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God's People in Asia: A Key Concept in Asian Theology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2009

Steven G. Mackie
Steven G. Mackie
Affiliation:
St Mary's College, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JU
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Extract

How far are contextual theologies emerging in Asia today? How far are they similar to or different from Liberation Theologies in Latin America, Southern Africa and the U.S.A.?

Type
Research Article
Information
Scottish Journal of Theology , Volume 42 , Issue 2 , May 1989 , pp. 215 - 240
Copyright
Copyright © Scottish Journal of Theology Ltd 1989

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References

1 Schreiter, R. J., in Constructing Local Theologies (Orbis, 1985)Google Scholar, terms this the ‘ethnographic’ as opposed to the ‘liberation’ approach.

2 M. Ambaladass has pointed to the triangular relationship between contemporary culture, traditional Asian cultures (which are essentially religious) and biblical cultures (International Review of Mission, LXXIV/294, 1985, p. 169ff.).

3 The term is borrowed from P. Digan (see note 11 below).

4 The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) was originally founded in 1959 as the East Asia Christian Conference (EACC).

5 See Fleming, J. R. (ed.), This We Believe: Asian Churches Confess their Faith (EACC, 1968).Google Scholar

6 A contrast first formulated by Hwang, C. H. (Shoki Coe) in ‘A Rethinking of Theological Training for the Ministry of the Younger Churches Today’, South East Asia Journal of Theology, 4/2, 1962Google Scholar; see also the article by the same author in Elwood, , Asian Christian Theology: Emerging Themes (Westminster Press, 1980), pp. 48–55.Google Scholar

7 Theology in Action: A Workshop Report (EACC, 1972)Google Scholar gives an account of some of the early work of UIM and the theological reflection arising from it.

8 Niles, D. P., ‘A Continuing Ecumenical Journey’, CTC Bulletin, 4/1, CCA Commission on Theological Concerns, April 1983, pp. 46–64.Google Scholar

9 Song, C. S., ed., Sharing one Hope, Faith and Order document no. 92, WCC, 1978, p. 76.Google Scholar

10 P. Digan discusses the significance of these two ‘transnational’ church bodies for Christian social witness in Asia in his Churches in Contestation: Asian Christian Social Protest (Orbis, 1984) p. 50ff.Google Scholar He sees them as essentially cast in the role of standard-bearers but as maintaining, in varying degrees, a relationship with ‘the avant-garde’ represented here by EATWOT.

11 Fabella, V., ed., Asia's Struggle for Full Humanity (Official Report of EATWOT III, Wennapuwa 1979, Orbis, 1980) p. 31ff.Google Scholar

12 Fabella, op. cit., pp. 80, 89, 93–94.

13 Ibid., p. 134.

14 Ibid., pp. 156–157.

15 Fabella, V. and Torres, S., eds., Irruption of the Third World: Challenge to Theology (Official Report of EATWOT V, New Delhi 1981, Orbis, 1983), pp. 113ff.Google Scholar

16 Ibid., pp. 195–200.

17 Ibid., p. 113. For the influence of Pieris' address oh the New Delhi Conference, see the comments by Fabella, op. cit., p. xiii.

18 Towards a Theology of People — I (CCA/URM, 1977).

19 Printed in Asia Focus, 66/1 (CCA, 1977), pp. 17–28.

20 Fabella, Asia's Struggle, p. 168.

21 Suh, K. S. D., in Minjung Theology: People as Subjects of History (CTC/CCA 1981; Orbis, 1983), p. 16Google Scholar, cp. Y. B. Kim, in CTC Bulletin, 5/3–6/1, p. 67ff.

22 K. S. D. Suh, op. cit., p. 16.

23 See articles by C. Y. Choo and Y. B. Kim, op. cit., pp. 73–119.

24 See the articles by Y. H. Hyun and N. D. Suh, op. cit., pp. 47–72.

25 B. M. Ahn, op. cit., pp. 138–152.

26 N. D. Suh, op. cit., pp. 155–182.

27 Chi, M. K., ‘Theological Development in Korea’, in International Review of Mission, LXXIV/293, Jan. 1985, pp. 73–79.Google Scholar

28 See Batangan, E. P., Faith and Social Change: Basic Christian Communities in the Philippines (CIIR, London, 1985).Google Scholar

29 Minjung Theology, p. 35.

30 Carino, F. V., ed., Church, State and People: The Philippines in the 80s (CCA/CTC, 1981), pp. 35–43.Google Scholar

31 Ibid., pp. 61–74.

32 Wickremesinghe, L., ‘Living in Christ with People’, A Call to Vulnerable Discipleship (Niles Memorial Lectures, CCA, 1981), pp. 25–49Google Scholar; see also the memorial issue of CTC Bulletin, 5/1–2 (CCA, 1984).

33 Song, C. S., ‘Political Theology of Living in Christ with People’, A Call to Vulnerable Discipleship, pp. 5–24;Google Scholar and The Tears of Lady Meng: A Parable of People's Political Theology (WCC Risk books, 1981).Google Scholar

34 See Song, C. S., Third-Eye Theology: Theology in Formation in Asian Settings (Orbis, 1979)Google Scholar, Part II, ‘Suffering unto Hope’.

35 Song, C. S., The Compassionate God: An Exercise in the Theology of Transposition (Orbis/SCM, 1982), pp. 83, 95, 141 and 260.Google Scholar

36 See his articles in CTC Bulletin, 3/1, 1982, pp. 34–48; 4/1, 1983, pp. 46–64; 5/3–6/1, 1984–5, pp. 79–91. (D. Preman Niles, who is the son of the former General Secretary of the EACC, Daniel T. Niles, is now WCC Secretary for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation.)

37 Towards the Sovereignty of the People: A Search for an Alternative Form of Democratic Politics in Asia — A Christian Discussion (CTC/CCA, 1983), p. 3.Google Scholar

38 Song, C. S., ‘Who will hold say over us? — A theological enquiry’, op. cit. pp. 39–41.Google Scholar

39 K. C. Abraham, op. cit., p. 112.

40 Op. cit., p. 7 and pp. 178–193.

41 Carino, F. V., ‘Political Context of the Church's Mission’, in Simbayan, V/2 (Ecumenical Center for Development, Manila, May 1986), pp. 12–21.Google Scholar

42 Niles, D. P., ‘A Suffering People Called to be the Suffering Servant — The Political Vision of Second Isaiah’, in Towards the Sovereignty of the People, pp. 43–88.Google Scholar

43 Niles, D. P., ‘Christian Mission and the Peoples of Asia’, in CTC Bulletin, 3/1, 1982, pp. 34–48Google Scholar; an earlier (unrevised) version of this paper, originally given to an IAMS Congress, was published in Missiology, X/3, 1982.

44 See the reports on ATESEA Seminar-Workshops in East Asia Journal of Theology, 3/2, 1985 and 4/1, 1986.

45 See Song, C. S., The Tears of Lady Meng; and Tell us Our Names: Story Theology from an Asian Perspective (Orbis, 1984).Google Scholar

46 Cf. articles by Suh, N. D. and Song, C. S. in CTC Bulletin, 5/3–6/1, 1984–1985, pp. 12–25.Google Scholar

47 la Torre, E. De, Touching Ground, Taking Root (CIIR, London, 1986)Google Scholar; Chi-Ha, Kim, The Gold-Crowned Jesus and Other Writings (Orbis, 1978)Google Scholar; Gaspar, Karl, How Long? (Claretian Publications, Quezon City, 1985).Google Scholar

48 Suh, N. D., ‘Theology as Story-telling: A Counter-theology’, in CTC Bulletin, 5/3–6/1, 1984–1985Google Scholar, a memorial issue to Professor Suh Nam-Dong, pp. 4–11; see also the articles in the same issue by Y. H. Hyun, J. S. Oh and B. M. Ahn.

49 Niles, D. P., in Butler, J. T.et al. (eds.), Understanding the Word: Essays in Honour of B. W. Anderson (JSOT Press, Sheffield, 1985), p. 281ff.Google Scholar

50 Pieris, A., ‘A Theology of Liberation in Asian Churches?’ International Intercommunications, nos. 37–38 (Brussels, 1986)Google Scholar; and cp. For a REAL Sri Lankan Church, Christian Workers' Fellowship of Sri Lanka (Colombo, 1984).Google Scholar