Context

    After centuries of vigorous evangelization, Jesus as living in his Church is still not known generally and accepted by Asians. This has happened, in part, because Jesus is perceived as non-Asian:

• The presentation of Jesus suffered from inadequate inculturation
• And the church failed to encounter the great religions that have their historical roots in Asia.

The Vision

    The task of presenting the Asian image of Jesus involves both the life and mission of the Church. It is the image of Jesus reflected on the face of the Church which will be an authentic and integral face for Asia to behold. The Church needs o be seen as a community that discovers the presence of God and God's Spirit in the realities of Asia. Asia wants to see Christ as affirming the Asian identity and fulfilling the Asian aspirations. Christ should not appear to come to cancel the mysterious action of the Spirit in the rich cultures and religions of Asia . Christ and his Church should be presented as God-centered and Kingdom -centered , in solidarity with the struggling masses of Asia. Such an image will be in tune with Asia's deep quest for experiencing the Divine and the resultant interiority, and appealing to the sensibilities of Asia.
    Presenting the Asian image of Jesus boils down to rigorously applying the principle of inculturation to every area of Church's life. In this process, the entire people of God must be involved (E.A. no.21)
    The Asian image of Jesus demands a shift in our pedagogy. The evocative pedagogy used by the (Asian) Jesus should be preferred to the doctrinal and abstract. Stories, images, symbols, parables, myths, chanting of sacred texts etc., should become the primary medium, as is emphasized in Ecclesia in Asia (20), with a clear focus on the experience- of life and of God. In this connection, the story of Jesus and the image etched in those stories should get priority. Then Jesus' God-centered (or Abba-centered) and kingdom-centered life and ministry will become attractive to the Asian heart, in which the inter-religious and the socio-cultural dialogue will better converge.

Practical Proposals

    This vision of the presentation of Jesus Christ bearing an Asian countenance appealing to the minds and hearts of our peoples demands that we take certain concrete steps with immediate effect. We believe that the following proposals will prove helpful to promote the Asian image of Jesus Christ strongly recommended by the Holy Father in Ecclesia in Asia:

a. The Post-Synodal apostolic exhortation should be circulated among the faithful in their own languages. Helpful study guides and commentaries should also be provided. This will help communicate the vision of a Jesus with an Asian face to all the peoples of Asia.

b. At national and diocesan levels pastoral plans should be drawn up to implement the programmes and recommendations proposed in Ecclesia in Asia in the immediate future.

c. Appropriate formation should be imparted to those engaged in the apostolate in the pastoral ministry of the Church and in the promotion of evangelization.

d.  The role of the priests being of pivotal importance in the promotion of the Church's evangelical ministry, priests and seminarians need to be equipped with suitable training. This will facilitate the process of theologizing in the context of the people and their lives.

e. Establishment of a center for the promotion of Asian culture under the aegis of the FABC will give a momentum to the process of shaping an inculturated church truly in line with the ethos of the people of this continent so rich in its ancient and enduring cultures and spirituality.

f. Experiential, meditative and prayerful reading of the Bible be assiduously promoted on personal, group and community level. Such a dialogical- collective reading of the word of God will lead to an enriched appreciation of God 's revelation in His word and world.

g. Asia is known for the family values, respect for elders and for the transmission of religiosity and faith through parents and grand parents. Therefore, in the present times when the family is increasingly being threatened, prayers, devotions, meditations, catechesis be encouraged in the homes of our people.

h. Inculturated celebrations, festivals, reading of the word of God in small Christian communities be organized. A concerted effort should also be made to promote basic human communities to share spiritual experience and undertake common activity for justice, peace and integrity of creation and particularly for the upliftment of the needy and the poor.

i.  To give a fillip to the process of inculturation,, it is necessary to provide models . For this pilot projects should be undertaken. Besides, experimentation centres should be set up at the diocesan and national levels.