Shifting ideas about ancestors in the construction of identities : an intercultural theological evaluation of Korean witnesses in South Africa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Interculturation theology as a way of communication in religious cultural arenas is the mostrecent and remarkable methodology that can be used to open space for mutual witness anddialogue with regard to ideas about and the praxes of ancestral rituals between South Koreanand South African Christians. The purpose of this research is to overcome some dichotomisedproblems that are inherent in exclusive, inclusive, and religious pluralistic approaches indialogue with other religious cultures. In this regard, we examined some problems of thecolonial way of mission and the functional translation of the exclusivistic approach and notedthat the inclusive approach also has its weakness, in that it weakens the historicity of the subject.We attempted to show that theocentric and religious pluralistic approaches do not solve theproblem of mutual identity simply by searching for commonalities between religious traditions.Our rationale is that although these approaches have their weak points, we should not overlooktheir benefits. Therefore, in appraising these approaches, attention is drawn to how thesebenefits may be used to complement one another. Consequently, we proposed a meaningcentredand praxis-centred communication methodology using a holistic approach.To appropriate a meaning-centred and praxis-centred methodology of communication, webegan by adopting the theological principle of perichoresis, which is the inner relationshipamong the Persons of the Divine Trinity. Perichoresis is the foundation of missio Dei, which isGod's initiative love to the world in praxis. Through incarnational self-giving, missio Dei isrevealed in the world. Secondly, we re-interpreted perichoresis as an intercultural term andideology, based on its components, mutual indwelling, mutual space, and mutual identity. Theintercultural meaning of mutual indwelling is continual mutual penetrating, while culturalmeaning of mutual space is interpreted as the others, that is, from the viewpoint of emptyingthemselves in mutual communication instead of that of dominion and replacement. Further, were-interpreted mutual identity through the 'praxis of with'. Based on this cultural reinterpretationof perichoresis, we established a praxis-centred and meaning-centred model ofinterculturation theology.More importantly, the perichoretic model of interculturation enabled us to construct atheological and cultural identity of Christianity in encountering with others, which is the 'praxisof with'. In particular, the study attempted to apply intercultural communication method to the encounter between Xhosa churches and Korean missionaries in Khayelitsha in terms of ancestorrelated matters. Through this intercultural and comparative evaluation of shifting identities, wesuggested how Korean missionary and Xhosa churches could mutually construct theologicalcultural identities.For this purpose, we first carried out a literature study of Korean and South African indigenoustheologies concerning ancestor worship.1 Subsequently, we conducted an empirical survey inKhayelitsha to determine the missiological views of Korean missionaries in the light of theirtraditional religious background and Korean theologians' indigenised interpretations ofancestral matters. We also considered the theological positions of some Western missionaries inKhayelitsha on the same issue. Finally, we investigated the identities of Xhosa churches inKhayelitsha on literature and empirical levels and how intercultural theology can bereconstructed to evaluate the missiological identities of Korean missionaries and Xhosachurches in terms of ancestor worship.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University