As we approach the Jubilee Year 2000, it is imperative that the Church in Asia be challenged to earnestly discover anew the face of Jesus. It is the face of Jesus that we see in a new light that will give us the courage to believe and live his Way, his Truth and his Life. In the world of Asia, undergoing radical transformation through the process of globalization, we are being invited in and through our lives to illuminate the path of the Asian people to the realization of a fuller humanity. It is our firm belief that it is only a communion with the Trinity and with each other that will serve as a catalyst to forge a new solidarity with the people of Asia, and indeed with the whole human family. It is our vocation to be an evangelizing Church. It is only the Spirit of Jesus incarnated in our lives who will spread the Good News of Jesus and his Gospel.
        It is this reason that prompted us to put together Discovering the Face of Jesus in Asia Today. The wealth and wisdom contained herein is truly the work of the Spirit alive and active among the People of God in Asia. These quotations make reference to Jesus and are all taken from the various Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences documents since 1970. They are meant for our personal prayer -- contemplation -- reflection, for our Basic Ecclesial Communities and all educators in the faith. We realize that it is only this familiarity with Jesus, "the Word," that will initiate this rootedness in Jesus so that we can bear much fruit in our lives. We believe that a genuine faith, founded on Jesus and experienced in the Spirit as hope, will have to find expression in our lives as love for the Kingdom of the Father. This for us is the meaning of "being evangelized and being evangelizers" as we journey into the Third Millennium with a clearer vision, a firmer commitment to mission. This is possible only in a holistic spirituality that empowers us to live as the followers of Jesus in Asia today.
        For easy reference we have divided the document into three parts, under the headings:

            I.   Understanding Evangelization in the Context of Asia Today
           II.   Being Evangelized in the "Church as Communion"
          III.   Being Evangelizers in the Third Millennium

        All the other headings and sub-headings are more for easy reference, and do not appear in the original documents. The urgency of our tasks as we approach the Third Millennium is expressed very clearly by the bishops in the BIRA IV/3 thus:

       But it is as servants of the Lord and of humanity that we Christians share the same journey with all the Asian peoples. The Church was not sent to observe but to serve -- to serve the Asian peoples in their quest for God and for a better human life; to serve Asia under the leading of the Spirit of Christ and in the manner of Christ himself who did not come to be served but to serve and to lay down his life as a ransom for all (Mk 10:45) -- and to discern, in dialogue with Asian peoples and Asian realities, what deeds the Lord wills to be done so that all humankind may be gathered together in harmony as his family. As servant of Yahweh and of humanity, the Church will seek above all faithfulness to God and to the Asian peoples, and will also invite to full participation in the Christian community those who are led to it by the Spirit of God.[1]

        "...The desire to seek constantly the face of the Lord arises in believers: his mysterious face which is revealed to the eyes of the faith; his human face which we are able to recognize in that of our brothers and sisters, especially the poorest and the neediest" (Pope John Paul 11, Turin, May 24, 1998).

1.  Our Priority for Evangelization

1.1  An Urgent Task

        We have sought the guidance of the Holy Spirit as, during these days, we have reflected on the task of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in modern day Asia. We have not attempted to construct in this statement a full theology of the proclamation of the Gospel. Instead we have addressed ourselves, to particular tasks which the evangelization of Asia today demands of us.
        It is our belief that only in and through Christ and his Gospel, and by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that these quests can come to realization. For Christ alone, we believe, is for every man "the Way, the Truth and the Life" (Jn 14:6), "who enlightens every man who comes into the world" (In will 1:9). We believe that it is in him and in his good news that our peoples will finally find the full meaning we all seek, the liberation we strive after, the brotherhood and peace, which is the desire of all our hearts.
        It is because of this that the preaching of Jesus Christ and his Gospel to our peoples in Asia becomes a task which today assumes an urgency, a necessity and magnitude unmatched in the history of our Faith in this part of the world. It is because of this that we can repeat the Apostle's word, and repeat it joyfully, "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel" (I Cor 9:6), for it is "the love of Christ which presses us" (2 Cor 5:14) to share with our peoples what is most precious in our hearts and in our lives, Jesus Christ and his Gospel, the unsurpassable riches of Christ (cf. Eph 3:8).
     Evangelization is the carrying out of the Church's duty of proclaiming by word and witness the Gospel of the Lord. Within this context we have spoken of these tasks which are of particularly crucial importance for most of the local church in Asia, for through them our local churches can most effectively preach Christ to our peoples.[2]

1.2  Evangelization and the Mass Media Today

        While some are open to the Gospel message, many are unable to see the true countenance of Jesus Christ in the Church. We see an increasing commitment to evangelization by all Christian Churches, and the new missionary movements among traditional Asian religions. We are also faced with the pervasiveness of the mass media which create a challenging new language and mentality in our culture, calling for the inculturation of Christ's message in contemporary society. In these situations, we need to look more deeply into the meaning and method of evangelization today.[3]

1.3  An Integral Evangelization

        In order to evangelize, the Churches need to be authentic in their very existence. This puts before us the reality of the local and individual Churches of South Asia as the concrete realization of the mystery of the Church of Christ in our region. To be truly authentic, the Churches need to have the following characteristics: they must project the image of communion within themselves and among themselves; they must have the legitimate autonomy that will enable them to express their life of faith and worship within their specific human context; they must have the opportunity to share their faith-experience with their fellowmen. Also essential to the authenticity of Churches is that their mission become the corporate responsibility of the People of God in all its various sections, laity, religious and clergy. In our South Asian context this corporate exercise of the mission will naturally take on various forms which, even though they remain incomplete expressions of the Church's evangelizing activity, nevertheless already belong to it as its integral parts. We refer especially to integral human development and witnessing to justice, as well as to interreligious dialogue.[4]

1.4  Elements of Evangelization

        Mission, being a continuation in the Spirit of the mission of Christ, involves a being with people, as was Jesus: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 1: 14). Therefore, mission includes: being with the people, responding to their needs, with sensitiveness to the presence of God in cultures and other religious traditions, and witnessing to the values of God's Kingdom through presence, solidarity, sharing and word. Mission will mean a dialogue with Asia's poor, with its local cultures, and with other religious traditions (FABC I).
        We evangelize, first of all, from a deep sense of gratitude to God, the Father "who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing" (Eph 1:3), and sent the Spirit into our hearts so that we may share in God's own life. Mission is above all else an overflow of this life from grateful hearts transformed by the grace of God.
        That is why it is so important for us Christians to have a deep faith-experience of the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:39), that love which has been poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Rom 5:5). Without a personal experience of this love received as gift and mercy, no sense of mission can flourish.
        But mission is also a mandate. We evangelize because we are sent into the whole world to make disciples of all nations. The one who sends us is Jesus, who has been sent by the Father, and to whom has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18). He sends us on a mission which is part of the epiphany of God's plan to bring all things together under Christ as head (Eph 1:9-10). We cannot fulfill this mission apart from him (Jn 15:4-5). But he assures us that he will remain with us all days till the end of time (Mt 28:20), and he has sent us his Spirit so that we may be his witness to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
        We evangelize also because we believe in the Lord Jesus. We have received the gift of faith. We have become Christians. "The Christian vocation is by its very nature a vocation to the apostolate (Vatican Council II, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, 2). That is why Pope Paul VI emphatically states: "It is unthinkable that a person should accept the Word and give himself to the Kingdom without becoming a person who bears witness to it and proclaims it in his turn" (Evangelization in the Modern World, 24).
        And finally, we evangelize because the Gospel is leaven for liberation and for the transformation of society. Our Asian world needs the values of the Kingdom and of Christ in order to bring about the human development, justice, peace and harmony with God, among peoples and with all creation, that the peoples of Asia long for.[5]

1.5  New Paradigm of Evangelization

        The Asian Churches will find themselves in a strange position in the years to come. They will have to wage a two-front war and will find other religions both as allies and as opponents: as allies in their fight against atheistic and antitheistic humanism; as opponents to Christianity's claim for the uniqueness of Christ and his Church's mission. It would be unrealistic to expect mass conversions in the present situation. And yet the Asian Churches will have an opportunity they never had for the last 1600 years. They have now to resume the dialogue with the world religions that was broken off once Christianity became the majority religion in the Old World. Now that Christianity has again become the minority religion both in the former "Christian countries" and in the world at large, to begin this dialogue anew will be the great call of the Lord to the Churches in Asia. We must now start collecting again the "seminal reasons" (logoi spermatikoi) in modern man's old and new religions and integrate them into a new synthesis of the Gospel as it is experienced by today's man. This will lead to a new era of theological reflection, liturgical creativity and new forms of religious life -- a new era that will make the Catholic Church for the first time really "Catholic" by introducing into her life the riches of all nations, as the riches of some have been introduced into it in the past. No doubt this will not take place without hesitation and danger, insecurity and uncertainty. But this was always the price the Church had to pray in her greatest hours when a new age was being ushered in. It should not deter us in any way from going ahead.[6]

1.6  Local Church and Primacy of Evangelization

        We in our local churches have been taught to pray with and for each other; to learn from each other's programs and projects, progress and failure; to share common pastoral and theological concerns; be similarly reached by great ecclesial initiatives and movements; to work together at common tasks; lend or give of our material and personnel resources -- in brief, increasingly to become truly sister-churches in the one family of communities of the Gospel which is the Church of Jesus Christ.
        Finally, how insufficient for the most part has been our missionary consciousness and responsibility. We have so frequently forgotten that the summons and challenge to make known the person and message of Jesus Christ to those who do not know him is a mandate addressed to even the youngest Christian community.
        We must effectively translate the primacy of evangelization into deeds, in a continent where two billion men and women have not yet consciously come to know Christ and his Gospel in significant ways; and our word and witness, with the progressively better use of the mass media, must be placed generously at the service of this endeavor.[7]

1.7  Proclamation and Evangelization

        The ultimate goal of all evangelization is the ushering in and establishment of God's Kingdom, namely God's rule in the hearts and minds of our people. While we are aware and sensitive of the fact that evangelization is a complex reality and has many essential aspects -- such as witnessing to the Gospel, working for the values of the Kingdom, struggling along with those who strive for justice and peace, dialogue, sharing, inculturation, mutual enrichment with other Christians and the followers of all religions -- we affirm that there can never be true evangelization without the proclamation of Jesus Christ.[8]

1.8  Need to be Evangelized Ourselves in the Context Of Challenges Today

        We asked ourselves: What is the Spirit calling us to do now as a response to the signs of the times? In prayer and discussion it once again became evident that, before all else, we need to be evangelized ourselves: we need to become more fully identified with Christ and the Gospel we proclaim. It also became evident that our message should be embodied in committed witness and authentic dialogue, shared with a knowledge and understanding of Asian religious experience and deep aspirations for salvation, on the one hand, and an adequate comprehension of the Asian realities of poverty and injustice, on the other.
        Our discussions, prayer, and dialogue increased our awareness of the presence and saving power of God in all our Asian faith-communities. He calls us to witness to Christ. He encourages us to enter into dialogue with the peoples of other religions of Asia. He asks us to face the poverty and growing pluralism of Asian societies, to respect and even enrich our traditional cultures, to contribute toward a more humanized Asian man and woman, to grow more deeply into Asian spiritualities, including the process of self-purification, and to present our local churches as places of contemplation and grace. We concluded that all this cannot be achieved without serious prayerful reflection and action based on discernment of the Word of God. With this, we will be in a good position to collaborate among ourselves and with all peoples in building the Kingdom of God.[9]

2.  Central Mission of the Church

2.1  Proclaiming the Message of Christ

        The Church, the sacrament of God's message in the world, continues Christ's work of dialogue. Her duty is always to proclaim the Reign of God, to bring the proclamation of this message into every aspect of human life, and to seek the fulfillment of all things in Christ. The Church is particularly concerned with man's religious experience, the motivating and leavening agent in his culture. This means that the Church must constantly be involved in dialogue with men of other religions (Nostra Aetate, 2). The Christian finds himself continually evangelizing and being evangelized by his partners in dialogue (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 13).
        Christians believe that God's saving will is at work, in many different ways, in all religions. It has been recognized since the time of the Apostolic Church, and stated clearly again by the Second Vatican Council, that the Spirit of Christ is active outside the bounds of the visible Church. God's saving grace is not limited to members of the Church, but it is offered to every person. His grace may lead some to accept baptism and enter the Church, but it cannot be presumed that this must always be the case. His ways are mysterious and unfathomable, and no one can dictate the direction of his grace.
        The purpose of the Church's proclaiming the message of Christ -- which is its central mission -- is to call man to the values of the Kingdom of God. We find such values also present in Islam. In dialogue, therefore, a Christian hopes that both he and his Muslim brother will turn anew to God's Kingdom, their own faiths richer by their mutual interchange, their mission to the world more fruitful by their shared insights and commitments.[10]

2.2  Urgency of Proclaiming the Good News

        We are more deeply aware of the urgent duty of proclaiming the Good News to the peoples of Asia, more encouraged in this our primary task by the support we have received from one another, fully convinced of our union with the entire Church, as we carry out the mission entrusted to us by the Lord to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19) and to bring all men to the saving knowledge of the one true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent (Jn 17:3), incorporating them into the community of believers (Acts 2:14). It is this joy that in brotherly affection we would like to communicate to each one of you.[11]
        The proclamation of Jesus Christ is the center and the primary element of evangelization without which all other elements will lose their cohesion and validity. In the same way, evangelization will gather together the believing community, the Church, through faith and baptism. In the Church all men and women can find grace, reconciliation and new life, and through the Church we share these with others.[12]

2.3  Primacy of Proclamation

        Toward whom must mission be directed? Though mission is for all, since God "wills all men to be saved" (I Tim 2:4), it must be directed, first of all, to those who do not yet believe in Jesus. The necessity of first proclamation has lost none of its urgency in Asia, where Christians constitute a very small minority.
        It is true that in many places Christ cannot yet be proclaimed openly by words. But he can, and should be, proclaimed through other ways, namely: through the witness of the life of the Christian community and family, and their striving to know and live more fully the faith they profess; through their desire to live in peace and harmony with those who do not share our faith; through the appreciation by Christians of the human and religious values possessed by their non-Christian neighbors; and through these same Christians' willingness to collaborate in those activities which promote the human community.
        Our proclamation of Jesus must also be urgently directed towards the workers, the poor and needy, and the oppressed. But here, it is not so much words (no matter how important these are!) but actions which count most. It is our preferential love and service for the workers, the poor and needy, and all the oppressed, our standing with them, listening to them, and our efforts to help them speak out for themselves as they strive for development and for a just society, which will tell them best about the presence of Jesus in their midst.
        And now, it is time for us to end our deliberations in prayer. The prayer we raise is prayer of confidence -- a prayer of unbounded hope -- because it places its trust in the power of the Spirit of Jesus. And we remember the Lord's promise to be with us till the end of time.
        Lord Jesus, we bring these reflections and resolves, these imperatives and hopes, before you, knowing that they are yours even before they are ours. Our desire to proclaim your Good News to our brothers and sisters is from you. Our renewed confidence and trust in our Catholic families and in our lay people as bearers of the Gospel is inspired by you. We know you have brought the work of your Church in Asia forward to this moment, and that you will accompany us, through difficulties and fears, and even through persecution and pain, till your Kingdom comes at last into our midst. And so our hope is secure, for it is anchored in your promises.[13]

2.4  Announcing Jesus Christ

        God, the Father of all, has called all people to share in his life and love through his son Jesus Christ. The risen Christ and his Spirit are active in the world making this love a present and growing reality, making all things new. This same love urges us on to dialogue with people of other religions, because we have, especially since the Second Vatican Council, an increasing awareness of the positive role of other religions in God's plan of salvation.
        The Church as the sacrament of union with God and of the unity of all humankind has the mission to promote in various ways the fulfillment which is God's will and gift for all persons in Christ. Dialogue is an integral part of this mission. As God's pilgrim people, the Church shares the longings and desires of all to come closer to the Father, while as God's eschatological people, it announces Jesus Christ and his Good News to all and calls them to radical conversion and commitment to God in total self-surrender and to belong to the community of Jesus in his Church.[14]

2.5  Urgent Task Of Making Christ Known

        Inspired by the last two Synods of Bishops and by Pope Paul's Evangelii Nuntiandi, remembering the mission of the Church to make disciples of all nations, and challenged by the stark reality of millions on our continent who have not yet been evangelized, we welcomed this opportunity to face with a sense of urgency the task of making Christ known, loved and followed by the vast multitude of our brothers and sisters.
        Since the valiant efforts of the apostles of the past, to whom we owe so much, have nevertheless left us the legacy of millions still to be introduced to Christ, we sought in faith for new ways of communicating the Good News.[15]

2.6  New Courage for the Tasks of the Lord

        Our days together have given us renewed vision and new courage, for the tasks the Lord has laid upon our shoulders. They have also renewed in all of us a sense of rededication to the immense challenge of proclaiming the Name and the Good News of Jesus to our brothers and sisters in this part of the world. More than two billions of Asian have perhaps never encountered the Person of Jesus in a knowing and conscious way; more than two billions of Asians have never really heard his message. While this fact fills us with sorrow, it also spurs us on to longing and hope, because we know he will accompany the ways of all those whose footsteps are lovely because they bring the good news of his mercy and love.[16]

2.7  Following Jesus Today

        Jesus, in whom we experience the Way, the Truth and the Life, invites us to follow him so that we may have life, life unto fullness. Our journey in the footsteps of Jesus motivates us to join the spiritual pilgrimage of sisters and brothers of Asian religions in pursuit of being one in Divine Life.
       We take courage from the Spirit of Jesus at work in the world and in our hearts. We draw strength from the kinship we have experienced with our sisters and brothers of other religions who have touched our lives. We are encouraged by the bonds of fellowship forged among us as we journeyed together these past days.[17]

2.8  Proclamation of Jesus and the Centrality of the Family

        While the proclamation of Jesus through the life, work and words of the laity is an essential element of the Church's mission, this proclamation itself finds special strength and support in the Christian family. The family is the strength of our Asian society. It is also the basic unit of the Church, the family of Christ's disciples. In fact, the Christian family is a miniature Church, the Church in the home. The missionary grace and vocation of the Church must be realized and fostered in the Christian family, first of all. There is not much likelihood that the local Church will be truly missionary unless a sense of selfless dedication to God, to the cause of the Gospel, and to the good of their fellowmen is implanted in the home.[18]

2.9  Key Questions on the Nature of Proclamation in Asia

        Having recognized the universal reality of the Kingdom of God in which Christians and others belong, and which they are called to promote together through interreligious dialogue, we are faced with a double question: Why then does the proclamation of Jesus Christ remain necessary and urgent? Which motivation will spur the Asian local Churches to invite others to become Jesus' disciples in his Church?
        The Holy Spirit, in ways known to God, gives to all human persons the opportunity of coming into contact with the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ, and thus obtain salvation (cf. GS 22). The Church, as the visible sign and sacrament of the mystery of salvation, is in a unique position to offer them the opportunity of sharing in this mystery in a fully human way. She alone can convey to them the explicit knowledge of Jesus Christ, their Savior and Lord, and invite them to celebrate in joy and thanksgiving the mystery of his passover at her eucharistic table. Only in the life of the Church is found the full visibility of the mystery of salvation. Only there do the children of God come to the full realization of what it means to share in the Sonship of the Son. Thereby, the Church's proclamation meets the deepest longings and aspirations of the human heart for liberation and wholeness of life. There, the seeds of the Word contained in the religious traditions of the world, grow to maturity and come to fulfillment. In this manner the Church shares with others, "the fullness of the benefits and means of salvation" (RM 18) which she has received from her Lord and Master.
        Motivation behind the Church's proclamation of Jesus Christ flows indeed from obedience to the mandate received from the Risen Lord. However, a clearer perception of the Church's mission in the context of the Asian reality helps us discover even deeper motivations. Members of other religious traditions already in some way share with us in the mystery of salvation. If the Church is in love with her Lord, she will feel the urge of sharing with them what she alone can offer: the Good News that the human face of God and his gift of salvation is found in Jesus of Nazareth. "Here we are at the heart of the mystery of love" (DP 83).
        The local Churches of Asia will proclaim Jesus Christ to their fellow humans in a dialogical manner (DP 70e; cf. 77). The proclaiming Church encounters people among whom the rays of that Truth, which enlightens everybody coming into the world, are already present. This hidden presence is the starting point for the Church's proclamation. Thus, in announcing the Good News, both the proclaimers and the hearers will grow into the fullness of the mystery of salvation in Jesus Christ.[19]

2.10  Mission and Migrants

        To strive for ourselves and to foster in others a dynamic and theologically based understanding of the Gospel message, a sense of mission, and a personal zeal to share with the people of other faiths the Good News of God's Kingdom in Jesus Christ as our specific contribution to the peoples of Asia, in response to their providential yearnings and aspirations.
        Use the mobility and migration of the faithful as an opportunity to spread the Gospel of Christ. We should inspire, educate, and organize our migrants to be witnesses of Christ wherever they may go.[20]

2.11  Migration and Mission

        A deeper understanding of the reality of the migrants and the impact on the lives of our people prompted us to discern in the light of the Gospel and the social teaching of the Church, the challenges for the Church in Asia. Our renewed commitment to be in solidarity with the cries of our less privileged brothers and sisters has brought us together, to discover new ways of being at their service. Our recognition of the need to put on the "mind and heart of Jesus" continuously challenges us to become guardians of justice, development and freedom. We, therefore, as leaders, ensure that we can work together for a more human life for individuals, families and for society as a whole.
        We see the need to accompany the migrant as a human person, following the example of Christ himself. This journeying of the Church together with the migrant worker, is the sign of solidarity within the universal Church and a sharing in the common evangelizing mission entrusted to all the followers of Christ. Growing in faith as a local Church, made up of people of different nationalities, is a new sign of unity, so that we can truly witness to the call of Jesus. "Father, may they be one, so that you and I are one." This shared missionary thrust is thus truly a journeying of peoples.
        Pastoral care cannot be restricted only to the administration of the sacraments, but in ensuring that attempts have to made to understand the causes behind the numerous dehumanizing concerns related to migration and migrant workers. Pastoral care begins with Christ and the pastors and pastoral workers as cooperators. It is essential that we have a deeper understanding and greater involvement in the lives of people other than our own.[21]

2.12  Distinctive Mode of Mission

        Mission may find its greatest urgency in Asia; it also finds in our continent a distinctive mode. We affirm, together with others, that "the proclamation of Jesus Christ is the center and primary element of evangelization" (Statement of the FABC All-Asia Conference on Evangelization, Suwon, South Korea, August 24-31, 1988). But the proclamation of Jesus Christ in Asia means, first of all, the witness of Christians and of Christian communities to the values of the Kingdom of God, a proclamation through Christlike deeds. For Christians in Asia, to proclaim Christ means above all to live like him, in the midst of our neighbors of other faiths and persuasions, and to do his deeds by the power of his grace. Proclamation through dialogue and deeds -- this is the first call to the Church in Asia.
        But we shall not be timid when God opens the door for us to proclaim explicitly the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior and the answer to the fundamental questions of human existence. We shall proclaim the Gospel in the manner of the Lord Jesus, who expressed his mission in these terms:
        "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set the liberty to those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (Lk 4:18-19).[22]

3.  Dialogue and Evangelization

3.1  Interreligious Dialogue -- Integral Part of Evangelization

        Interreligious dialogue is another integral part of evangelization, which in the situation of our Churches needs to be become a primary concern. We live in the midst of millions of people belonging to the great religious traditions born in our sub-continent, to whom the name of Jesus their Savior has not been proclaimed. Among them large numbers are also found who, while being attracted by the person of Jesus and his message, are unable to recognize him in his Church, and are for various reasons prevented from explicit belonging to the faith-community of the Church. In this context we believe that interreligious dialogue is a true expression of the Church evangelizing action in which the mystery of Jesus Christ is operative, calling us all to conversion to him who is the fullness of truth and salvation. We would wish to see interreligious dialogue become a reality at the grassroots level of our Churches, through greater openness and reaching out of all their members towards their brothers and sisters of other religious traditions. Interreligious dialogue should not be limited to mutual sharing of religious experiences. We must also learn to address ourselves together and out of our respective religious convictions to the furtherance of human values and concerns. While the Church is the visible sign of the presence of Jesus Christ and his Spirit in the world, we believe that the same mystery is also present beyond the boundaries of the Church community and that our non-Christian brethren in ways unknown to us also relate to the mystery of the Church.[23]

3.2  Interreligious Dialogues -- A Dialogical Enterprise

        We feel the urgency for dialogue because of the promptings of the Spirit of Christ, moving us in love to open ourselves to Buddhists in new ways, respecting them so that we may help one another to grow together to the fullness of our total reality. Many Buddhists, too, because of their deeply-rooted, all-embracing compassionate benevolence, wish to enter into dialogue with us and so grow together.
        But, as there is no salvation except by the saving grace of God, all salvation attained by men is the fruit of the gift of Christ. This we believe to be particularly true of the Great Religions of Asia that led countless people to God throughout the ages. Fully respectful of this mystery of mercy, we, who are of the Church, are mindful of our election as the sacramental manifestation of this salvific will of God, and see our relationship to other religions and religionists in the light of this mystery.
        Any dialogical enterprise requires certain basic attitudes, as exemplified in Christ:
        -- a spirit of humility, openness, receptivity, and especially a love for Buddhists, and for what God wishes to tell us through them.
        -- a witnessing to the saving grace of Christ, not so much by the proclaimed word but through love in the Christian community, so that its universal validity is seen and felt as such.
        -- a placing of priority on fellowship with Buddhists, so that we are led spontaneously and naturally to deeper religious dialogue.[24]

3.3  Dialogue Demands a Deep Spirituality from All Religiously Committed People

        In the deep-rooted and escalating crises of today, all religions are called to defend man against consumerism and hedonism, and to lead the Asian people to their integral development. For us Christians, such a commitment flows from our faith in Jesus Christ who identified himself through his incarnation with every person and with every aspect of human life. This is precisely why, for the community of the Church, as Pope John Paul 11 has stated, "man is the way" (Redemptor Hominis, 14). Since man is always situated in a determined context, professing a particular religion or ideology which conditions and colors his world view and interpretation of society, it is imperative that we Christians enter into dialogue with peoples of other faiths.
        Such a joint commitment to man and society on the part of the religions will become easier and more forceful if they meet and encounter at the level of their faith commitments. Imposing the truth of one's religion, without caring to understand the faith of the other from his or her standpoint, and the way he or she would like to be understood, constitutes a great obstacle to dialogue between religiously committed people. Dialogue does not call for giving up one's commitment, bracketing it or entering into easy compromise. On the contrary, for a deeper and fruitful dialogue, it is even necessary that each partner be firmly committed to his or her faith. For example, as Christians, we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (Jn 14:6) and confess that he is truly the Son of God and that he is the one who illumines all (Jn 1:9). In him God's plan for all things and all peoples is fulfilled: "to bring all things in the heavens and on earth into one under Christ's headship" (Eph 1: 10).
        While firmly adhering to our commitment to Christ, it is indispensable for dialogue that we enter into the religious universe of our dialogue partner and see his or her sincere and unflinching faith-commitment. More than that, we should appreciate the commitment of the other. We have no right to judge the commitment of the other, since faith is the expression of the encounter of the infinitely open human spirit with the unfathomable mystery of God. This is why listening attentively with our heart to the personal commitment of faith and witness of the other partner can not only facilitate dialogue, but also enrich us and make us grow in our faith, and help us to reinterpret it.
        To risk being wounded in the act of loving, to seek to understand -- in a climate of misunderstanding -- these are no light burdens to bear. Dialogue demands a deep spirituality which enables man, as did Jesus Christ, to hang on to his faith in God's love, even when everything seems to fall apart. Dialogue, finally, demands a total Christ-like self-emptying so that, led by the Spirit, we may be more effective instruments in building up God's Kingdom.
        The staggering millions of Asia clamor for the grain of rice as they yearn to savor the joy of peace. This struggle and yearning are today taking place in spite of painful conflicts, violence and oppression. We feel small and weak before the complexity of the situation. But the irresistible force of life penetrating through the crevices of the seemingly impregnable situation kindles our hope anew. It is in this concrete situation that the Triune God calls us Asians to be present to each other in self-giving, love and dialogue, in the sharing of our faith and concerns. Only when in Christ we die as a grain of rice to our small worlds of religious isolation, shall we see the bright light of a new day and give life to the world.[25]

3.4  Spirituality of Dialogue Is Transformative Spirituality

        Primary among these insights is the realization that the religions of Asia have a crucial role to play in God's great enterprise to bring peace, communion and a more humane way of life to all peoples in Asia, indeed to the whole human family. Following from this insight is the inescapable truth that God's Spirit is at work in all religious traditions, moving the faithful believers of each tradition to a greater commitment to truth and more authentic communion within and beyond their own tradition. Finally, we have come to the compelling conviction that for us Christians our way to participation in God's enterprise is Jesus, who died in order to find and give life: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains but a single grain; but, if it dies, it brings forth a rich harvest" (Jn 12:24)
        Christian spirituality is at heart a spirituality of dialogue. It is life in that Spirit which is the bond of the relationship between God and humankind, a relationship established through the Word of God. Thus, Christian spirituality is a response in the Spirit to the call of God which comes to us through the Word. It is a spirituality of dialogue in which the whole of humanity is moving towards the Ultimate. This dialogue begins in the very moment of creation (Gen 1: 1-3), and has its enfleshed and decisive expression in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh (Jn 1: 1-3,14). It thus lays the foundation for unity between God and humankind. And so, Christian spirituality is both incarnational and trinitarian.
        Spirituality of dialogue is transformative spirituality. Transforming our life, conforming it more and more to the Image of Christ, it realizes gradually the transformation of the society, giving birth to the new humanity in Christ.[26]

3.5  Dialogue Is on the Basis of Our Faith in God

        The urgent need to seek new relationships with neighbors of other religious traditions brought together representatives of the member churches of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and of the member conferences of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) to consider the theme, "Living and Working together with Sisters and Brothers of Other Faiths in Asia." All were conscious of the significance of this historical event, giving thanks to God for his gift in Jesus Christ who brought them together.
        We enter such relationships of dialogue on the basis of our faith in God through Jesus Christ, conscious that the Holy Spirit is guiding us towards an enrichment of human life and a deeper appreciation of truth. This faith gives us our identity as Christians and empowers us to share with the neighbors our faith and vision, our words and silence.[27]

3.6  Dialogue as Witnessing to Christ

        From our experience of dialogue emerged the conviction that dialogue was the key we sought -- not dialogue in the superficial sense in which it is often understood, but as a witnessing to Christ in word and deed, by reaching out to people in the concrete reality of their daily lives, in their particular cultural context, their own religious traditions, their socio-economic conditions.
       Religious dialogue is not just a substitute for or a mere preliminary to the proclamation of Christ, but should be the ideal form of evangelization, where in humility and mutual support we seek together with our brothers and sisters that fullness of Christ which is God's plan for the whole of creation, in its entirely and its great and wonderful diversity.
        In the context of dialogue we tried to penetrate the meaning of the uniqueness of Christ -- in our own inner experience, in our contact with others, in the very plan of God to bring all things to fulfillment in Christ as head; we realized that there is still much to be discovered, and much that is already discovered but not sufficiently integrated in our lives and in our missionary effort -- our actual presentation of Christ does not correspond to what we have learnt about the divine economy of salvation. There is also much in the Church that must change -- in ways of thinking and in structures to make room for Christ to expand to the full dimensions envisaged by St. Paul. We feel that the Christian experience, in contact with the age-old religious experience of Asia, has much to contribute to the growth and the transformation in outlook and appearance of the Universal Church.[28]

3.7  Dialogue Rooted in Christ

        The foundation of such a commitment to dialogue is not merely anthropological but primarily theological. In Christ, God has entered into a dialogue with human beings, offering them salvation. It is in faithfulness to this divine initiative that the Church should be committed to a dialogue of salvation with all women and men (DP 38). Moreover, this dialogue is founded on the fact that Christ, the new Adam, is at work through his Spirit in all human persons to bring about a new humanity (DP 15).[29]

3.8  Dialogue Implies Mutual Respect

        It is often asked why Christians should approach Muslims. Because they are our neighbors! In all people there is an urge to share with others what they treasure most and to receive good things from them, through the dialogue of daily life. Our mission as disciples of Jesus is to witness to our Christian faith and values. Without interpersonal and intergroup contacts we cannot share mutually the riches God has gifted to each individual and group.
        Christian reflection reveals that the source and support of our lived faith is the God who has come to us in Jesus Christ and whom Jesus manifests as the Father who is love, mercy, salvation and the ultimate meaning of human life and destiny. The Risen Lord, who lives and works through the Holy Spirit in history, continues to reveal the love of his Father and to establish his rule on earth. The Church is the community of those who in Jesus Christ have found God and committed themselves to him. Through this commitment we proclaim the total liberation of all people.
        In the mysterious and providential plan of God Islam possesses a salvific and liberating purpose. Human aspirations, the quest for meaning in life, and even human weakness and the forces of evil, are to be found in the histories of all religions from their beginnings until today. Yet as the Second Vatican Council has affirmed, the Spirit of God is also active outside the visible Church. Our belief in the universal salvific will of God leads us to affirm the initiative of God active in other living faiths. Thus the genuine beliefs and practices of Muslims form the vehicles of God's favor to them and constitute the basis of their human communion and action. The dynamic impact of the character of Muhammad and of the Quran on Muslims throughout their history is something which a Christian cannot overlook. The Church believes that salvation is a gift from God offered to all in Jesus Christ. Therefore, through contact with people of other faiths we become more aware of the fullness of Christ's salvific work. As a man Jesus grew in wisdom and grace through his contacts with his own people and others'
        Many previous statements of the FABC based on those of the Second Vatican Council and subsequent pronouncements of the universal Church, have addressed the relationship between dialogue and evangelization. Here we reaffirm that dialogue and evangelization are by no means incompatible, but at the same time dialogue must never be made a strategy to elicit conversions. Bearing witness to our faith in Christ, by life, deed and word, is what we mean by evangelization or proclamation, and this should inspire and direct all our individual and communitarian activities, including our relations with people of other faiths or of no faith at all.
        It would be an error to view Muslim behavior and say, "A true Christian would not have acted like this; Jesus taught us to live in a better way than this." Muslim realities must not be compared with Christian ideals, or vice versa. We are all sinful, and must humbly confess how far short of our calling our actual behavior falls.
        Christians find their strength in being "of one mind and heart," united in the presence of the living Christ. Those who are only "nominally" or "culturally" so may not be able to withstand external pressures which challenge their faith.
        Christians living among Muslims have a responsibility to challenge their neighbors by living the Gospel teachings. Christ's command to universal love, when truly lived, shows Muslims and peoples of other faiths that God's love is not limited by communal or national bonds. When we strive to imitate Jesus who "went about doing good," we are in effect meeting the Quranic challenge to compete with one another in good deeds.
        Dialogue is an encounter with others which demands an attitude of humility, acceptance, honesty and respect. When values and attitudes of Christ direct and transform our behavior, this is already a form of "silent proclamation" of the Gospel. Subsequently, in those moments of true sharing among people of different faiths, each speaks of those things which are deepest and most meaningful; for us Christians this means proclaiming the reasons for the hope we have, and him who is the model of our love. When this is done in sincerity and respect, Muslims are not offended by this witness. As people who hold their own faith as a treasure to be disclosed and an invitation (da'wah) to others, they may be expecting such announcement from their Christian friend.[30]

3.9  Dialogue and Spirit of Christ

        The Church is called by the Spirit of Christ to enter into dialogue with the followers of other Asian faiths and movements. This indeed is the imperative which the Second Vatican Council gave to the Church. As the Holy Father points out in his encyclical, "On The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church and the World":

The Second Vatican Council, centered primarily on the theme of the Church, reminds us of the Holy Spirit's activity also "outside the visible body of the Church." The Council speaks precisely of "all peoples of goodwill in whose hearts grace works in an unseen way. For, since Christ died for all, and since the ultimate vocation of man in fact is one, and divine, we ought to believe that the Holy Spirit in a manner known only to God offers to every man the possibility of being associated with this paschal mystery" (GS 22, 53).[31]

3.10  Dialogue -- Crucial Challenge to the Church in Asia

        Dialogue is a crucial challenge to the churches in Asia in their growing commitment to the building of the Kingdom. This challenge is fraught with risks arising out of confusing socio-political tensions, besides other causes. However, with the confidence that the Spirit is with us and helps us in our weakness (Rom 8:26), we commit ourselves to this task of dialogue in order to unite the whole universe in Christ so that God may be all in all (I Cor 15:28) .[32]

3.11  Insights from Hindu Perspectives

        The Vedanic reflection on the atman (self) affirming the presence of Brahman (Absolute) in every person is a charter for the freedom and worth of every individual, which is further strengthened by reform movements from Buddha to Gandhi. But it has not succeeded in freeing people from rigid social stratifications. If the liberating Spirit of Christ helps the Church in realizing in itself the values of freedom and fellowship, it can serve in Asia as a catalyst in promoting a radical humanism that finds a basis in the fatherhood and transcendent lordship of God.
        The Hindu traditions of life and growth, especially in a joint-family, stress the ideal of interdependence and solidarity. This can lead to conformism, introversion and a lack of openness and concern for the inter-community. Popular religious culture, however, especially the Epics, seems to hold a different, more positive ideal. Christ's new command to love the other even unto death, while promoting an urge to radical transformation of society in the context of oppression, is capable of combining and fostering together the values of the dignity of the human person, interdependence and solidarity, and active concern for building up of the new human society.[33]

3.12  Mutual Respect from out of Knowledge of Islam

        Many Christians feel they know very little about Islam, and thus find it difficult to understand the practices and ideals of Muslims. Christian parents, catechists and educators should teach their children about God's love for Muslims and about the many good and holy values in the Islamic religion. Basic knowledge about the beliefs and practices of Muslims, taken from reliable and objective sources, should form a part of Catholic catechetical training. Education about Islam should give an unbiased presentation of the religion of Muslims, while at the same time avoiding any tendencies towards indifferentism. While firm in their commitment to Christ, Christians must respect the beliefs and practices of Muslims.[34]

3.13  Dialogue for a New Human Family

        We wish to facilitate a further dialogue with the great religions about the meaning of faith and service in daily life. All mankind is rooted in the Christ-event. This anthropology is operative even in those who do not know Christ. Our main point of contact is the search for a new humanity and a new human family.[35]

3.14  Salvific Values in Other Religions

        We are glad that the Vatican 11 affirmed the presence of salvific values in other religions. We are grateful for the timely insights and the individual, as well community, action of those calling for liberation from human misery and oppression. We also affirm that the primary task of the Church is the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, calling to personal faith in him, inviting to membership in the Church those whom God has chosen, and celebrating salvation through Christ in our belonging to his Church. Every other task of the Church flows from and its related to this proclamation and is acceptance in faith. The Gospel fulfills all hopes, a Gospel which Asia and the whole world direly need.[36]

3.15  Search for Ultimate Source of Diversities

        In the Christian spiritual heritage there has also been a search for the ultimate source of diversities which shape cosmic reality and human society. Jesus Christ experienced the Divine as Father, the ultimate source of Life and Love, that poured itself out through as the Spirit. Hence, the Christian sages contemplated the Divine as Trinity: Father-Son-Spirit in eternal communion. The interpersonal polarity between the Father and Son and the transpersonal union in the Spirit are perceived as the ultimate foundation for interpersonal encounter and union among human persons created in the image of God. "I" become fully myself only through the "thou," through the ecstacis of love.[37]

3.16  Contemplation and Compassion

        Evangelization is communicating our experience of the Divine in Christ. Jesus' deep intimacy with the Father and the resultant commitment in compassion for the poor would readily evoke a positive response in the Asian sensitivity to the Divine. Hence, credible evangelization demands from us Christians in Asia a life of authentic contemplation and genuine compassion.
        Articulation of our Christ experience in the process of the common pilgrimage would take forms -- words and symbols -- which resonate with the Asian psyche. Hence, we should avoid all sorts of exclusivistic claims and cultural superiority, both of which would betray the message of the Divine kenosis. Only an ego-emptying, and consequently powerless, Christian community has the credibility to proclaim the folly of the message of the Cross. Such a process of evangelization fosters a culture of dialogue in Asia. Insofar as "breadth and the length, the height and the depth," of the mystery of God's love revealed in Christ continue to be a mystery for us, we have to journey with others in quest for the light and truth of the Divine.[38]

4.  Integral Human Development -- Human Promotion

4.1  Evangelization Includes Social Justice and Integral Human Development

        We have been asking ourselves these days how we may respond to the cries of our people, especially the poor and oppressed. Evangelization includes social justice. The Synod document, Justice in the World, says: "Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, that is, of the mission of the Church for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation." We know that Christ has a special love for the poor and wishes to be identified and served in the naked, hungry, thirsty, and imprisoned. The Church, therefore, as a witness to Christ, must make a wholehearted commitment to the poor, and is impelled to opt in favor of them.
        We need to strive for a new society, so that all men may reach full human development. Our work has to be for the development of the whole man and every man. This wholeness of man includes not only the individual personal fulfillment, but the growth and blossoming of the whole human reality on earth. Hence, our involvement cannot exclude what used to be called secular and profane. In all these spheres God and his Christ are active in the Spirit, expecting our partnership and collaboration in the shaping and reshaping of human history and human destiny.
        We hereby commit ourselves to this urgent task of ushering in a new society of justice and peace, and we hope to carry forward the work of Christ himself under the lead of the befriending Spirit.[39]

4.2  Preferential Option for the Poor

        Preferential -- not exclusive -- option for the poor is an imperative in Southeast Asia, where so much poverty exists. We Christians accept it as a great opportunity, privilege and vocation to carry out Jesus' commitment to the vast number of the poor. Our work with and for the poor must concretely reduce the poverty of the people and make their lives truly human. Our preferential option will demand a change in attitudes and structures and a deeper faith, of which such options will be a sign.[40]

5.  Justice, Peace and Harmony

5.1  Christ, Prince of Peace

        The biblical concept of peace is the one that is closest to harmony. Shalom on the one hand means "peace" and "friendship"; and on the other hand, it means "welfare," "prosperity," and "happiness." Basically, it denotes always wholeness, health and completeness.
        Peace is very often coupled with justice and is the effect of justice (Is 31:17). Ps 85:11 (10) says: "Justice and peace will kiss each other." Justice before God and justice among human beings is the only foundation of peace, since it is justice which eliminates sin, the source of all divisions. Christ became our peace by destroying sin, breaking down the dividing wall of hostility (Eph 2:14). The association of peace with justice ties together the nuance of wholeness with the notion of peace as an action. "Do good, seek peace, pursue it," says Ps 34:14. Peace is not seen simply as tranquility but as the work of justice.
        Peace is the messianic gift that Christ has achieved for humankind through his redemptive work (Lk 2:14; Jn 14:27; 20:19; Eph 2:14-22; Jn 16:33). Christ is the "Prince of peace" (Is 9:5[6]. He is the bearer of justice and his kingdom shall be the kingdom of peace, established and sustained by justice (Is 11: 1-9).[41]

5.2  Christ Our Peace

        The cross of Jesus Christ broke down the dividing wall of prejudice and hatred between the Jews and gentiles, and has made them into one people in place of two. In this way Christ has become our peace. He has further abolished the law of Moses that alienated the gentiles from the Jews. In Christ is the New Man, the New Adam, in whom all races come together (Eph 2:11-22). In Eph 1: 10 Paul speaks of God's plan to unite, to recapitulate (anakefalaiosasthai) all things in Christ. Christ subdues the cosmic powers and everyone on earth, and brings them under his rule (Col 1: 15 -20). Finally, when everything is subjected to Christ, he will hand the Kingdom to the Father (I Cor 15:20-28).[42]

5.3  Solidarity and God's Kingdom

        Through Christ and in Christ the Kingdom of God has come and is now progressing to its fulfillment. It is a force transforming the world. Necessarily, the Kingdom of God confronts the forces of injustice, violence and oppression. These forces combined form structures of sin, from which we need to be liberated. We uphold the preferential option for the poor, since they are victims of these structures. Hence, solidarity with the poor is a response to the Good News of God's Kingdom. When this solidarity exists, there the power of Christ's Spirit is working. The work of the Spirit appears in the struggle for a better world in all its forms. We see people of all faiths participating in that struggle.[43]

6.  Priestly and Prophetic Function

6.1  Liberative Leadership and Praxis of Jesus

        Every disciple of Jesus and the whole Christian community have also to play a prophetic role, i.e., a liberative leadership in the spirit of the Gospel and the praxis of Jesus. Different groups, such as men, women, youth, etc., need to be formed in this kind of leadership ; and it has to be an ongoing process in the parish community through prayer sessions, discussions, seminars, etc. The liturgical life of the parish can be an effective instrument to instill in the people the vision of harmony and develop in them leadership with a true ecumenical spirit.[44]

6.2  Priestly and Prophetic Mission of the Church

        The priestly function belongs to the whole People of God. The Asian realities themselves urgently demand that this priestly function be exercised by all of our Church. Our proper concern for the ministerial or ordained priesthood -- either to improve the quality and number of priests or to meet the problems of formation -- must not diminish or distract us from interest in and concern for the common priesthood of the faithful. This latter, though general in the sense of being shared by all Christians, is a real priesthood of life. It has its origins in Christ himself. The Christian disciple lives and participates by his/her day-to-day life in all the mysteries of redemption, viz., suffering, death and resurrection. The ministerial priesthood has meaning and fullness only in relation to the common priesthood. Hence, the clergy have the obligation to live the common priesthood of all before enacting the sacrifice of the Eucharist sacramentally.
        The prophetic function of the Christ must not be limited to the teaching function of the hierarchy. It must be a witness and a service of the whole community to the saving truth of Christ and his Church. The sensus fidelium, or faith-instinct, of the whole People of God is a gift of the Spirit to all as body. It demands that the leadership should not overlook the spirit and the prophecy of the believing community. Due listening to and consultation of the People of God to discern the spirit and wisdom of God in the people must be undertaken, especially in matters relating to their life in the world and consequent problems.[45]

6.3  Ministry of Bishops and Headship of Christ Over the Church

        The mystery of the Church becomes fully incarnate in a human situation by the presence and exercise in a local community of the ministry of the bishops. The bishop, as a member of the episcopal college, is the rallying point by which the community is constituted a "particular Church," and the visible sign of communion of that Church with all the other particular churches -- a communion presided over by the successor of Peter. The specific charism of unity and spiritual leadership finds its full expression in the local Church in the ministry of the bishop. This is how the bishop signifies and represents in a special manner the Headship of Christ over his Church.[46]

6.4  Bishops as Shepherds and New Ministries

        The image of the bishops, therefore, is after the model of Jesus himself, that of the Shepherd of his flock, who did not come "to be served but to serve" (Mk 10:45). He exercises his ministry "not as domineering over... the flock" (I Pt 5:3), but in the spirit of the "suffering servant of Yahweh" (Is 52:53), offering his life for his sheep. His concern is eminently pastoral rather than of an administrative nature; and so his priority of interest is vested in persons (n. I 11).
        We are aware of the implications and consequences that new ministries are bound to have for the whole life of the Church. We are also conscious that further research and study are required in order that our renewal may respond to the needs of our Asian countries in these difficult times. We are equally conscious of the need for wider consultation and for the education of the entire Christian community, if we are to make Christ present effectively in the world today. In this regard we recommend that similar colloquia be conducted in each of our Asian countries, especially where this has not been done so far. A suitable follow-up on previous meetings is equally important (n. 132).[47]

6.5  Key Questions Today

        The main questions are the following: How do we understand the centrality and decisiveness of Jesus Christ in the context of religious pluralism? What is the role of the Church if the Kingdom of God is present and operative beyond her boundaries? What does the mission of the Church consist in, if salvation in Jesus Christ is available to members of other religious traditions in the concrete circumstances of their lives? If interreligious dialogue is by itself an expression of the Church's evangelizing mission, why does announcing Jesus Christ and inviting people to become his disciples in the Church remain urgent? If people can be saved through Jesus Christ outside the Church, what motivation remains for proclaiming the Good News? Why, in the last analysis, must the Asian local Churches be poor and inculturated?[48]

II.  Being Evangelized in "Church as Communion"

7.  Spirituality, Renewal, Conversion and Prayer

7.1  Signs of Christian Renewal

        There is today an undeniable thirst and hunger for prayer and contemplation. We see this around us, but especially among the laity, especially among the young. Surely this is a sign of the presence and action of the Spirit. There is the longing to hear and reflect on the Word of God, especially with others in a community of prayer. There is a eucharistic assembly increasingly celebrated and experienced as truly the heart of the Christian's pilgrimage through life. There is the desire in many also for greater simplicity of life and even the experience of poverty as a following of Jesus, and as solidarity with the suffering and powerless poor. There is the increased commitment to tasks and struggles for justice and human rights. There is, in some countries, the rapid multiplication of "grassroots ecclesial communities," so often alive with the freshness and enthusiasm of early Christian times. In these communities an experience of genuine Christian fellowship and love is often found as well as the emergence of diverse charism and ministries. These are the new missionary initiatives among the former "mission churches." Among priests and religious, and -- most encouraging of all -- among the laity.[49]

7.2  Self-Renewal in the Light of Christ

        We know that the first task must be the renewal of ourselves in the light of Christ. We must begin always with a return to the Gospel. This renewal must be rooted in prayer and in the vivifying of "that profound religious sense which characterizes the spirit of the Asian world" (cf. Pope Paul VI, Message to the Asian Bishops' Meeting, 28 November 1970). In our development efforts we must continue to treasure the resources of the spirit found among our peoples. We realize too that we must deepen in ourselves the spirit of servanthood taught to us by him who lived in our midst "as one who serves," and who came "to give his life for the redemption of all."
        Before Christ and our brothers we commit ourselves with all earnestness "to whatever concerns the dignity of man." For "it is far from true that because of him we are diverted from the duties and tasks of his earth. On the contrary, faith, hope and the love of Christ compel us to serve our brothers, knowing that as he laid down his life for us, we too ought to lay down our lives for our brothers" (Message to Humanity of the Council Fathers, Vatican 11, 20 October 1962).
        Gathered together, then, in Christ's presence, we turn to the other Christian churches and communities in Asia, seeking to collaborate with them in our efforts for the development of our peoples, for freedom, justice and peace. It is our earnest hope that these common endeavors may themselves increasingly draw us together into the unity which is God's will for us.
        In the power of the Risen Christ, then, we lay the foundation of our hope. And we have confidence that if people of good will and sincere purpose will labor together, we can build this new society. Only we must have the humility to depend on God and on his will that his sons shall come to the fullness of the stature of Christ Jesus our Lord.[50]

7.3  The Way of Prayer as Lived by Jesus

        The unfolding of harmony in its various stages from within oneself through neighbor and nature to God is also the way of prayer as lived by Jesus. In his early life, he was constantly opening himself through the world around him to his Father. Our Christian prayer has to be rediscovered in that model.[51]

7.4  Core of Christian Prayer

        Christian prayer is our conscious personal communion with God our Father, in Christ Jesus. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit working in our hearts (cf. Rom 5:5), enabling us to turn to God and with confidence to call him Father (cf. Rom 8:16; Gal 4:6). This prayer, we know, is always a free gift of God.
        We pray in the name of Jesus (cf. Jn 16:24, 26). We pray to Jesus (cf. 2 Cor 12:8; Eph 5:19; 1 Cor 16:22; Rev 22:20), the one mediator between the Father and ourselves (cf. I Tim 2:5). We pray with Jesus, the beloved Son ever turned lovingly to the Father (Mt 11:25; Jn 17). In a very true sense, then, Christian prayer means "allowing Jesus to pray in us, allowing Jesus to be one with the will of the Father in our own hearts."
        Christian prayer is prayer within the community of those who have accepted the Gospel, of those who seek to live their lives in communion with Christ, and who in fellowship work to second Christ's saving work within history. It is an ecclesial prayer.
        Christian prayer is prayer centered around the Eucharist, source and summit of a worship that is uniquely sacramental. (Second Vatican Council Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 10.). For in the Eucharist, the prayer of Jesus assumes its fullest expression and embodiment: the presence of Jesus in his dying and rising again for the life of the world. In renewing his self-gift to the Father and his self-gift to us, he makes it possible for our own living and dying to be taken up into the mystery of his redeeming deed.
        Christian prayer is a prayer of self-gift to the brethren. It creates the freedom and joy of loving commitment to others. "This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We, too, then ought to give our lives for our brethren" (I John 3:16). It enables us to find Christ in our brothers and sisters, especially in the suffering and the afflicted, in the poor and the powerless, in "the least of these." In them all we are enabled to see him and serve him. And thus this prayer sends us into the world and into history, that we may help to transform them according to the designs of the heart of the Father.
        (Prayer and Human Development.) Christian prayer is necessary if we are to bring the spirit and power of the Gospel and the Christ-life into the effort to achieve genuine human liberation and development. This involves the shaping of human persons to the likeness of Jesus. It means bringing them, in all the material and spiritual dimensions of their lives, to their full stature as the children of God they are called to become.
        In keeping with the economy of the Incarnation, which is the law of the Church's life and mission, the prayer-life of our local Churches should "take over the riches of our nations, which have been given to Christ as inheritance" (Vatican 11, Ad Gentes, 22; cf. also AG, 11; Lumen Gentium, 13-17, and FABC I, 9-12, 20-21). Important above all, in our present context, are those ways of prayer which have been developed by the native genius of our peoples and have played a vital and honored role in shaping the traditions of our lands.[52]

7.5  Spirituality Implies Death and Resurrection

        Such openness demands a kenosis modeled after that of Jesus. Christian spirituality is a spirituality of kenosis of powerlessness, of continual purification from self-centeredness, of growing more and more in openness to our partners in dialogue. Kenosis implies death and resurrection, that dying to self which brings fulness of life (Phil 2:6-11). Hence, it is communitarian; it is centered on the eucharist, where together we experience death and resurrection in Christ.[53]

7.6  Asian Church Invited to Continued Conversion

        In responding to the situation in which she lives, the Asian Church is invited to a serious discernment about her presence and place in society. The Church is called to partake in the paschal mystery, and die to herself in order to be raised up with the Lord. The Church is in need of continual conversion and needs to "pass over" with Christ to the poor, to Asian cultures and to other religions.[54]

8.  Local Church as Community

8.1  Local Church and Building Up of the Body of Christ

        To preach the Gospel in Asia today, we must make the message and life of Christ truly incarnate in the minds and lives of our peoples. The primary focus of our task of evangelization then, at this time in our history, is the building up of a truly local Church.
        For the local Church is the realization and the enfleshment of the Body of Christ in a given people, a given place and time.
        Finally, this dialogue will teach us what our faith in Christ leads us to receive from these religious traditions, and what must be purified in them, healed and made whole, in the light of God's Word.
        On our part we can offer what we believe the Church alone has the duty and joy to offer to them and to all men: oneness with the Father in Jesus his Son, the ways to grace Christ gives us in his Gospel and his sacraments, and in the fellowship of the community which seeks to live in him; an understanding too of the value of the human person and of the social dimensions of human salvation -- a salvation which assumes and gives meaning to human freedom, earthly realities, and the course of this world's history.
        Indigenization renders the local Church truly present within the life and cultures of our peoples. Through it, all their human reality is assumed into the life of the Body of Christ, so that all of it may be purified and healed, perfected and fulfilled.
        Finally, through the "preaching of the good news to the poor" (Lk4:18), Christ's renewing life and the power of his paschal mystery are inserted into our people's search for human development, for justice, brotherhood and peace.
        And we wish to remember as well the legions of missionaries, priests, brothers and sisters (and lay missionaries as well) who came to our countries from other lands, to bring Christ and his Church to our peoples, and to give their lives in the service of the Lord. We and our local Churches owe so much to them, and they have indelibly inscribed their spirit in our hearts.
        To our brothers and sisters in the "Church of silence" we extend our thoughts and the embrace of our hearts. In their steadfast faith and suffering, we see also a witnessing to Christ and a proclaiming of the Gospel; such fidelity and constancy we honor. In our prayers and in the eucharistic renewal of the Lord's sacrifice we have sought during these days to be one with them in fraternal solidarity.
        Christ of the peoples of Asia, humbly we beg you to make use of us to reveal yourself more and more to them. You have been present already in their histories and traditions. In hidden ways you have led them, because for them too, you are the Way. In ways unknown to us you have enlightened them in their worship, their beliefs, their philosophies, since for them, too, you are the Truth. In diverse manners you have already made yourself present in their lives, for you are their Life. From the beginning you have called our peoples, and from your Cross you have drawn them to yourself.[55]

8.2  Local Church as Gospel Leaven

        Each local Church is determined by her human context, and lives in a dialectical relationship with the human society into which she is inserted as the Gospel leaven. Since each local Church should embody into the context the task entrusted to her by the servant Lord, she has to discover time and again what ministries and what ministerial structures she requires in order to fulfill her mission to offer to a human society the salvation brought about by Jesus Christ, and to enable the members of that society to become what God intends them to be. Each local Church, in order to be viable, needs to become fully responsible and must have the legitimate autonomy which her natural and harmonious growth demands.
        Since Christ's mission is universal, all local Churches are called to live in communion with each other. This bond of unity, visibly expressed in the College of Bishops, presided over by the Bishop of Rome, implies that the search of each Church for ministries adapted to her needs is subject to verification and testing by the other Churches. In this bond of union lies the guarantee of the true apostolicity and catholicity of each local Church. The same bond will ensure that she will never depart from the basic ministerial structure given to the Church by her Founder.[56]

8.3  Jesus Christ Constitutes Her Deepest Identity

        We tried to articulate in our Asian context the renewed vision which after Vatican 11 the Church has of herself as the People of God and the Sacrament of salvation. Jesus, the Savior of the world, is at the center of our faith and in him the Church's raison d'etre. The Church is essentially communion; she is called to be the visible sign and instrument of communion between God and men and of men among themselves. This is the grace and the task for which, and by which, she exists; to communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ constitutes her deepest identity. A sincere effort to spell out the implications of this vision led us to the realization that our Churches need to be continuously converted to the Gospel and constantly to rethink the various ways and forms in which they are to fulfill their mission.[57]

8.4  Local Church and Mission

        We have, under the leading of God's grace, realized first of all that the grace and task of evangelization must be seen more and more as committed to the entire Christian community, and in a special way to the Christian families which make up that community. If each local Church is and must be missionary, then here in East Asia, above all, the laity, the fathers and mothers, sons and daughters of every Christian family, must themselves be bearers of Christ's mission to those around them -- and even to other lands. This is a truth which we at BIMA III wish to clearly emphasize, because in it lies the indispensable key to our seconding of God's work of evangelization in this part of the world, where the harvest indeed is great, and the laborers so pitifully few.[58]

8.5  Need for Active Participation of the Whole Church

        The more we re-awaken to the religious and cultural issues and socioeconomic problems of our people, the more pressing it is for all of us -- clergy and laity -- to become what our founder Jesus Christ intended us to be, namely, a community that searches for God's Kingdom in the "joy and hope, griefs and anguish" of this world (GS, 1). Much of our efforts and services have been unproductive in the past because of a lack of active participation of the whole Church. Therefore, we need to develop urgently a sense of common mission and coresponsibility.[59]

8.6  Church and the Reign of God

        The encyclical Redemptoris Missio (RM) explains the reason for this unique and irreplaceable role of the Church in relation to the Reign of God, at whose service she is placed: "It is true that the Church is not an end unto herself, since she is ordered towards the Kingdom of God of which she is the seed, sign and instrument. Yet, while remaining distinct from Christ and the Kingdom, the Church is indissolubly united to both. Christ endowed the Church, his Body, with the fullness of the benefits and means of salvation. The Holy Spirit dwells in her with his gifts and charisms, sanctifies, guides and constantly renews her (LG 4). The result is a unique and special relationship which, while not excluding the action of Christ and the Spirit outside of the Church's visible boundaries, confers upon her a specific and necessary role." (RM 18).
        Thus it is seen that, if the Church is the sacrament of the Kingdom, the reason is that she is the sacrament of Jesus Christ himself who is the mystery of salvation, to whom she is called to bear witness and whom she is called to announce. To be at the service of the Kingdom means for the Church to announce Jesus Christ. For this task she is endowed with special gifts and charisms and guided by the Spirit. Due to such endowments the Reign of God is sacramentally present in the Church in a special manner, "she is the seed, sign and instrument" of the Reign of God to which she is ordained (RM 18).
        For this to happen, the Churches would no longer be largely dependent upon their institutions wherever they are hindering their prophetic function. Often enough the Church is afraid to take a stand in defence of the poor because of a vested interest in her institutions. Like David, the Church cannot move, she is weighed down with the armour of Saul. We have to assume the consequences of the prophetic function of the Church, imitating Jesus himself. We need to create not powerful but flexible service structures. Thus, we would free ourselves from the chains of money and power, and experience evangelical freedom. We would become a self-reliant Church with a simple lifestyle.
        Nevertheless, the Church as a pilgrim in history belongs to the order of signs, and as such, needs to be conformed to Jesus and his Reign, lest the quality of her witness be impaired and her signifying power obscured. This is why the Church must reproduce in herself the model of her master who became poor that we might become rich. The " self-emptying" of the Son of God in Jesus Christ is the decisive theological reason why the Church must be a poor Church; his identification with the figure of the "Servant of God" is the reason why she, in turn, must be a servant. The preferential option for the poor, which the Asian context demands from all local Churches, is in deep harmony with the nature of the Church herself as the sacrament of Jesus Christ, who, for us, became poor and made himself a servant. In order to be an effective sign and to bear a convincing witness, the pilgrim Church, not only in her members, but "in so far as she is an institution of men on earth," is constantly in need of renewal and reform (cf. UR 6; DP 36).
        The same conformity of the Church to her master is the decisive theological foundation for the inculturation of local Churches. The Son of God became man in Jesus in a particular place, at a particular time of history, two thousand years ago in Palestine. Jesus was a Jew, deeply inserted in the culture of his people. The revelation he conveyed of the mystery of God, as well as the way in which he accomplished his messianic and saving mission, are steeped in the religious tradition of Israel, even while they fulfill it in an unforeseen manner. The mystery of the incarnation and the paschal mystery are at once the foundation and the model for the deep insertion of local Churches in the surrounding cultures, in all aspects of their life, celebration, witness and mission.[60]

8.7  The Core of Church as Community

        The very substance of the Christ event was the revelation of the communion in the Godhead (Father-Son-Spirit) and of Gods' enabling humankind to share in this communion. Hence, the Church as the community of those who have experienced Christ and have appropriated the life manifested in Jesus Christ is the community of those who are restored into communion and fellowship (koinonia) among themselves, which is a communion and fellowship with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit (I Jn 1: 1-3).
        This communion and fellowship is expressed in a unity of life and the plurality of harmonious relationships of the believers in the Father and the Son, on the one hand, and among themselves, on the other (Jn 15:9-10; 17-21). It is in this loving one another and living in harmony that the Church will be recognized as the community of the disciples of Jesus (Jn 13:34-35). This unity and harmony of the disciples of Jesus makes the Church the sign and instrument for the world for its restoration to the harmony of humankind.
        Christian life is characterized by an earnest hope for peace and commitment to bring about peace (Mt 5:9). The Church is called to transcend distinction of race, caste and sex (Gal 3:28; Col 3:11) and become the locus, sign and instrument on earth of peace among the peoples. As the Body of Christ enlivened by the Spirit of God, the Church is called to be the Sacrament of peace and harmony of the whole humankind. The Church can fulfill its mission as sacrament of peace and harmony only insofar as it is committed to establish justice, by listening to the Word of God who alone gives peace, and being open to the Spirit of God who is constantly at work weaving among human beings one solid bond (Eph 4:3).
        The Church as the community of those who are restored to communion and harmony cannot be indifferent to the destiny of the whole of creation, since the Mediator of this communion is Jesus Christ, the Word (I Jn 1: 1-3), through whom all things are made (Jn 1:3), and whom God made the Head of the Church and the Lord of Universe (Col 14-18). In his salvific plan God destined humans to be molded into the image of the Son, so that Christ will become the eldest born among many brethren (Rom 8:29). Already in the beginning God put the human person as the icon (eikon) at the center of his creation and as his steward.
        This creation was later disfigured by sin. Hence, the Church, as the communion of the children of God, is the community of restored humanity, the icon (eikon) of God. Therefore, the Church has to be at the service of the restoration of the whole creation in its original harmony. The descriptions of eschatological salvation in terms of a new Heaven and a New Earth (Rev 22 1: 1), of the creation waiting with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God (Rom 8:19), and obtaining the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Rom 8:21), indicate this cosmic dimension of the restoration of harmony in Jesus Christ. Hence, the Church is the community of those who, transformed by the Holy Spirit, are children of God, living in harmony with God and with one another, and are authentic servants of God for the restoration of the whole of creation to its original harmony.[61]

9.  Formation of Christian Community

9.1  Put Christ Effectively at the Center of Life

        So that the whole Christian community may truly and joyfully fulfill its mission, every Christian must be helped in his striving to appreciate his faith and to put Christ effectively at the center of his life. This requires a continuing education in the faith, an on-going catechesis expressed in words and symbols drawn from the Scriptures and the culture of our people. This requires too that Christian be helped to encounter God and experience His love in contemplation and prayer.
        Often, however, more than a change of attitude is needed for effective mission. A change of present structures and a better coordination among existing ecclesial bodies are called for to make the Church an effective sign of Christ among the people.[62]

9.2  Meaning of Being Deeply Committed to Jesus

        The involvement of the lay person in political activity confirms his/her rootedness in Christ, who called his community of disciples to be a leaven in the world and thus to labor for the common good. A Christian is a member of a God-people and of the wider community, the good of which he /she is called to promote, protect and serve. To shut oneself totally away from the demands of the political transformation of Asia is, surely, in a sense, a denial of Christian identity.
        The first call to be a member of the Church comes normally in the family (cf. Familiaris Consortio, 15, 39, 49). Even before the call is heard in the parish, or the mind opens to the catechetical story of the call to growth and maturity in Christ, the child has already seen, heard and experienced at home the reality of belonging to the People of God.
        The Christian family is rightly referred to as the "domestic Church," where members assist one another toward a fullness of life in Christ through the ordinary circumstances and events of life. At home, in the family setting, in the daily events of living and giving, the lay person interiorizes culture as well as belief with an easy connaturality. In the little church of the family, as in the larger church of the community, the members remain aware of the presence of God, seek to listen to his word in the Scriptures and faithfully practice mutual forgiveness and sacrifice.
        Undoubtedly, our schools in Asia have contributed significantly to the battle against ignorance and illiteracy, and have prepared great numbers of people to take their place in society and to contribute to the common good through their professions. And here we acknowledge with deep gratitude the great contribution of the laity, who in the field of education greatly outnumber priests and Religious sisters and brothers. The large number of women teachers in primary and secondary education may in a certain sense reflect the image of the Church as Mater et Magistra. We may rightly say that the laity in Asia play the major role in the essential task of facilitating the growth and maturity of the human person through formal education. Their role in the educational apostolate arises from their basic baptismal participation, especially in the character of Christ a prophet and servant.
        For education in schools to become more effective as a vehicle of transformation in society, a true and proper vision and spirituality among teachers are needed. This vision requires that the task of teaching be viewed as a call from God to share in the teaching ministry of Jesus who announced and taught about the Kingdom, and that teaching is not simple the communication of knowledge but, even more importantly, the formation in values. From such a vision flows a spirituality involving sacrifice, other-directedness, concern, love, justice and other Gospel values. As in catechesis, the more effective is not the one who simply teaches, but the one who also witnesses (cf. Evangelii Nuntiandi).
        Rooted in the Spirit of God, these aspirations cannot be stifled by any work system. So when workers struggle to create a work system more conducive to an authentic spiritual life, their efforts are, in the light of the Gospel, really religious acts (cf. Laborem Exercens, 24-27). This is especially so when these acts are consciously subsumed into the dynamic movement that makes work a participation in the healing, transforming and redeeming activity of Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega of all endeavor.
        The forgiving Christ is also the healing Christ who reached out to the poor and marginalized to bring them the healing power of God. God's people, especially the laity in health services, must likewise reach out to farmers and workers, the landless and slum dwellers, so that through them the healing touch of God may be felt. This is why the resources of the Church in health services must be channeled to outreach programs that are community-based and community-oriented.
        In order that we may discover our genuine and specific place in the multireligious cultural context of Asia, we need to rediscover Jesus Christ as the Liberator of Asia, and his Church as the servant and instrument of that liberation.
        Hence, the call today for us Asian Christians is to become a Church deeply committed to Jesus the Liberator. Such a commitment by all Christians will make the Church a communion of committed disciples -- be they clergy or laity -- working for the liberation of Asia. Such a communion with Jesus Christ and amo