Theology Short Answers

How does Lamin Sanneh contrast the vitality of Christianity and Islam in Africa?

"In Christian reform, Africans have utilized the vernacular both for self-understadning and for appropriating Christian religion, whereas Muslim reform acheived the equally remarkable goal of alienating the vernacular by applying the progressive pressure of the nontranslatable Qur'an" (Sanneh 23). Focuses on each religion's use of language and translation or lack thereof as points of contrast between Christianity and Islam in Africa; Nontranslatabilty of Muslim scripture versus the translatabilty of the Bible, neither better per se just different; Qur'an relies on its necessity of being different while Bible relies on its ability for inculturation via language

What are the six constants that Bevans and Schroeder identify that they believe are manifest whenever Christianity appears?

(Christology) Who is Jesus Christ and what is his meaning? (Ecclesiology) What is the nature of the Christian church? (Eschatology) How does the church regard its eschatological future? (Salvation/Soteriology) What is the nature of the salvation it preaches? (Anthropology) How does the church value the human? (Culture)What is the value of human culture as the context in which the gospel is preached?

Describe briefly the 4 stages of 20th-century Catholic missionary fervor according to Schreiter.

-Certainty; Pre-Vatican II (pre-1960) -Ferment: at Vatican II (1962-1965): Ad Gentes, uncertainty about mission -Crisis: immediately after Vatican II (1966-1975), people wondered if mission was important -Rebirth: with Evangelii Nuntiandi (1975), liberation theology and human development.

What are Bevans' six models of contextual theology? Briefly describe each.

-CounterCultural Model - This is the most conservative model. It recognizes the importance of contexts but radically distrusts its sanctity and revelational power. -The Translation Model - Takes experience, culture, social location, and social change into account, but places much more emphasis on fidelity to essential content of scripture and tradition -The Anthropological Model - The most radical. Emphasizes cultural identity and its relevance for theology more than Scripture and Tradition. While Scripture and Tradition are still important, but considers to be a product of contextually relative theologies that have been hammered out within very particular contexts. -The Praxis Model - Has a particular focus on the importance or need for social change when articulating one's faith. -Synthetic Model - Attempts to keep the past, present, and the need for transforming action in perfect balance, while also benefitting from conversations with Christians in other cultures. -Transcendental Model - Focuses not on the content articulated but instead the person articulating the content. It hopes that if someone expresses their faith on a personally authentic level, one will be able to express one's faith in an authentically contextual manner.

Describe and name the three Spiritan missionaries whom Hodgson refers to in The Church of Women. How do they help frame her book?

-Fr. Eugene Hillman: the first spiritan to begin systematic evangelization of Maasai in the 1950's. Encouraged the Church to take more positive views of Maasai culture. Built lots of schools and dispensaries. -Fr. Girard Kohler: served as head of the Monduli parish from 1985-1993. Pretty negative view towards Maasai culture. was frustrated that they would not adapt more to Christianity. Focused on the Maasai men. -Fr. William Christy: one of the last generation of American Spiritans to work in Maasai areas. A product of post-Vatican II, he did the most he could to inculturate himself into Maasai culture in order to build communities, build the Church, and accompany the baptized. -These three priests all offer differing missionary approaches, so she uses them to highlight the different methods and those strengths and weaknesses

What is meant by the terms "inculturation" and "syncretism," and how are they related to each other?

-Inculturation: Aligning local culture to Church practices and teaching and/or adapting Church practices and teachings to local culture -Syncretism: A blending of beliefs and practices from different religions/worldviews into one system -They both involve a positive view of the culture and adapt a religion to the culture. Inculturation still has a somewhat counter cultural tendency, because while it views culture as inherently good, it does not seek to maintain the aspects of culture that might directly contradict the religion. Syncretism is less about keeping each pure, and more about creating a mix of religion and culture.

Name and briefly describe the three stages of Catholic evangelization of the Maasai.

-School Approach: "Fr. Hillman and other Spiritans began to focus their efforts on teaching and converting Maasai children who they believed were not fully socialized and inculturated into the sin of their parents." (115) Establishing schools to evangelize the kids. Focused more on the men than women, because only men could become priests and catechists. -Boma/Direct Evangelization: after the schools failed to produce long term converts, missionaries sought to directly evangelize adult Maasai in their bomas (homesteads). Sought to meet people within their culture, rather than try to convert them from their culture. Produced a Maasai translation of the Mass. Women were more attracted to this than the men. -Individual Approach: "Villagization" (the president divided Maasai into villages) happened, so it was easier for missionaries to reach entire communities rather than just one homestead at a time. This allowed missionaries to convert individual people scattered around different bomas in a centralized place. Women would flock to the classes offered in the villages.

What are three important contributions to Ignatius of Loyola and the Jesuits to the theology and practice of Christian mission?

-The Jesuits adopted an accomodational approach to mission which was more respectful of local culture which stood in contrast to the Fransicans and Dominicans. -The Jesuits underwent a long, intensive education process which was meant to solidify their faith and deepen their understanding of it as well. This allowed Jesuit missionaries to navigate different cultures and evaluate whether or not different practices would be contrary to Catholic beliefs. -The Jesuits had a very good record system which made compiling information about different regions, the people's reception of Christianity, and the local culture very easy. The information sent back helped people in Europe form ideas about the New World and modify missionary tactics if necessary.

According to Las Casas, what are the 5 ideal traits of the missionary?

-Those who hear the gospel should sense that preachers want no power over them. -Those who hear the gospel should sense that preachers do not want money from them. -Preachers should address people with dignity and respect. -Preachers should be filled with charity. -Preachers should live the life they preach and relate to people respectfully, carefully, honestly, and blamelessly.

Be prepared to explain the missionary importance of these dates: 312, 1492, 1622, 1773.

312: Constantine won control of the Roman Empire with the help of the Christian God. This prompted Constantine to make Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. By doing so, Christianiy was able to spread around the Mediterranean unimpeded. 1492: Columbus sailed to the Americas which permanently altered Catholic worldview from a tripart view to a four-part view. This also opened up a new world for missionary activity which was different from all others because the people of the Americas knew nothing about Catholicism. 1622: The Vatican founded its own missionary office, Propaganda Fide. This put control of missionary activity back in the Pope's hands. This sought to end the padraodo system which put individual Kings in charge of mission in their regions. 1773: Pope Clement XIV severely suppressed the Jesuits which effectively ended Jesuit mission in places like China.

Explain the title of Ross's book A Vision Betrayed.

A Vision Betrayed refers to the vision of the Catholic church during the 16th and 17th centuries who attempted to push a strong religious following in East Asian nations, most notably Japan and China. The vision was nearly fulfilled but, due to changes in missionary technique and political turmoil, ultimately resulted in a failure to convert these nations. The Riccian method of cultural acceptance is considered by Ross to be the closest the church has come to Christianizing China and Japan, but the church's rejection of this method later in these missionary attempts drastically reduced the success of missionaries. Therefore, Ross considers this change in heart of the church to be a betrayal of the visions of missionaries such as Matteo Ricci and Francis Xavier.

Why do Bevans and Schroeder only discuss at length the Acts of the Apostles in their book on contemporary missiology, not addressing other aspects of the Scripture? Briefly evaluate that decision.

Acts of the Apostles was beginning of the Church's Gentile mission--before this, it had seen itself as a subset or continuation of Judaism. It is not conclusive whether the literary Jesus had any concept of a Gentile mission. It features a gradual extension of the Gospel to groups further and further outside of Judaism, before eventually giving an outright command to witness to the entire world. The lessons contained therein pertain most directly to missiology, and the focus makes sense.

What is the purpose of Redemptoris Missio in light of the missiological thought in the decades preceding it?

Addresses the question- "why mission?" which is a big question following the Vatican II's more positive take on other religions. RM emphasizes that the Church is the ordinary means of salvation, and she alone has the fullness of means of salvation. Christians have an obligation not to keep the truth and goodness of Christ to themselves, but share it with others. Very Christocentric.

What does Orobator say about the significance of the ancestors for African Christian theology?

Ancestors are people who have lived exemplary lives and we wish to remember, believe are close to God, and ask to pray for us. Jesus is the fulfillment of the ancestors, because he is the perfect one who has gone before us, intercedes for us, and is the ultimate one we should model our lives after. In addition, the Communion of Saints is similar to the concept of ancestors, because we canonize those who have lived holy lives, we ask them to pray for us, and we model our lives after theirs. Finally, ancestors remind us of our belief in the resurrection of the dead, because we do not believe death to be a separation, but a continuation of life, and we care for our dead because we believe they will rise again.

What are the top countries in the world in number of Catholics, in order?

Brazil Mexico Philippines United States of America Italy

What does Carol Delaney's article seek to contribute to the historical and moral evaluation of Columbus?

By removing present-day assumptions, Delaney seeks to clarify some misunderstandings about Columbus by analyzing his motivations for his journey and everything else he did. She writes about how Columbus' original motivation for trying to find a faster route to India was that he wanted to get gold there to bring back to Spain that would be used to fund a Crusade. She uses his own writings, especially his Book of Prophecies, letters, and journal entries to paint a clear picture of Columbus' worldview and the context of his life. In doing so, Delaney contributes a less prominent religious angle to the discussion about Columbus.

What is "the Clovis method" in missionary strategy? What is the origin of the term?

Clovis was King of the Franks at the end of the 5th and into the 6th century. He forced people to convert to Christianity. "The Clovis method," then, is the method where missionaries convert a political leader so that his or her people will also convert. This was attempted in Japan with the Daimyo.

Explain the role of Confucianism, in its several forms, in the evolving strategy of Matteo Ricci in China.

Confucianism served as both an aid and a hindrance to Matteo Ricci during his mission in China. He accepted the values of Confucianism and became a Confucian scholar himself. This gained him and his Christian values much popularity from the nobles and elites of China as they were not only impressed by his adoption of Chinese societal customs, but also his confidence that Christianity and Confucianism can live in harmony. However, as time passed, many Confucians began to adopt a more neo-Confucian view which valued more non-religious views such as ancestral reverence and familial structure over church-esq community. They actively pushed against the introduction of Christianity and many of the new emperors of China adopted these values and fought to reduce Christian authority in China. Matteo Ricci had to continually give way to some of these values, but he still advocated traditional Confucianism and adopted traditional Chinese clothing, translation of liturgical texts into Chinese, and acceptance of more non-christian values such as ancestral reverence and a heavy emphasis on wisdom and shame.

How does Daniel of Winchester suggest Boniface should try and convert pagans to Christianity?

Force them to admit that their gods had a beginning by deductive reasoning, force them to admit that the universe was created and ruled by some being, etc. Overall, ask them tedious questions, not in an offensive manner, but calmly. They should overtime become confused by and ashamed of their absurd opinions. "The heathens are frequently to be reminded of the supremacy of the Christian world and of the fact that they who still cling to outworn beliefs are in a very small minority."

Briefly describe the mendicant spirituality of mission, differentiating the Franciscan and Dominican approaches.

Franciscan - Founded in 1209 by Saint Francis of Assisi, negative view of Indian culture, pushed "civilizing mission" and "pacification", members strive to cultivate the ideals of poverty and charity. The Franciscans are obedient to the Papacy and the Church's hierarchy. "humility and selfless love for their neighbor in honor of the Gospel and in recognition to the Church" Dominican - from Spain, were aiming to convert the natives of Central America, mendicant order of the Catholic Church founded by St. Dominic in 1215. The order places a strong emphasis on truth, missionary work, and education of the faith. "Hounds of the Gospel, in which they engulfed themselves deeply in the study of the Church in order that they may teach and defend the Church since it was Jesus Himself who founded the Church." Both - not very accommodating to local cultures/customs, wish to lead people to salvation

What was Gregory the Great's influential insight into Christian architecture that had such an impact on future missionary strategy?

Gregory the Great was the bishop of Rome in the second half of the 6th century. He focused on pastoral/moral concerns. Instead of following the custom to destroy pagan temples, he converted them to Christian churches. This is an example of accomodation, inculturation, and maybe even syncretism. It raises the question of whether architecture and rituals that serve a non-Christian purpose can (or should) be built upon to serve Christianity.

What was Pope Innocent IV's influential position on the use of force in preaching?

His position was that the Pope is in charge of all, so he could force Muslims to follow the law of nature and Jews to follow Moses. Also stated that all must admit Christian preachers. If they refused, then there could be enforcement by "the secular arm." With Pope Innocent IV, the refusal to admit preachers/missionaries was justification for conquest.

Name several important advances in Ad Gentes over previous Catholic missionary teaching.

Key Takeaways: The Church is "missionary by its very nature" and is not the office of foreign affairs. Linked to Vatican II's ecclesiology, it moves beyond the Church as institution to Church as mystery and Church as People of God. The trinity also becomes a practical doctrine because we are invited into participation in God's activity in the world. It's ecumenical, especially with Orthodox.

What is the argument of Las Casas's The Only Way?

Las Casas presents de Montesino's sermon and its context and then builds off of it by laying out specific reasons to treat the native people with respect and how to be a good missionary. Like de Montesino, he says that the Amerindians are just as human as anyone else, and evidence for that includes their complex political systems, physical health, architecture, culture, and God-given ability to reason. He also says that the Spaniards' treatment of the Amerindians is mortal sin, but then he takes his argument a step further than de Montesino by laying out exactly how to be a good missionary and what makes a bad missionary.

How and why does Mary of Nazareth appeal to African Christians, according to Orobator?

One of the main reasons Mary appeals to African Christians is that Mary understands the suffering that comes with being a mother: She knows what it means to bear a child in poverty, to raise a child almost entirely on her known, to understand the high mortality rate of infants, and to understand the loss of losing her only child. They believe that Mamma Maria could have been an African Mother. There are countless Mary Devotional groups in Africa.

Briefly describe the relationship between Paul and Luke as depicted in The Damascus Road.

Paul sees Luke as timid for recording the deeds and words of Christ, rather than doing missionary work. Luke sees Paul as brash and overconfident, and notes inconsistencies in his various conversion accounts, as well as modification of his rhetorical strategy (but not his message) based on his audience.

What is meant by the term "prophetic dialogue" in Constants in Context?

Prophetic dialogue is the synthesis of all three types of theology. It also proclaims Jesus as Lord while giving a voice to the underprivileged. Six elements: witness and proclamation; liturgy, prayer and contemplation; justice, peace and the integrity of creation; interreligious dialogue; inculturation; and reconciliation.

What are some of the reasons Christianity spread in the Roman empire before 312 CE? Identify at least two reasons linked to context and two that are internal to Christianity itself.

Reasons linked to context: epidemics especially in urban areas, political stability, common culture and language, the foundation of Judaism Internal reasons to Christianity: rationality of monotheism, promise of afterlife, care for each other through social networks, martyrdom (witness), adaptability, unique social reality of ekklesia, exorcism and healing, apologetics and use of philosophy

"Heterology" refers to discourse about the other. Contrast two ways that historical figures encountered in our course carried "heterology". (Many possibilities, of course, yet suitable would be Saint Paul, Columbus, Ricci, one of the Spiritan missionaries in Church of Women...)

Ricci - was very accepting of Chinese culture, learned to read and write in their language, wore their clothes, took a chinese name, etc. But was sure to keep the Christian ideal pure. Columbus - not so accepting of other cultures, western superiority, tainted the christian ideals St. paul - distinguishes between jews and gentiles, makes sense of peoples differences through his homily

What are the common traits in the missionary strategies of de Nobili and Ricci?

Ricci and de Nobili recognized the importance of distinguishing between culture and religion. They advocated the acceptance of local customs of the peoples they wanted to convert because they knew that they would be more open to Christianity if they didn't feel as if they had to give up their identities in their entirety. They adopted traditional clothing, the local vernacular when preaching the message of the Church, and even moved up the social ranks and religious ladders of their respective nations (de Nobili became a Brahmin and Ricci a Confucian scholar). Both men's strategies, in short, involved adopting the local customs and essentially becoming a member of the society in which they were attempting to convert, but they strictly abided by the non-debatable aspects of the Christian message such as believing in one true, Christian God.

How does Andrew Ross evaluate the impact of Francis Xavier in A Vision Betrayed?

Ross admires Xavier's missionary zeal and his willingness to travel all around the Asia for the sake of spreading the Gospel and Christianity; Ross also commends Xavier's translating of the Bible and other religious texts into the native Japanese language but critiques Xavier by saying that Xavier translated too quickly and hastily into Japanese, which meant that Xavier did not use the most appropriate words for communicating the fullness of Christinaity to the Japanese; translating too quickly was a problem because it entailed some sort of committed to a particular understanding of the message Xavier was trying to convey that relied on certain initial but perhaps not the best translations

How does Ross evaluate the Jesuit mission in Japan?

Ross pushes back against those who try to claim that Christian missionary activity in Japan was an outright and total failure since the faith was unable to take a lasting/enduring hold in Japan; Ross notes how quickly Christianity did in fact spread in Japan upon its arrival but how local political authorities in Japan sought to eradicate the foothold that had been gained by Chrisitanity and missionaries in Japan through thorough and ruthless persecution of local Christians; Ross pushes back against the Endo outlook that seems to suppose that Christiainity is incompatible with Japan

Describe St. Patrick's missionary experience.

St. Patrick was British, but held captive in Ireland. While imprisoned, he had a conversion experience where he committed to serving the Church/Jesus. He got back to Britain, but felt compelled to return to Ireland to convert the Irish pagans. British accused him of his sins, even though he had previously repented. They tried to persuade him with gifts, and even the elders did not want him to leave. However, he went to Ireland "so that I might come to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure insults from unbelievers; that I might hear scandal of my travels, and endure man persecutions to the extent of prison; and so that I might give up my free birthright for the advantage of others". There, he baptized many people.

Describe briefly the evolution of Jesuit missionary strategy in China.

The Jesuit mission in China, as pioneered by Matteo Ricci, began similar to the mission in Japan. However, upon realizing that something had to change, Ricci decided that the missionaries needed to focus on the Literati and that winning a foothold with the upper class would lead to more success than in Japan. He constantly pushed for study of Confucian classics and customs, and he even adopted traditional Chinese clothing. Though successful, the Jesuits were eventually targeted by neo-confucianists who feared the loss of Chinese identity. Additionally, the Jesuits were eventually challenged from Rome through the Rites Controversy which became suspicious of the leniency with which they were conforming to confucian and chinese customs which were considered incompatible with Christian values.

Explain briefly the saying "mission is the mother of theology" with reference to Saint Paul and at least one other figure and/or book that we read in the class.

This saying might be reconfigured as mission is the "mother of the church", the all-encompassing task that binds believers together. St. Paul exhorted the apostles to seek out Gentiles rather than just waiting for them to come to the Church, which built up the membership of the Church by reaching out to others. For the Jesuits in North America, mission was as much a part of their own spiritual journey as it was for the Native Americans. Their trials in the New World strengthened their own faith, which was as important to them as converting Native Americans.

Briefly describe Hodgson's use of the concept of gender in The Church of Women.

Throughout history, mission efforts amongst Maasai people have generally been focused on men, yet women seem to be the predominant gender attracted to Christianity. Hodgson explores possible explanations for this, both in the spiritual and social realms. Spiritually, she finds that women have always tended to engrain spirituality in their everyday lives more than men. Socially, she finds that Christianity often allows women ways to break out of the typically patriarchal ways of life in Maasai culture.

What are the 3 types of theology in Constants in Context, and what approaches to Christian mission arise in relation to each?

Type A: Mission as Saving Souls and Extending the Church, focuses on an exclusivist theory of salvation, perception of the Church as institutional hierarchy, opposes culture and supports "tabula rasa" models of conversion. Type B: Mission as Discovery of the Truth, more inclusivist, perceives the Church as a "mystical communion", more friendly to culture, approach of Matteo Ricci falls under this type. Type C: Mission as Commitment to Liberation and Transformation, pluralist, uses a herald/servant model of the Church, very friendly to culture, often includes non-religious human development work under the category of "mission", Liberation theology and some early Church work falls under this type.

What are the top countries in the world in number of Christians, in order?

United States of America Brazil Mexico Russia Philippines

How does Evangelii Nuntiandi deepen missionary thought over Ad Gentes? -

Within the context of Liberation theology in Latin America, the ongoing Cold War, and the "end" of the Vietnam Conflict, as well as the impact of the Popolorum Progressio (emphasized the development of Catholic Social Teaching), Evangelii Nuntiandi deepens missionary thought by proclaiming that the Church is not for itself but rather, is in service to the reign of God, and that Mission is a part of participating in the reign of God. It also deepens missionary thought through its links to the historical Jesus and his activity, making mission both prophetic and local. Mission is discovered "inductively" by attending to the "signs of the times. "

Why did the Jesuits prefer reductiones as a missionary strategy in Brazil and Paraguay?

autonomy from the Spanish or Portuguese imperial authorities; Jesuits could do their own thing apart from imperial structures; allowed Jesuits to protect indigenous peoples from encomienda system, offered an alternative to more forceful approach to evangelization amid Spanish and Portuguese South American colonies

How did Islam's appearance shape Christian mission?

crusades were wars fought over the holy lands in response to the growth and expansion of Islam. Although victory for the Muslims, still expanded the reach of Christiantiy. They also increased the power of the Pope. The massacre of Muslims, Jews and other non-Christians resulted in bitter resentment that persisted for many years. Islam was attractive to kings because it combined religious and political authority. This is turn converted their subjects to islam as well. churchmen who accompanied crusaders developed a new appreciation of the Muslims. They still strove to convert the Muslims, but they changed their approach from fighting to education. Ignatius Loyola and Francis of Assisi were influenced by contact with the Muslims to educational religious work among the Muslims in place of destructive warfare.

Describe de Montesinos's preaching in Santo Domingo and the repercussions that followed.

de Montesino was a Dominican priest who preached to Spaniards who were treating the native people like slaves. De Montesino railed against the way that the Spaniards were acting, telling them that they were in mortal sin. In the sermon, he also advocates for the humanity of the natives. After his preaching, the community was outraged and demanded that he take back what he said; de Montesino went back and preached the exact same sermon. The men saw this sermon as an abolition of the King's sovereignty and wrote to the King who then demanded that the Dominican Provincial remedy what happened.

What was the important distinction that de Nobili insisted upon in defending his missionary policy in India? How did it shape his arguments?

de Nobili's insisted that missionaries consider what the end goal of the mission is. He defended many of the Hindu practices he experienced in India and continually drew comparisons between them and Christianity. He did, however, strongly emphasize being able to recognize the difference between social customs and religious customs in order to determine what truly needs to be changed. For example, he defends what he considers compatible with Christianity such as Indian dress, frequency of recitation of prayer, and dietary practices. However, he conceded that the content of the prayers could be altered to conform to the Christian message.

How did Jesuit formation help create Jesuit missionary dynamism in the early modern period?

focused on absolute surrender to the will of God, doing all things for the greater glory of God, and finding God in all things so Jesuits were spiritually and psychologically well-prepared, well-equipped, and well-disciplined to go to far away places and pursue God's greater glory by finding Him among the diversity and variety of cultures and practices that they encountered; their formation encouraged the accommodation method of mission since they sought to find God in all things; good at decision making because of Spiritual Exercises so able to discern well while on mission and make tough choices in tough situations or confusing contexts; very, very well educated too so able to use this education, especially aptitude for languages, in the various contexts that they found themselves

Discuss Paul's missionary vocation. Where did it come from? How did it manifest itself?

he was struck blind by Christ on the road to Damascus, and then healed by a man named Ananias. Parini novel suggests it was more gradual, and potentially influenced by the earlier testimony and stoning of St. Stephen. It manifested itself in a willingness to travel great distances and endure great hardships and tortured for the sake of spreading the Gospel.

What are the four types of dialogue identified in "Dialogue and Proclamation" (1991)?

idk

What are the three typical approaches to salvation in other religions? Briefly explain each

inclusivity, exclusivism, pluralism

What are some features of the Jesuit writings from North America in the 17th century?

martyrdom is the ideal; very practical in the matters discussed while also having a spiritual/theological flare; very thorough and comprehensive in matters, events, and situations touched upon; sort of anthropological texts for audience in Europe that would otherwise lack exposure to or knowledge of indigenous North Americans; at times fantastical, again especially considering the audience they were written for; also served as official reports to Jesuit superiors in Europe

What are three of the concerns that feature prominently in Boniface's correspondence?

organization - Boniface wants to form the church in the roman model with a lot of structure conversion - boniface wants to convert pagans church reform - re-establish ecclesiastical discipline especially in the Frankish clergy