Inculturation in the area of art
and architecture in the Asian context.
(Prof. José Vidamor Yu,
The
Church realizes itself through the concrete
expressions of culture. The Church seeks to insert the Gospel, integrate the Christian message and transform the culture
through the preached and celebrated Word of God as well as the Sacraments in
order to form a new Christian community with authentic expressions of their
faith and worship. The various images, art and cultural expressions of the
various peoples of Asia are fertile grounds as well as challenges for
“incarnating” the Gospel in a particular culture. Inculturation becomes then a concrete expression of the Church’s
relationship with culture. Works of art in the Asian
context touch the core and identity of the peoples of Asia.
Art as an
Expression of Culture
Art is understood as skill and knowledge which involves
human creativity. Asia is the home of rich cultures and
religions of peoples embodying a variety of symbols and images which shape their
worldview, understanding of life, feelings and behavior. Art provides identity as well as indicates the character of a
people. Inculturation, as an inseparable aspect of
culture becomes a challengeable task of the local church to re-express the
Gospel message according to their cultural expressions of faith. The
early Christians of the New Testament era expressed
their faith through visual images and symbols aside from verbal and literary
forms. Forms of art became the product of the encounter
between culture and the Gospel. Inculturated forms of
art that express authentic Christian faith are concrete indications of the
dynamism of the relationship between the Gospel and local culture.
Inculturation
of Art as an Asian Reality
Inculturation involves the Spirit’s call for each
culture and people to elicit their own creative response
to the Gospel. The various forms of art like music, images,
places of worship, architecture and literary works are concrete expressions of
Asian worldviews and expressions of their hopes and aspirations. The true dialogue taking place between the culture and the Gospel
message is manifested through visible and concrete works of art. Art builds
communities of faith and shows authentic expressions faith responses like
prayer, catechism, and evangelization.
Appreciating the various forms of
art in the different cultures of Asia is a form of dialogue between the local
church and its local culture.
Dialogue is a primary means for inculturation. Through art,
the local church discover the “seeds of the Word” found in the cultures of Asia.
These works of art express their idea of God, and the
sacred. Art plays an important role in the formation
of Christian faith. Art expresses sets of meanings and values
as well as it shapes the spirituality of the people. The
local church promotes and preserves the good and holy in these ancient
traditions like the forms of art for prayer and worship, edifices and
places of worship. It is the local church which encounters
its local culture lives in profound harmony and possesses a deeper
understanding of its rich heritage and history.