Primary Evangelization in Mongolia

God our Father, by the preaching of Francis Xavier you brought many nations to yourself. God his zeal for the faith to all who believe in you, that your Church may rejoice in continued growth throughout the world.

(From the Preface of the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, Patron Saint of Missionaries, 3rd December)

Nature of Fieldwork: Practical Theology is an evaluative reflection on Christian praxis in the light of the Word of God with a view to more life-giving Christian praxis. My evaluation is the evangelization activities in the Church of Mongolia. I shall, in the words of

Karl Rahner review “the present self-actualization of the Church of Mongolia in the

light of the word of God with a view to determining what it ought to be”.

Motivation• Firstly, curious to know where

Christianity is making in-roads. • Secondly, wanted to see how

missionaries attempt to convert first generation Christians into the faith.

• Thirdly, I wanted to participate in making a new Church were the “Church as the people of God”

Measuring Rod• Matthew 28: 19 “Go, therefore, and make disciples

of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of he Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age”. (African Bible)

CAARDE and ‘Dancing Cone’

• C = Conversation, • A A = Articulation2 (where the ‘dancing cone applies)

• R-D = Realized-Decision • E = Evaluation

Caarde: Conversation:

Factors that help Church’s mission of evangelization• Church universality is

Evident• Support of Rome• The new methods of

communication• Conscious of

Inculturation• The idea of faith is not

strange

Factors that inhibit the Church’s mission of primary evangelization• Lack of Sufficient human

resources• Many young people are

returning to their cultural beliefs

• The gradual removal of Mongolia from missionary watch list

• The Church started as a NGO.

• Competing evangelical Churches

cAarde: Articulation 1• Environmental factor: the weather is

rough• Historical Factor: The Orthodox Church• Psychological Factor: missionaries are

less motivated• Political factor: The government is

strict on missionaries. • Gender Factor: Women get pulled out.• Religious Factor: Missionary spirit is

dying in the Church.• Socio-economic Factor: Missionaries

are from poor countries.

Analysis of Lack of Sufficient Human Resources

CaArde: Articulation 2 ‘Theological Reflection’

• Scripture: How can they hear unless someone is sent: Romans 10:14-17.

• Magisterium: Ad Gentes Divinitus, #1 and #2 for the rational of the missionary activities of the Church.

• Theologian: Magesa in Anatomy of Inculturation relates evangelisation to inculturation.

• Theology: Paul of Tarsus: Old vs New Interpretation.• Non-Catholic Christian Example: Principles of

missionary work• Historical Experience: Some religious orders are

missionaries by charism. CICM, MSP, etc.• Personal Experience: Crime VS Missionary work

‘“Dancing Cone” Ways of Analysis

• Usually, the various methods of Practical theology is content to analyse things on three levels: root cause, middle cause and outward cause. While this is fair enough, it pretends epistemologically that these causes are static.

• My method of ‘dancing cone’ approaches analysis with the mindset that these causes are in constant motion and root cause can dance out to be the outward cause and vice versa. In this way, one is ever conscious of dynamics of causes and one would approach analysis with the same dynamism.

• To demonstrate what I intend here, I have purposes included a worldview that would guide theological reflection. Normally, this world view may not be stated, but it has to be acknowledged. Doing a theological reflection with such mapped out worldview will ‘guarantee’ a viable praxis – what I have called decision in my method.

• To demonstrate what I mean here, the various factors: environmental, political, psychological, gender, historical and socio-economic factors are much intertwined and are dancing together. It will be difficult to separate one from the other.

caaRDe – Realized Decision• Go to Mongolia for Good

• The Missiology School + something else before going to

Mongolia

• Virtual missionaries.• Create serious incentive to make the

missionaries stay. • Appoint a PR for the Church. • More lay missionaries

caardE: Evaluation

• Another trip to Mongolia• Igwe bu Ike • A serious indication of the

indigenization of the Church• Keep an annual of the

missionaries and what they have done.