by John F. Ahearn M.M.(杨正义)
Some Reflections Concerning
The Process of the Indigenization of the Liturgy with
Special Reference to the Diocese of Hong Kong
In recent years, there has been much written concerning the question of adaptation or more properly indigenization of the Litury. There have also been many experiments or attempts at such, but all too often such attempts have not necessarily been informed by theology, liturgical science or in-depth understanding of culture and its relationship to the liturgy.
In this short paper, I shall offer no new theories of how to indigenize the Liturgy, but rather offer some reflections towards a method of adaptation or inculturation. I wish not to establish a method but rather to raise some of the seminal questions that I feel should precede any further attempts at experimentation or proclamations that particular rites or ceremonies are "truly Chinese" or "truly local".
I believe that the need to examine the underpinnings of this question is crucial lest we make mistakes that will eventually warp or even disfigure the true development of worship here in China.
The Inculturation of the 'Faith'
The first question that I think should be faced and examined very carefully is the very question of the need to inculturate the FAITH -- that is, the lived Gospel message into a particular community and culture. This is the basic question - how and in what ways is the Catholic Faith rooted in a people, specifically the peoples of Hong Kong and China? How is the Faith proclaimed? In what ways is the Faith allowed to break loose from its cultural vehicle and develop by very fact of being rooted in Chinese culture?
The question of how the faith is communicated, received and embraed points to the perception of God in Christ and lived out in a community of this Faith. The Body of Faith cannot be reduced to simply ethical moral values or "laws" or "commandments" but should rather express itself primarily in "relationship" that transforms and focusses all aspects of human life.
The Experience of God
It seems to me that the "experience of God" which should take hold of a person during the conversion process, as in the case of a catechumen, or in the case of a person baptized in their youth, as faith develops must be that which is longed for again and again in worship. This of course points to the contemplative dimension of Christian life which sadly seems to be lacking in most approaches to catechesis in parish life. It is safe to say that unless the Christian life is interiorized, Christian worship remains simply compulsive actions that do not express the Chrsitian purpose which is to be with God.
This is a particularly telling problem for Hong Kong Christians who have a background, culturally, of traditional religious practice and customs. It would be very interesting to conduct a survey of the various perceptions of God that exist among our Catholic faithful. There are many whose faith might be said to be a veneer over a "cultural" perception of God akin to the Old Testament concept or God as one of many in the pantheon of Taoist influence.
How is the "experience of God" communicated or prepared for seems to me to be one of the primary, if not the basis for beginning to unfold an incultured faith as expressed in worship. One often wonders at the 'artistic' representation of Jesus or the Blessed Mother as germanic or nordic types - with blonde hair and blue eyes that is so appreciated by those faithful searching for something to hang in their homes. Is it the 'foreigness' of such representations that is appreciated or is it the desire, albeit in a vicarious way, for an 'experience of God'? Overtly Oriental or so-called inculturated representations of Jesus or the Saints are oftentimes rejected. To me, this phenomenon points to a serious absence of the 'experience' of God. This is not a judgement. It might be very well true that people have experienced God but how is that expressed or explained or communicated? It is not enough and downright wrong to think that by simple creating art pieces with oriental features or building Churches that resemble temples that the experience of God is expressed. It must come from within. This is a serious task for our catechists and preachers all.
The Scriptures
The adaption or inculturation of worship necessarily demands that a Christian be conversant and comfortable with the Word of God in Scripture and holds such Scripture as paramount. There have been advocates of replacing Scripture with classical Chinese texts, or poetry and the like. This seems to be an easy way of abandoning the willingness to 'listen' to God's word - as difficult as it may be to wade through terms and experessions that are 'foreign' -- yet are still the expression of the word of God for the Church and for the world. Again, this points to tremendous and far deeper demands on those preparing for Baptism as well as those responsible for their preparation. This entire question of the understanding of Scripture is often neglected when discussing indigenization of the liturgy. This lack of such understanding is all too often the root cause of so much discontent with liturgical experiences of all sorts. All liturgical activity begins with or is predicated upon the proclamation of the Word. Without such proclamation, in fact, no liturgical action can really take place or if it does is badly misunderstood. It is not simply understanding the 'language' of the Scriptures but also the attitudes and even emotion of prayer that is so ingrained and essential to any liturgical action, and are drawn forth by the proclamation and 'receiving'of the Word of God.
Some examples of these seem so simple -- thanksgiving, adoration, praise, supplication, or even so 'complicated' such as Trinitarian doxology, the paschal mystery, salvific suffering, the pneumatic elements etc. Yet unless such Scriptural elements are truly embraced and inculturated, true Christian liturgy is nigh well impossible.
Words VS. Actions (Ritual)
Since the close of Vatican II, the Diocese of Hong Kong, as all Dioceses, has engaged in a vast 'publishing' endeavor and in recent years in the revision of previous publishing efforts. The demands of a 'reformed' liturgy were seen as primarily 'textual' and resulted in many additions to the liturgical library. The task was seen as that of 'translation'- i.e. the attempt to faithfully render the official Latin texts of the liturgy into Chinese. This was achieved with varying degrees of success. Granted, texts were and are important, but the unfortunate result was that the Liturgy has become 'texts' -- words to be read or recited or sung. Liturgical celebrations are today almost impossible to conduct wihtout books, booklets, pamphlets or the like.
Forms of liturgical participation and celebration that could be termed 'indigenous' were eliminated in one vast publishing tidal wave. Examples of these as found in Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China were the types of chanted, memorized prayers -- some following closely liturgcal actions or prayers, others more devotional. It is true that these acts of prayer were memorized and often chanted continuously during the 'official' liturgy celebrated in Latin. In other words, a particular, localized form of liturgy existed parallel to the official liturgy and was the chief form of participation. These were for the most part eliminated and remain today only in some ever-rare gatherings of Chiu Chow or Shanghai elderly faithful. Even more astonishing is how this destruction of 'indigenous' forms of worship was and is taking place among the communities in mainland China, who in their fascination and desire for all things from Hong Kong and Taiwan are devouring these 'outside' liturgical texts with a passion.
What should have taken place was a long, detailed study and reflection on EXISTING forms of prayer, devotion and liturgy with the aim of developing a truly indigenous form of worship.
In Hong Kong some attempts were made to 'create' texts -- e.g., encoffining rites, cremation rites, Lunar New Year etc. These indeed filled a void and showed a daring in the act of 'creating' such texts, but were only texts. There were some attempts made to add certain 'ritual' actions to these texts, most noticeably the addition of a 'veneration of ancestors' to the Lunar New Year liturgy. But, for the most part this and other actions were not of any great popular appeal. It does seem that any attempts at indigenizing the liturgy were relegated to 'additions' or 'accretions' to a text rather than something that flowed from the cultural experience into a liturgical and thus 'sacred' level.
I think that attempts at breaking away from a 'text' centered liturgy should begin with the funeral and wedding liturgies and for the time being to steer away from 'additions' to the Eucharistic liturgy. However, there are other elements in this 'foundation in ritual that should be examined. These are as follows:
1. Music -- at present the repertoire of liturgical music contains very, very little of a Chinese nature. Those hymns or music composed in the Chinese style for Chinese instruments are largely ignored and attempts at using or developing Chinese music and instruments in the Liturgy are usually rejected by clergy and choirs. Chinese music seems to represent the totally 'secular' for many. Thus, liturgy music remains a predominantly 'foreign' noise. However, when attempts are made to try and 'force the issue' - by using some Chinese music in the liturgy, the results are usually astounding and well-appreciated.
2. A Sung Liturgy -- Hong Kong catholics are usually mightily impressed by the impact of a sung Byzantine or Eastern litury when they have the rare opportunity to participate in such a liturgy. The idea of a completely sung liturgy consisting of chants, repetition and rarely varying texts that are sung is quite a freeing and comfortable way of worship. The usual 'sung' liturgy in our pariishes or other celebrations consists of four hymns and some acclamations -- a hymnbook is thus essential. Repetition is essential but in a harmonious and fully participatory way. Litanies and dialogue chanting are mainstays in Eastern-rite forms of worship. It seems that such forms existed in pre-Vatican 2 China with chanted prayers and devotions of the laity. This is not new but a return to a form that engaged entire congregations-young and the old-literate and illiterate.
3. Song and Action -- one only has to participate at a Chiu Chow Catholic funeral to realize that there is a chant to accompany each step in the funeral proces -- e.g. the entrance of the body into the Church, the last farewell, the sealing of the coffin, the carrying of the coffin out of the Church, the placing of the coffin in the grave etc. Each action is 'sanctified' by song. We would be well to re-think emntiurely the ways in which song is used in our typcal parish or Diocesan liturgy and to encourage composers to use much more ryhthmic types of sound to accmpany particular actions as well as to proclaim certain 'essential' texts. I truly believe that what we need in the Liturgy are solid sets or chants that rarely vary but are of such quality that their freshness does not fade. I further believe that we have composers who are quite capable of such acts of composition but have never been encouraged.
Conclusion
I have attempted in these short pages to point out what I consider some of the basic underpinnings of the question and process of cultural indigenization of the liturgy--viz, the question of the inculturation of the Faith as such -- as a way of life in the Church rooted in the experience of conversion and the knowledge of God in a personal and comunitarian way. In other words, a relationship of the individual Christian to God in Christ lived out in the Body of the Church. How this is done is the mighty task of reflection for all those responsible for the communication of the Faith -- our teaching authority, our catechists and our preachers.
I have touched on the question of the experience of God and how this must be achieved and explained in ways and words that are truly from the heart - not couched simply in the rote words of 'knowledge of faith' but achieved through the contemplative, meditative, rhythmic experience of prayer as individuals and in a community.
The Scriptures as 'foreign' as they might be for most Christians anywhere in the world must be studied and reflected upon using a 'local' point of view in conversation with the tradition and teaching of the Church. If the Word of God is to speak to people gathered for worship, the hearts of people must be prepared and welcoming to God's Word.
Finally. I have raised the all too critical problem of the tension or even dare to say the conflict of text and ritual. Until we begin to explore the vast richness of ritual action and acknowledge its essential and paramount importance, indigenization is impossible. It was most interesting to observe the incorporation of distinct ritual actions, unaccompanied by words or texts, during the liturgy for the Opening of the Holy Door by the Holy Father at Christmas 1999. Stunning in its simplicity, universal in its symbols, the ritual gestures were astonishing.
What I would truly hope for is that in the Diocese of Hong Kong there would be a very serious attempt to bring together competent people of various disciplines of liturgy, theology, music, art, catechetics, anthropology, sociology, psychology etc. to begin a process of reflection and experimentation that will give impetus to a movement of creativity and Spirit-inspired expression of Worship for the Chinese people.