A Critique on Javier’s “The Missionary amidst Different Culture and Religious Traditions”

Edgar Javier presents in a coherent manner the contemporary missiology, particularly the missionary’s present status in the ever changing world. He begins his discussion by elaborating the concept of globalization, the phenomenon it creates and the impact it has to the world. The explanation on the building blocks of globalization proved to be helpful to the readers in understanding the effects this phenomenon simulated in an unprecedented manner. With the flow of science and technology, and availability of tools for communication to almost everyone, indeed the globe becomes one. It allows everyone to be connected and interconnected to each other. Thus, science and technology paved the way for the advent of globalization. Together with this is the enormous capacity and power entrusted on the hands of man either to recreate, preserve, or destroy the Earth with all its riches.

By positing three challenges that should direct reflection on missiological prospects for the twenty first century, Javier proceeds to discuss missiology in the context of post modernity seating side by side with globalization. Concrete situations were presented so as to elucidate the readers to where and how missionaries should live. Javier’s employment of Claude Geffre’s four acts in which the writing of the possibilities and promises of history can be possible, established a solid foundation for the establishment of a more humane human society, where respect for one’s self, for other and to the Earth exist. With that, Javier continues his discussion with the re-imaging of the missionary in the new world. It presents the missionaries in the Asian context, being the locus and milieu of mission inter gentes. It is where they are expected to be bridge-builders towards the other religious and culture. They ought to be healers of people memory, home builders and man of silence.

Javier’s discussion could have been better if a considerable part of the article was dedicated to the theology of harmony instead of the economic and philosophical underpinnings of the present missiology. The harmonization between the Catholic Christian teachings, which is primarily western in orientation, with the Eastern and other pertinent cultures can elucidate further the challenges confronting the contemporary mission of the Church. Theological and historical inputs can be of great help in this aspect of missiology. By understanding first the history of the Asia in connection with the past missionaries from the west, the way the West presented themselves and their cultures to the East, we can best charter the future of mission in Asia, which is comprise of various culture and traditions.