Towards a Network of Theological Enquiry
A question of mission – a mission of questions
Freedom of the human spirit from captivity
Theological and ethical issues in the age of globalisation
Towards an Asian theological agenda for the 21st century
Impulses in Caribbean theology
Beyond partnership – Towards a global theological agenda
The people of God among all God's peoples
Globalisation: A myth without a vision?
Democratic impulses in Buddhism
A Theological Roundtable Between the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), the Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS), the Centre for Advance Religious and Theological Studies (CARTS) and the Council for World Mission (CWM).
This meeting took place in Hong Kong from 20-22 March 1998 at the Chinese University. The substantive content of the discussion towards a shared research agenda was brought together in the final session, with initial statements from Feliciano Cariño, David Thompson and Kim Yong-Bock, followed by comments from those who had contributed papers and responses. This report is an attempt to systematise the main points of convergence identified in this final discussion. Matters of infrastructure and organisation were discussed but are not included here.
As well as broad areas of focus, the discussion identified a range of questions which can contribute to shaping the agenda for theological research. These questions fall into six broad areas listed below. While specific research topics could focus upon any one of these areas, the other areas will form part of the context for any concrete project.
If we are indeed in the midst of a massive cultural shift from national and regional cultures into a global culture, every area of life will need scrutiny. Research priority should probably be given to those realities which are the engines of change (such as the technological and economic basis for global integration) and to those realities which have previously been of central importance which may now be declining or shifting in their role (such as the nation state). An urgent task is the critique of globalisation as a catchword which is used to justify the unjustifiable. The question of the ecological sustainability of the current global economy is also salient.
How can institutional supports for civil society be maintained and developed within the emerging global culture? What can we discern as theological dimensions of meaning within this development?
While globalisation is made possible by technological change, the governance of change would seem to lie with the financial markets, investigation of which should have a high priority. Detailed theological research into market economics is a significant gap in our existing ecumenical work. Theological research in this area will need to resist 'value-neutral' approaches for which there are no victims of injustice (but only financial losers). Research is also needed into resources for resistance to the growing hegemony of the financial market over local and national economies.
How do we do theology more appropriately as participants in this emerging global culture? How should we expect regional and ethnic differences to impact upon theology? What are the different hermeneutical keys in use in our respective theological work? For what tasks and outcomes is theology uniquely responsible? Who are 'we'? For whom and with whom do we do theology? What is the importance of Jesus for our theology?
Should there not be a special importance granted to the voice of those groups most marginalised by the dominant forces in traditional, modern and global societies? How do we go beyond the contribution, but also the tyranny, of theological English? How do we overcome the historic marginalisation of women's voices and concerns in theology? Global visions need to be checked against the realities of experience. How is salvation history happening for particular peoples? How do we go about the existential verification of theologies in the life of the people? What is the significance for us of the rise of Pentecostalism?
The perceptions generated in our theology will guide our actions as we seek to respond to globalisation. What are the crucial ethical dimensions guiding and challenging our responses? One tension here is between an ethic of conviction (focusing on what should be) and an ethic of responsibility (focusing on what is realistically possible). How can we generate a share set of ethical judgements about emerging global realities with conversation partners of diverse cultures and faiths? How can we deal with the power imbalances in the financial markets. What resources are there for resistance to the injustices perpetrated by these markets?
Religious and cultural pluralism is a fact. How far is this welcome, how far is it a problem? There is a need to transcend the conflictual approaches characteristic of much of the Christian tradition in relation to religions and cultures. How do we as Christians reconcile ourselves with the religions and cultures of the world without becoming captive to the urgencies of religion and culture? If we push for complimentary and for new syntheses, how do we do this? What is our understanding of the resources as well as the blocks and challenges which Christianity offers to this task? Can we develop common research towards the building of global civil society with those of our neighbours who are responding to this task?
What is the significance of the existence of Asian Christians, when observers such as Toynbee see the encounter between Christianity and Asia as marked predominantly by a clash of values? The ecumenical movement in Asia has been most articulate about how Christianity should exist in Asian Societies, which is a resource for work in this area. There is an emerging view of Christian mission here which focuses on the kingdom of God as the heart of the Christian message, allowing an affirmative approach to other religions and cultures as they contribute to the 'koinonia', the sharing of life in this kingdom of God.
There is need for the continuing articulation of positive Christian visions for the global society, along the lines of themes such as communication, communion and solidarity. There is a special importance for our research in the experiences of broken relationships and of moves towards the restoration of relationships at all levels. Theological understandings of reconciliation in terms of our restored relationship with God through the work of Christ should be systematically related to the restoration of broken relationships at all levels of our experience (between humanity and nature, between societies, between the powerful and the powerless, between groups and between individuals). Our theological understanding of mission can find significant focus here. Realities of Christian experience such as forgiveness, prayer, worship, fellowship and empowerment by the Holy Sprit can be seen as dimensions of this focus.
The fundamental resource from which we begin is the 'koinonia' or sharing to which faith in Christ calls us. While there are many dimensions to this 'koinonia', we note the importance of the story of Jesus. This combines an emphasis upon how we should shape our work together with a recognition of the importance of the question of who Jesus is for us today. Similarly, the outcomes of our research should incidentally provide models and resources for teaching and learning the Christian faith, in full awareness of the pressing global challenges. Network of Theological Enquiry (Note) Chinese University of Hong Kong March 20-23, 1998