to bear witness one must have an experience of Christ and this experience must be direct, personal and spiritual.
‘Evangelise’ means bear witness to the love of the Father (EN 26). God has loved the world and calls everyone to the fullness of the world. All the Christians may not get a chance to proclaim gospel in far away places; but all will get the chance to live the gospel. In the East Syrian Church the evangelisation was through the monastic life. During that time they outnumbered Latins and Greeks put together. It is because of their missionary zeal. The Church was called church on fire. The monks did not go out, but the people came to the monasteries and the monks taught and helped the people. They translated the liturgy and scripture into the local languages. Thus people got attracted to Christianity. The religious life of prayer, penance and silence was a great evangelisation. They were aware of the presence of God in them and they lived accordingly. Real interior prayer life and contemplation led them to bear witness to the word. There was a love and craving for the Eucharist. If the missionary is not a man of prayer he cannot proclaim Christ in a credible manner. Jesus Christ is the best model of missionaries.
Witness to unity is another dimension of evangelisation. If the missionaries are divided in themselves the credibility is lost. Their proclamation will not be effective. The success of evangelisation depends upon the witness of unity. (EN). The life of the early Christian community is the best example for unity. All who believed were together; they had everything in common. Today the witness of life has become important more than ever. If the Christians fail to give witness that is a counter witness. The evangelist must be true and sincere. (EN 76), believe, live and preach. There must be unity among all these. Contradiction between life and message is the gravest scandal. Christian witness is a form of evangelisation that can be carried out anywhere and everywhere in the world.



Explicit preaching of the word.
Without preaching evangelisation is inconceivable. Sometimes the very concept of evangelisation is identified with preaching alone. Preaching is the central part of evangelisation; but it is only a constitutive element of evangelisation. So witness must be followed by a clear and unequivocal proclamation of the word of God. There is no evangelisation proper without announcing the name, life and deeds of Lord Jesus. First we have to live the faith; then announce it. Jesus was announcing the good news concerning God (EN 7). The apostles also followed the teaching mission of God. The preaching of Jesus and apostles gave birth to the Church. They preached the word of God and thus came out the Church. (EN 59). Preaching is an essential element because one is not able to come to faith without preaching. So faith formation is necessary. Faith comes through hearing of the word of God. EN 42: the word of God must be preached; faith is need for salvation for which a prior proclamation is necessary.
What would be the content of Christian proclamation? It is Jesus which is the content. There is no real evangelisation without proclaiming Jesus- his life and teachings and gospel (EN 22). Fidelity to the gospel is essential. No watering down of the gospel messages. The evangeliser must abide by the instruction given by the sender, i.e., the Church. Evangeliser is sent by the Church. So they have to proclaim the gospel and not their own idea. The evangelisers are not the authors, but the stewards of the word of God. To evangelise means to preach the mysteries of the kingdom brought by Christ. These mysteries are identifiable with Jesus himself. Jesus asked “seek the kingdom first, everything will follow.” Kingdom means His life, words and deeds together. Jesus was always presenting God the Father. He had something new in his proclamation. God is presented as compassionate, lovable faithful and merciful. The kingdom is where the will of God is respected; where there is peace, love and justice. It is not simply a question of increasing the number of baptisms. Emphasis Jesus and his mysteries. The hearer of the message of Jesus is called to an interior conversion.

Kingdom of God and the Church.
They cannot be identified easily. Church is a sign of the kingdom. We still pray, “Your kingdom come.” Church is the gathering of those who believe in Jesus. Church and kingdom, though not identical cannot be separated. Where there is kingdom, there is the Church ; where there is the Church, there is kingdom. Church’s duty is to announce the coming of the kingdom. Church is to announce the coming of the kingdom. Church is the seed and beginning of the kingdom. Church fulfils the task of spreading the kingdom through evangelisation. While announcing the kingdom the church is not substituting Christ. Church proclaims the kingdom manifested in the very person of Jesus. There is a chrostocentrism in our preaching of the kingdom. It is the test of the authenticity of evangelisation. (Christocentrism).
The good news is not primarily a set of doctrines, but an answer to the problems of the people. The essence of the word of God is Jesus. He is the answer to all the problems. There is no evangelisation at all if the name of Jesus is not proclaimed. Some object to open proclamation as a violation of the religious liberty of others. The Holy Father says that the evangeliser’s mission is to propose the message, and not imposing the message. This is to be done by avoiding coercion and persuasion of any kind. Conversion is to be won by the cross and not by the sword. Those people who do not accept or believe the gospel message also will hold this with respect and reverence. So we must respect them.
Another objection: The seeds of the word are already present in the world as well as in all cultures and in all religions. But evangelisers says that God saves humanity as he wishes, not as we propose. But he has revealed to us that the ordinary path of salvation in Jesus, who is unique. Other religions do not possess the fullness of presence of God. The evangeliser should not avoid preaching due to fear, objection from people etc. but at the same time we must respect the dignity of the persons.
From the part of the hearers: There is the necessity of preaching the gospel. Modern world is fed up with listening to spoken word. So we have to proclaim in such a way that is intelligible to the people. All occasions are to be made use of for communicating the word of God. The most important time is of the homily. Holy Qurbana is not the only time for homily, but it can be done in all the appropriate occasions.
The celebration of the Sacraments: It is an essential element of evangelisation along with witness and proclamation. Evangelisation itself is sacramental because evangelisation mission belongs to the Church, which is the primordial sacrament. Participation in the sacramental life is necessary for salvation. Every sacrament is an experience of the encounter with Christ, this encounter is the goal of evangelisation. The sacraments are in the church and of the Church. Evangelisation cannot be fully achieved by mere proclamation. But grace also is needed. This grace comes form the sacraments. Proclamation must lead us to sacraments. So we have to instruct people to receive the sacraments. EN 47 says that sacraments are not to be received in passivity. They are to be received as true sacraments of faith. We have to receive and live the sacraments.
Earlier evangelisation and sacraments were thought to be different. But both evangelisation and sacramental life go together. The sacraments will produce result only if they are received properly. So a preparation through catechesis is needed. There must be proper balance between word and sacraments. Catholics have been accused of being sacramentalists, they do not give due importance to the word of God. But now there are people who give more importance to the word discarding the celebration of the sacraments, especially that of Qurbana. There must be a proper balance between both word and the sacraments.
The Church is the sacrament of salvation. Now it is our duty to present Church as the sacrament of salvation. This can be done only through participation in the sacramental life of the Church. Sacramental life finds its fullness in the Eucharist, which is the source and summit of all evangelisation. (PO). The ultimate aim of evangelisation is to have a full Eucharistic community. EN 14: Church exists inorder to evangelise. The Church exists in order to celebrate the sacraments, especially, the Eucharist. Celebration of the sacraments is an integral part of evangelisation. The very missionary command includes both preaching and baptising. Both go together. So proclamation must lead to sacramental life. Sacramental life must be preceded by catechesis. Both are complimentary. For making a proper community both catechesis and sacraments are essential. Eucharist is the point of arrival and departure in the Church.
Evangelisation and sacraments go together. They enrich each other. There is a movement form witness to proclamation and to celebration. The fullness is attained in the celebration of the sacraments. In short Eucharist makes us true evangelisers.
Evangelisation and Liberation
The theme liberation is very prominent in present day theology. There is no contrast between evangelisation and liberation. Liberation becomes meaningful in the context of evangelisation. Evangelisation becomes fruitful in the context of liberation. Today it has become our (Church’s) responsibility to give all the people with the means necessary for leading a human life in dignity. But today there is great oppression and injustice in the world. It keeps the great majority of people in poverty. Millions of people are in a subhuman existence, living in utter poverty. This is evidently a mockery to the God the creator. There are other forms of oppression elsewhere. Such as religious fundamentalism (even in India), materialism, secularisation, liberalism etc. all these are forms of oppression in richer countries of the world. This situation prompts the missionaries of Church to re think of the content and method of evangelisation. The good news of Jesus is the message of joy and freedom. In proclaiming this message one cannot be blind towards the current problems. Human beings need to be freed from all the forms of oppression. Evangelisation includes liberation or work for liberation. This is not something that has to be discovered by Councils or encyclicals. But the awareness of this was there in the church from the beginning. E.g. Acts 5, 1 – 6: Deacons are assigned with the duty of distributing daily bread. Also Paul collected offerings from people for the Church in Jerusalem. Care for soul and body are two aspects of the same activity. They cannot be separated. The dualism came in the Church during the Constantine era. The good news was reduced only to spiritual message. The acceptance of the gospel was seen as guarantee for eternal salvation. Church was not concerned about needs of the people. It kept itself away from the economic and social realities of the people. The Church even supported the so called oppressive structure.
This separation between spiritual and temporal had great consequences. The Church lost a number of its followers. When the Council started in 1962 the Church was not at all involved in the concrete situations of the humanity. Church concentrated only on preaching gospel and saving the souls. The evangelisers were not concerned about the unjust structure of the society in socio economic realms. But there were individual missionaries who were undertaking some developmental activities. But they also were not considering it as the part of their evangelisation. This was considered only as preliminaries to the evangelisation. There was a dualistic mentality.
This situation was changed with the Vatican II. The Church was forced to think about the content and method of missionary activity. GS: The Church is concerned with the joy, grief, anguish of the community. The Church affirmed the dignity of all persons. Church expressed her solidarity with all persons irrespective of cast, creed etc. especially with the weaker sections of that society. Church became conscious of the modern problems. It is reflected in the decree on missionary activities.
Works of liberation and development are not mere preparation for evangelisation. But both go together. Both are parts of the same mission of the Church, which is the mission of Jesus Christ. This idea has been reiterated by other papal teachings such as Populorum Progressio of pope Paul VI, Documents of Medellin in 1968(Latin American Bishops’ Conference), apostolic letter Octogessima Adveniens of Pope Paul VI, The synod of Bishops of 1971. The synod discussed mainly ‘justice in the world’. The synod asserted that liberation is the constitutive part of evangelisation. The synod of Bishops of 1974 also discussed the theme of Justice. It was mainly on evangelisation. In this synod it is the Latin American Bishops who spoke for liberation. The Asian African Bishops were not interested in the use of the term ‘liberation’. They preferred the word ‘development’. The proclamation of the gospel must be applicable for the society. The theme of liberation should be situated in the global concept of evangelisation. There are millions who live in subhuman levels. The Church’s mission is an integral one, which includes both spiritual and temporal dimensions. They cannot be reduced to mere sociological or political activity. Integral liberation must include the whole man (EN 33). The supernatural dimension of the liberation of the Church must not be undermined. If we are not proclaiming the liberation through Jesus we are not doing justice. We also must not over look the temporal and economic grounds. Liberation must not be limited to some aspects alone. The whole person in all aspects should be the concern for us. The objective of liberation taken up by the Church is not purely development in the temporal order, but an integral liberation of the person. Give due importance to both temporal and supernatural orders. There is distinction between supernatural and temporal, evangelisation and liberation. But there is no separation between them. They go together. The Church’s proclamation must be centred on the kingdom of God, combining both dimensions together.
In our work of liberation Church has to depend on evangelical principles and Christian ideals. Nothing other should control our activity such as armed revolution. Anything and everything cannot be labelled as Christian. Human liberation of the Church is identical with salvation in Jesus Christ. Political liberation is not the evangelical mission of the Church. Our action for liberation is rooted in our own vision on the man and world. Any vision of man and history which undermines the role of God is unacceptable to us. God saves the world through Jesus Christ. The person in his entirety is the object of redemption. The Church carries out this in two levels. Evangelisation and liberation – which go together. No violence or armed revolution to safe oppressed people is allowed. Violence has no role in our mission. (EV 37). Violence is unchristian and against the gospel. Violence always provokes another violence. It brings forth another form of oppression.
Use of force or violence could be justified according to the situation but in general all kinds of violence is forbidden. A mere structural change does not bring a change at all change is necessary for stopping oppression. But prior to the structural a change a change of heart must be effected. The aim of Church must be this. The most perfect structures and ideal systems become totally inhuman if the mentality of the people is not right. An interior change is needed for any change.
The Church carries out her mission of liberation in collaboration with all persons of good will. The very proclamation of the Christian message is important. The Church conscientises the faithful with regard to their duty of involving themselves in the work of liberation. Involvement of all sections of people of God is encouraged by the Church. We also have to conscientise the people who are oppressed. The Church has to instil in them the idea of liberation as well as hope for a liberation. We can do all these things based own Church’s own profound and comprehensive teachings. The social doctrines of the Church are rooted in Church’s vision of human person and the history. The persons and their welfare is of great importance for the Church. Our work of liberation is to be associated with our work of evangelisation. He guides the liberators through the right path. The liberation the evangelisers proclaim is the same what Christ had proclaimed. There are certain profound links between evangelisation and liberation. They are of there levels: anthropological, theological and evangelical. The gospel has to be announced to the people in the concrete situation. The situations are liable to change in all the realms – social, political, economic, cultural etc. These changes affects them profoundly. So the evangelisers has to study all these changes and the sciences related to these realms, so that the evangelisation can be made concrete.
The theological link arises because of the intimate relation between creation and redemption. Order of creation and order of redemption are a unity. So also we have to consider the human being as a unity – not as a body and as a soul. Both are related to each other. Only through the mystery of redemptive incarnation we can achieve liberation.
Evangelical link: there is no love of God without love of neighbour which includes peace, equality, truth, justice etc. we proclaim the gospel out of our love towards God, which should be reflected in our relation towards other people. Liberation must be seen as a constitutive part of the evangelising mission of the Church.
Evangelisation and Inculturation
It is one of the prominent themes of EN. In this exhortation Pope does not use ‘inculturation’. Instead of that he uses ‘evangelisation of cultures’. Culture is something associated to the whole life of the people. Every missionary has to encounter the culture. Here comes the relevance of inculturation. Culture and religion are very closely related in the life of the people. E.g., In India Hindu culture is important. It is closely related to religion also. But in the west there is a certain degree of separation between religion and culture. So the problem the Church faces is different in the East and in the West.
Culture is a complex and dynamic reality. GS 53: the Magna Carta of the gospel – culture encounter. It tells of the relationship between Church and the world. According to this culture is the way of life of the people. It varies form people to people. There are a variety of cultures in the world. Culture is very much a part of human existence. Culture is the total life way of a people.(says Kluhohn). The social legacy the individual acquires form his group. Culture is a complex whole which includes all the capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of a community.
Gospel – Culture Encounter
It is not something new. Jesus himself asked his disciples to go and preach gospel to all people irrespective of culture. In every culture there are positive and negative elements. No culture is alien to the gospel. The gospel is not bound to any particular culture at all. But the missionaries considered their own culture as the culture. The mission of the church is universal, not bound to any particular culture.
Till Vatican II we were following a defective missionary methodology. The Post reformation missionary activities have been carried out almost all by the Western missionaries of the Roman Church, because due to historical and political reasons most of the eastern churches were not in a position capable of taking up missionary activities. Western missionaries were the offshoot of colonial spirit and power. But a number of local churches grew up in Asia and Africa due to the missionary activities. But these local churches were not indigenous. Tighter with the faith the missionaries were imparting the western culture also. Christianity was practically identified with west and Especially with Rome.
Very often the newly converted people were cut away from the local cultures. Christianity and Christian faith grew as a plant in a flower pot, in a soil borrowed from somewhere else, with no roots in the soil of the land. Vatican II was aware of its defects. So it gave some proposals for gospel – culture encounter.
In EN the Pope speaks of evangelisation of cultures mainly. Then he speaks of evangelisation proper. I the evangelisation process we have to take into account the culture also. The evangelisers must have a positive outlook towards non Christian cultures and religions. The evangelisers have to remain faithful to the essential content of the gospels.
Pope says that we have to distinguish between both eastern and western situations. In the East culture and religion go together. But in the West there is a separation between culture and religion. The goal of evangelisation is the interior change and renewal of humanity through the power of the gospel, and not mere conversion. This will take place only when the culture is deeply permiated by the good news. It is evident that people are deeply attached to their own culture. All cultures and religions possess the seeds of God’s word. So we must have a positive attitude to all religions. EN 53: They are in preparation of the gospel. The goal of evangelisation is the renewal of humanity. It is also the gathering of local people for the celebration – taking into consideration all the cultural elements.
The local Church has to work for further evangelisation in a language that would be understood by them. The impact of evangelisation on the culture and people is called inculturation ad extra.- Inculturation from outside. Effect of the presence of the gospel in the community is called evangelisation ad intra – a new form of living. Gospel must be spread in a language that is understood to them. (language means language in anthropological and cultural sense. Language symbolises the feelings and experience of the people, their way of looking at things etc. real inculturation is impossible without proclaiming the gospel in the local language.
Different sectors of inculturation: Liturgical expressions, catechesis, theological formulation, church structures and ministry. Inculturation must cover all these areas. AG stresses much on the incorporation of asceticism and contemplation. They are to be taken up by the evangelists. The process of evangelization must embrace the whole sphere of life. What is essential is gospel culture encounter. Gospel must penetrate into the culture. All encounters are in need of an encounter with the gospel even in the traditional Christian communities. A renewed encounter is needed. It is the duty of evangelizers to bring the gospel to the traditional cultures. As a result there will emerge new cultures and gospel values. (Christianity failed to grow in the soil of the land especially in India and Africa. They are considered foreigners. It is due to the failure in assimilating the cultures).
Who is responsible for the inculturation? According to EN the Bishops and the hierarchy are responsible for the local healthy inculturation. The success of inculturation depends on the capacity of the missionaries to integrate the cultural aspects. The evangelizers must have an open mind – ready to enter in dialogue with people of other faith. Evangelization of cultures will lead to healthy theological pluralism. Incluturation must come from the daily life of the people. It must not be something imposed upon.
Purification of cultures: Evangelizing the cultures means transforming the cultures. All cultures in the world is in need of purification and redeeming, because all elements of a culture may not be equally valuable or may not be Christian. All cultures are affected by the sinful humanity. Therefore they are to be purified and transformed. We have to get rid of the evil elements. People would think that theirs is the best and only way of a good life. But it is not right. The gospel must encounter every culture and enrich them. Cultures must undergo a process of passion, death and resurrection. Culture need to be regenerated. But we should not destroy anything that is noble in the cultures. The good elements are to be retained and enriched by the encounter with the gospel.
Indian Christians are accused of inactive in the field of mission. Because India still remains unchristian to a great extend. But the very fact that a Christian community exists even today in the name of St. Thomas is a counter argument of it. There are also proofs for that Christianity was there all over India. There are sound archaeological evidence for it. That means the missionary activities have been made here either by St. Thomas Christians or by the East Syrians. The East Syrians are famous for their missionary zeal in the past. They Christianized India, China, and a great part of Asia. (Hsianfu monument discovered form China is a proof of this. In this the history of missionary activity in China is encarved – ca 681. both in Syriac and in Chinese.). We believe that we have some hierarchical relation with the East Syrian Church form the fourth century. In the document found in Asian countries contain the names of Thomas Christians. That means we also had missionary activities.
The Christian communities in India might have been vanished due to war or such other events. Many of these communities called themselves Thomas Christians. Many of the people baptized by Francis Xavier were once believers in Christ, who might have been reverted to Hinduism due to lack of pastoral activity. The Christian in India were devotees of St. Thomas. Even today there are groups in North India called Thomse who are non Hindus.
St. Thomas Christians hold the belief that everybody will be saved according to their belief. (marga). So they were not insisting upon conversion. Conversion is unthinkable for Hindus also.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ad Gentes
Evangelii Nuntiandi – Pope Paul VI (1975)
Redemptoris Missio (1990)
Ecclesia in Asia (1999)
Sebastian Karottemprayil ed., Following Christ in Mission
Mission for the Third Millennium, Rome (1993)