By Midhun J Francis
Rome, Dec 19, 2023: The Catholic Church, in its mission to spread the message of Christ, is engaged in a multi-layered process known as inculturation. In the intricate diversity of the Church’s mission, the dynamic interplay of liturgy, synodality, listening, and inculturation emerges as a profound reflection on the mystery of the Incarnation.
Starting from the belief that the Word became flesh (Jn 1:14) in the person of Jesus Christ, the Church embarks on a transformative journey to bring the Gospel to different socio-cultural milieus.
The Church, especially in the first millennium, acknowledged the importance of liturgical variants in understanding the Incarnation mystery. Oriental Churches, including the Chaldean, Byzantine, Alexandrian, and Antiochian, have their different liturgical variants. The Latin Church has various rites, including the Roman, Ambrosian, and Congolese Rites, and religious rites like Dominican and Franciscan.
Regions like Ernakulam-Angamaly have unique cultures that bishops need to understand, contributing to the Church’s diverse response.
Inculturation: A transformative journey
Inculturation in the Catholic Church involves integrating cultural values into Christianity, ensuring its specificity and integrity, and making the Gospel message relevant to diverse cultures, a crucial aspect of the Incarnation. It involves making the Gospel a living reality in different cultural contexts, with liturgical variations like those found in the Archdiocese of Kottayam (the Syro Malabar Church has Malankara liturgical variants, as well as many other customs, differs from the rest of the Syro Malabar) playing a crucial role in preserving the essence of the Christian message.
The Syro-Malabar bishops need to recognize the richness of liturgical diversity within the major arch eparchy of the Ernakulam Angamaly. Just as Jesus opened his eyes to the unique contexts of the people (Mt 15:26), the bishops are called to recognize the rightful autonomy of the Eparchy. This respect for diversity strengthens the Church’s ability to embody the mystery of the Incarnation in specific cultural milieus.
Pope Francis’ “Querida Amazonia” emphasizes the Church’s commitment to inculturation, emphasizing patience, wisdom, openness, and fidelity to tradition. It emphasises the ongoing nature of inculturation and the need for compatibility with the Christian message. The Church’s holistic approach, including theology, liturgy, and structures, demonstrates its commitment to global universal expressions and exploration of Amazon cultures.
The Syro-Malabar bishops are urged to familiarize themselves with the Universal Church’s missions and documents to avoid potential controversies and maintain a harmonious expression of the Catholic faith within global cultures, thereby avoiding potential damage to the Church and the Pope.
Synodality and listening: A shared journey towards cultural openness
Synodality, closely linked to listening, is a process of renewal within the Church that is guided by the Holy Spirit and leads the Church to open itself to the culture that embodies the spirit of the Incarnation. It involves active listening, dialogue and communal discernment. It mirrors Jesus’ approach in his earthly life (e.g. The Samaritan woman at the well: John 4:1-42, Jesus changing perspective: Matthew 15:26, Jesus understanding new religious contexts: The healing of the centurion’s servant: Matthew 8:5-13). This communal journey, in which each individual can participate and contribute, challenges and transforms the church, fostering a sense of community and mission.
Synodality and listening are essential for fraternal communication and discernment in the Church. Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church should use moments of silence to remember their pastoral role (John 10:11). The Church’s commitment to decision-making promotes communion, catholicity, and ecumenical commitment. It acknowledges that true unity comes from diversity and encourages the Church to embrace and celebrate diversity for authentic communion.
Liturgy: an expression of faith made flesh
The liturgy, the source of Christian life and mission, has the transformative power to shape cultures by promoting equal dignity and preservation. The Eparchy of Ernakulam Angamaly holds this right, and bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church and the universal Church must acknowledge and celebrate its cultural diversity.
The Incarnation emphasizes the sacredness of different cultures, with liturgical adaptations reflecting this understanding. It encourages the faithful to discover the sacred in the richness of their cultural expressions.
Historical examples of liturgy and inculturation show the church’s willingness to adapt worship practices while maintaining fidelity to the gospel and Christian purity. Past failures, like the supposed Latinization in the 16th century, emphasise the failure of humility and discernment by the missionary in inculturation. The Syro-Malabar church must also acknowledge that before Latinization, they were “Syrianized” in the 3rd century, which challenges the church to recognise its adaptability to different cultural contexts.
The Syro-Malabar Church in Ernakulam Angamaly is calling for an apostolic identity that goes beyond designations like Syriac or Latin. The Church is rooted in the Apostolic tradition, not the Chaldean tradition, and is rooted in regional or cultural affiliations within Kerala or India. It acknowledges that identity may be Indian, Keralite, Malayali, or any other, as seen in various rites like the Ambrosian Rite or the Spanish Rite. The Church must value and respect the unique cultural identities within its communities, acknowledging that its mission is to pass on the apostolic faith in the context of each culture.
The Incarnation: the basis for adaptation
The Incarnation, the centrepiece of the Christian faith, means that the Son of God took on human nature to accomplish redemption. The term “incarnation” reflects the incarnation of the Word and emphasises the material reality and impact on humanity in various situations.
The incarnation is the basis for inculturation, which is evident in the Church’s commitment to different cultures. The Church, inspired by the mystery of Christ, seeks to become incarnate in every place and time, taking elements from human cultures to build up the Kingdom of God.
Conclusion
The Incarnation, the core of the Christian faith, signifies the Son of God taking on human nature for redemption. The term “incarnation” highlights the material reality and impact on humanity. The bishops of the Syro-Malabar Synod must become incarnate, especially during the Christmas season. The Church’s commitment to inculturation, synodality, listening, and liturgy reflects the dynamic spirit of incarnation, fostering a deeper understanding of the Gospel and enriching both the Church and the cultures it encounters. Let this Christmas be a celebration of incarnation.
(Jesuit Father Midhun J Francis Kochukallan, a native of Kerala state, is a researcher at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome specializing in Christian-Muslim interfaith relationships. He holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy from Tilak University, Pune, a Licentiate in Systematic Theology from Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Islamic Studies from Henry Martyn Institute, Hyderabad, and diplomas in Arabic and Urdu. He works with the South Asian Jesuit Conference on Christian-Muslim relations. He also writes for several English and Malayalam magazines and newspapers.)
It’s so unfortunate that an issue of disobedience is presented in a misleading way using abstract theological jargons like inculturation, synodality, contextualism,…
Only a person who have no sense of what it is to be East Syrian Rite Catholic can write such a horrible article.
Amazing work!
A thought provoking article. The concept of incarnation is explained well in the context of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly. No doubt, the incarnation of Christ must be understood in the living context. Congratulations!