COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
CORE COURSES:Theology of Mission (Systematic Questions)
The course is a basic introductory course to Missiology and wants to clarify (the) understanding(s) of mission today. For this purpose a basic overview of missiological developments will be given, departing from discussions and questions about mission today, including presentations of proposals for “foundations of mission” and “paths (ways, methods) of mission”. The course tries to consider the context in which it is taught (Asia) and wants to help students understand the meaning of mission and the different missionary challenges, for example for diocesan and religious, etc. in different contexts. For this purpose “mission” will be presented as “contextual” and “universal” task of the Christian churches.
Mission History (Asia and the Pacific)
The missions of the Church have a story to tell us, a story that does not only belong to the past, because the past is part of the present as well as the future. The course is taught from a multi-centered view of the Church in different countries and regions. It does not only discuss the cultural mentalities of the previous generation, with their limitations and achievements, but also the interactions of the “Christianities” that have emerged. Furthermore, the course helps the student to understand and present the criteria and methods for mission today: what are missionary situations and what answer(s) can we (as Christians, Catholics, Diocesan, Religious, local or foreign missionaries) give to such situations? At the end there will be a “mission project proposal” in which the students are expected to present a mission project in a concrete missionary situation.
Biblical Foundation of Mission
The course looks at Old Testament themes on mission, terms and sources. Also discussed are the diffusion of the Old Testament religions in the semitic world; prophetic mission; universalism in the Old Testament; apostles of Israel according to rabbinical and Christian documents. The second part considers the New Testament theology of mission; the mission of Jesus; evangelization in the Bible; testimony of the apostles; the pre-paschal mission to the Jews; the paschal mission to the Gentiles; the intervention of the Holy Spirit; the traveling missionaries of the primitive church; the priests of the mother church and oral tradition.
Interreligious Dialogue (Theory and Practice)
The course begins with a general study of the world’s major religions. It aims at giving the class participants background information about these religions. This is followed by a discussion of “dialogue” and “interreligious dialogue” from the point of view of Catholic missiology. Finally, the course discusses selected issues or themes in Traditional Religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, and Taoism so that the students will have some knowledge about the content and structures of these belief systems before they commit themselves to the theory and practice of interreligious dialogue.
Missiological Anthropology
“Missiological Anthropology might be best regarded as a specialized form of applied anthropology. Its scope and purpose are missiological, while the processes and analyses are anthropological. Missiology proposes the basic issues and goals, and anthropology supplies the perspective, approach, and standards for studying them. More specifically, Missiological Anthropology seeks 1.) to bring together in an organized fashion the various concepts, insights, principles, theories, methods, and models of anthropology that seem to be particularly relevant to the mission of the Church, and 2.) to show how such an organized body of knowledge might be employed for a better understanding and realization of that mission.” (Luzbetak)
Asian Spirituality
The course deals with the specific nature of Asian Spirituality and its basis in the theology of mission. Other topics include: the spirituality as presence to and service to individuals and communities; the need for a continual renewal and ongoing conversion; and the spirituality of prophetic dialogue, prayer and evangelization.
Inculturation
Inculturation is not just a means of evangelization but belongs to the heart of the Church’s evangelizing mission. Evangelization will lose much of its power and efficacy, if it does not make use of people’s language, their signs and symbols. The course discusses three important parts: 1.) A brief introduction of the idea of culture, enculturation and acculturation in the ambit of social anthropology 2.) A theology of culture, symbol and language is treated in order to understand the Christian theology of inculturation. 3.) Some important themes such as revelation and culture, redemptive incarnation, and missionary spirituality are also explored in the context of inculturation.
Church Documents (Vatican II, FABC and other Mission Documents)
The course explores Ad Gentes Mission Initiatives of the Local Churches in Asia in the Vatican II era. It is divided into three parts: 1.) Focusing on the growing mission consciousness of Asia’s local Churches, begins with a narrative chronicle of recent developments in Asian ad gentes mission. 2.) It takes up the insights on mission from the 1998 Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops which outlines the challenges of mission in contemporary Asia. 3.) The third part is formed by three distinct items that are relevant to mission in Asia today, namely: a. Current Asian mission statistics and the challenges they pose; b. Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC) inspiring thought on the local church; and c. A list of contact information for Asia’s indigenous mission groups concludes the presentation.
Contemporary Mission Situation (Globalization)
This is a seminar. It is a description of the actual status of the Catholic missionary activity, especially in Asia and the Pacific. The origin, characteristics, and trends of mission today are stressed. After the general introduction, the course examines the mission of the Church before and after Vatican II in its theological and practical development. The course examines the tendencies of mission work in the light of theological questions and their pastoral implications.
Missiological Research and Method
The course assists students in the planning, organization and in the writing of research papers. Since the research work is an important part of the student’s theological education, the course provides tools and guidelines on how to undertake research. It also focuses on getting ideas, using sources, evaluating kinds of evidence and organizing material in order to present research in an orderly and coherent way. Furthermore, the course presents ways on how to analyze, evaluate and account for discrepancies among various readings of a topic and to locate the thesis of an argument.
ELECTIVE COURSES:
Asian Religions
Asia is the cradle of all major religions in the world. Christianity is a minority in Asia for only three percent of Christians comprises the population of Asia. The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) indicates that Christians in Asia, though a minority, has to know better Asia’s religions in order to open pathways to dialogue and fruitful collaboration in the service to life. What are the major religions in Asia? What’s their role and what are the implications of “scientific knowledge” about other religions for Christian mission?
Trends in Mission
Sensitive to the changing contexts and experiences of Asia-Pacific, the course provides a panorama of emerging Asia Pacific mission trends as they impact on the proclamation of the Gospel and evangelization of communities. The course treats “paths in mission” or ways of mission today, mainly considering the context of Asia-Pacific, i.e. Mission as Dialogue with Cultures, Religions and the Poor.
Intercultural Communication
The course is called intercultural communication. It is designed for missionaries who work cross-culturally – i.e., for missionaries seeking to communicate the Christian message across a cultural barrier. It discusses the complex problem of communication theory and works toward practical solutions. As a whole this course is a broad approach to the issues raised by the interface of communication and mission.
Human Development: Socio-Pastoral Approaches
Liberation is an essential element of the Church’s evangelizing mission. Integral development of peoples is part of the mission experience of the local Church. The course provides guideposts for Church leaders in realizing a church of the poor. Some strategies for poverty alleviation based on the Catholic Social Teaching of the Church are essential components of the course.
Theology of Harmony
The Asian view of the world is essentially conjunctive expressed in a faith that gives primacy to relationships; it is a faith seeking connections. At the heart of the Asian experience is the constant search for the interconnectedness of creation. The course takes the FABC themes on harmony as its basis in articulating a theology typical of Asia.
Ecumenism and Mission
Ecumenism is an integral dimension of mission. All Catholics are called to work for Christian unity; hence there is a pressing need for ecumenical formation, especially for clergy and laity who have leadership roles in the Church. The spiritual ecumenism is inspired by the Holy Spirit, who moves people to pray fervently and work sincerely to restore the unity intended by Christ for his disciples. It involves deepening Christian faith, prayer and worship, and “diakonia” and witness. The course is an attempt to answer the following queries: 1.) What is ecumenism? 2.) What is the theology of ecumenism? 3.) What are the theological principles of ecumenism? 4.) What is the relationship of the Catholic Church with other Christian Churches? 5.) What is the future of ecumenism?
Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation
Justice, peace and integrity of creation are fundamental themes that capture the contexts of Asian Church today. This course hopes to look into issues that urgently need attention vis-à-vis the actual experience of some local churches. Some possible responses to situations of violence, injustice and environmental issues will be explored towards a culture of peace, civilization of love and new creation.
Jesus and Asian Cultures (Asian Faces of Christ)
Asia has a diversity of cultures that need to be understood profoundly if faith were to be experienced meaningfully. The course takes faith and Asian cultures as crucial crossroads for mission in Asia today. Faith in Jesus Christ has to be expressed in the context of Asian cultures. Faith lived in the context of Asian cultures makes the Church truly a Church of Asia and not simply in Asia.
