Nguyen Minh Quan, CMF (Vietnam)
Abstract:
This study proposes a contextual Christology for Vietnamese Catholics who practice ancestor veneration based on the theological framework of Michael Amaladoss. It focuses on the understanding and communicating Jesus Christ as Proto-Ancestor or the First Ancestor who fulfills the ancestral longing and unites all human ancestral mediation. In Vietnamese ancestor veneration, rituals such as offerings (cung), burning incense (thap huong), and commemorating death anniversaries (gio) strengthen the inseparable bond between the living and the dead. However, these practices are sometimes misunderstood as superstitious when ancestors are perceived as someone who can directly influence the lives of their descendants. In general, rituals such as offering, celebrating death anniversaries, incense, are accepted by the Church in Vietnam, but some Vietnamese Catholics still lack a coherent theological understanding of such practices, leading to confusion and separation between faith and culture. By reinterpreting Vietnamese Catholics veneration of ancestor through Amaladoss’ contextual Christology offers a renewed understanding of how to practice ancestor veneration in the lens of Christian faith. This study proposes a contextual Christology in which ancestral practices among the Vietnamese Catholics are seen as participation in the mediation of Jesus Christ, the perfect Mediator who fulfills ancestral longings. This approach integrates Gospel’s values with Vietnamese cultural practices, fostering reconciliation, easing pastoral tensions, and affirming spiritual richness of Vietnamese Catholic life.
Final Defense:
Board of Examiners:
- Fr. Hartono Budi, S.J., Th.D. (Adviser)
- Fr. Jose Mario Francisco, S.J., S.T.L., Ph.D. (Second Reader/Principal Examiner)
- Fr. Emmanuel Marfori, S.Th.D.
- Fr. Gil Donayre, S.J., S.T.L., Ph.D.
Proposal Defense:
Board of Examiners:
1. Fr. Hartono Budi, SJ (Adviser)
2. Fr. Manuel Francisco, SJ
3. Fr. Rowan Rebustillo
Proposal Title: Toward A Contextual Soteriology: Reinterpreting Ancestor Veneration Of Vietnamese Catholics Through Amaladoss’s Vision Of Universal Salvation