Mary, Chinese Ancestor Veneration, and the Communion of Saints . A Doctoral Dissertation in ...

413 Pages·2014·5.13 MB·English

Sister Celia Chua, M.I.C.
Mary, Chinese Ancestor V.e neration, and the Communion of Saints
.
A Doctoral Dissertation in Sacred Theology with Specialization in
Marian Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree
Doctor of Sacred Theology
Directed By
Rev. Johann G. Roten, S.M., STD., Director
International Marian Research Institute, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio
In collaboration with
Rev. Luis Gutheinz, S.J., STD., Dean of Graduate Studies
And
Sister Antoinette Gutzler, M.M., Ph.D., Lecturer
FuJen Catholic University, Faculty of Theology, Xinchuang, Taipei, Taiwan
January 2006
Abbreviations Used
ABM Asian Bishops Conferences, 197 4
AG Ad Gentes, Document of Vatican II, 1965
BIRA Asian Bishops Institute ofinterreligions
CCC Catechism o[the Catholic Church, 1994
CCCT Chinese Bishops Conference of Taiwan
DV Dei Verbum, Document of Vatican II, 1965
EV Evangelii Nuntiandi, Pope Paul VI, 1974
FABC Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences, 1976
GS Gaudium et Spes, Document of Vatican II, 1965
LG Lumen Gentium, Document of Vatican II, 1965
MC Maria/is Cultus. Pope Paul VI, 1974
NA Nostra Aetate, Document of Vatican II, 1965
PL Patrologia Latina
PTOL Papal Teaching on Mary
RM Redemptoris Mater, Pope John Paul II, 1987
Table of Contents
Abbreviations Used
Table of Contents II
Chapter 1: Introduction, Rationale pp.l-17
and Methodology
Chapter II: Chinese Ancestor Veneration pp.18- 69
I. Definition ofterms pp.21-25
II. Different Relational Dimensions of pp.25-39
Chinese Ancestor Veneration in general:
1. Historical dimension
2. Socio-cultural dimension
3. Theological and Spiritual Dimension
III. Some Practices of Ancestor Veneration in pp.39-69
Taiwan's Public Society and the Catholic Church
1. Taiwan Society
2. Taiwan Catholic Church
3. Summary and conclusion
Chapter III: Qualitative Research on pp.70-120
Chinese Ancestor Veneration
!.Designing Questionnaire p.70
II. Implementation pp.71-103
III. Content Analysis pp.l03-119
IV. Conclusion pp.ll9-120
Chapter IV: Communion Ecclesiology and pp. 121-187
The Communion of Saints
I. Communion Ecclesiology pp.l29-140
II. Communion of Saints pp.l41-162
III. Church Documents regarding pp.l63-l86
Salvation for non-Christian religions
IV. Conclusion pp.186-187
Chapter V: Mary's Place in the Communion of pp. 188-264
Saints
I. Catholic Teaching about Mary in the pp.l91-242
Communion of Saints
II. Chronological Study about Mary and the pp.242-261
Communion of Saints in Different Ecumenical
Meetings /Congresses
III. Conclusion pp.26l-264
Chapter VI: Chinese Ancestor Veneration, the pp.265-287
Communion of Saints and Mary in the
Category of Relationship: a Reconstruction
I. Brief Summary of Major Findings: Chinese pp.267-269
Ancestor Veneration, the Communion Ecclesiology,
and Mary in the Communion of Saints.
II. Category of Relationship pp.269-280
Ill. Reconstruction pp.281-284
IV. Conclusion pp.284-287
Chapter VII: Recommendations pp.288-311
Assessment and Conclusion
Selected Bibliography pp.312-324
Appendices pp.325-408
Chapter I
Introduction
Rationale and Methodology
Introduction
It is often said that Asia (especially Taiwan) does not yet have a Marian theology of its
own because Mariology is influenced by the West: in image, symbol, content, and
devotional practices. In Taiwan, Marian devotional practices are sometimes perceived
as acts of worship. As a consequence, there is a misunderstanding among many people
in Taiwan that Catholics are worshipers of Mary, while the Protestants are regarded as
followers of Jesus. There is an urgent need to undo the perception that Mary is
worshipped as the 'Christian goddess', so that the Catholics can continue to venerate
Mary as the Mother of Jesus, a disciple, and a holy woman in the communion of saints
and in the ancestor veneration. This dissertation attempts to understand Mary's role in
the Chinese ancestor veneration and the communion of saints1 among the Taiwan's
Catholics. It is important that this be done using appropriate methodology developed in
1The Church is a 'communion of saints': this expression refers first to the 'holy things' (sancta), above all
the Eucharist, by which the unity of believers, who form one body in Christ, is both represented and
brought about. (L.G3) The term communion of saints refers also to the communion of 'holy persons'
(sancti) in Christ who died for all, so that each one does or suffers in and for Christ, who bears for all.
Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Paulist Press, 1994, # 961.
Western countries and adapted by theologians from Asia.
Rationale
This dissertation seeks to investigate the concept of Chinese ancestor veneration/ a
popular cultural practice in Taiwan, and its relevance among the people in general and
in particular. At the same time, to seek for a link where Mary in the communion of
saints can contribute to Catholic Chinese ancestor veneration. The Christian (Catholic
and Protestant) understanding of Mary in the communion of saints uncovers the
richness in doctrine and devotion, but also, points out areas of argument. The
qualitative research study of six case studies helps to discover some similarities and
differences between the concept of ancestor veneration in Taiwan, the idea of
communion of saints, and the role of Mary in these two realities. Finally, in the
reconstruction process, the five dimensions of human relationships serve as the link to
the following three realities: Chinese ancestor veneration, communion of saints and
Mary, and therefore, suggest that Marian devotions in the communion of saints be
included with Chinese ancestor veneration so that Mary the will be loved and known.
The motivating force for this study is found in the documents of Vatican II, especially in
Gaudium et Spes. and emphasized by the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences
(FABC) in the document, Methodology: Asian Christian Theology, Doing Theology in
2 Chinese people generally practice Chinese ancestor veneration. In this dissertation, I will only
focus on and study ancestor veneration in Taiwan.
2
Asia Today. This study aims to promote the following messages.
"That the Church learned early in its history to express the Christian message in the
concepts and languages of different peoples and tried to clarify it in the light of wisdom
of their philosophy: it was an attempt to adapt the Gospel to the understanding of all
3
people and the requirements of the learned, in so far as this could be done."
This memory of our early Church history makes present in every country the possibility
of expressing the message of Christ in understandable terms and of fostering vital
contacts and exchanges between the Church and different cultures. Doing theology in
Asia, like in other continents, is a pilgrimage, a faith experience. Many Asian people
resonate with the experience of the apostles as they re-read Acts oft he Apostles on the
First Council of Jerusalem. "You know that, in the early days, God made a choice
among you, (the Jews) that by mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel
and believe. And God knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy
Spirit, just as He also did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing
their hearts by faith." (Acts 15, 7-9)
Karl Rahner maintains that "the decision of the Council of Jerusalem, not to require
circumcision of Gentles, had marked the end ofthe short period of Jewish Christianity
and was followed by a new period of Church history, which is not an export of Jewish
Christianity, but one which for all its relationship to the historical Jesus and the Old
3 Gaudium et Spes. The Documents of Vatican Council II, W. Abbott, General Editor, The American
Press,l966, # 44 quoted by Methodology: Asian Christian Theology, A Document of the Office of
Theological Concerns of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences: FABC Papers# 96, May 2000,
Introduction, p.l.
3
Testament, grew on the soil of paganism.'.4 This assessment is still relevant in the Asian
situations as well as in Taiwan because Asian theologians are living in a 'Gentile
context', where Asian Christians live and Asian local theologies emerge. These above
theological insights are the background of this dissertation. Moreover, this research
work hopes to bring a better understanding in the area of theology of ancestor
veneration, theology of the communion of saints, and Marian doctrine and devotion for
Taiwan Catholics. It is one thing to accept a dogma: it is another to understand its
anthropology and theology. Most Chinese Catholics thinks that Mary is not only a
doctrine but a person to embrace with heart.
From 1970 to 2005, according to the numbers and titles of theses (both for Master and
Doctorate degrees) submitted at the FuJen Catholic University, Faculty of Theology
and the Department of Religious Sciences, only three researches worked on themes
such as death, funerals and Chinese ancestor veneration, and focused mainly on
liturgical rites. On the subject of Communion of saints and Chinese ancestor veneration,
no entry was found.5 The three research works are as follow:
J.B. Vu Du Khana, "Research on the Ancient Chinese Rites of a Veneration to
4 Karl Rahner, "Towards a Fundamental Theological Interpretation of Vatican II ", Theological
Investigations, and Vol.40: 1-4, 1979, p.721.
5 FuJen Catholic University Library Website http://lib.fju.edu.tw/collection/opac.htm, as of April 2005,
there are 37 entries. To focus on the main three realities of this dissertation: Chinese ancestor
veneration, the communion of saints and Mary, and not on liturgical rites, the researcher wanted only to
mention the relevance of these three theses.
4
Heaven," FuJen Catholic University, Faculty ofTheology, M.A. Thesis, 1977.
Hsieh Wun Chi, "A Research on Taiwan Funeral Rites," FuJen Catholic University,
Faculty of Theology Master Degree Thesis, 1993.
1995.
"A Guidebook on Catholic Ancestor Veneration", A Research Team of FuJen
Catholic University, Faculty ofTheology, Kuangchi Press, 1995.
These three theses mainly desired to focus on funeral liturgical rites in general and not
connecting Catholic ancestor practices and Mary in the communion of saints, as ways
of 'inculturation'. Therefore, the thrust and novelty of our dissertation hoped to point
out how Marian devotion can contribute to Chinese ancestor veneration. Complex as it
may be (the theme of our research), with a principal method of: to see (critic), to judge
(alternate sources), and to act (reconstruction), we shall combine other ways of doing
theology, such as qualitative research and the category of relationship. Chinese cultural
and religious traditions and texts will be some important alternate sources to consider,
aside from the mainstream references to Church documents, writings and scriptural
readings. With rich variables at hand, we will attempt to reconstruct and give some
5