The document discusses the characteristics and process of inculturation. It defines inculturation as the insertion of the Christian faith and message into a local culture by members of that culture, resulting in a "new creation" that enriches both the local culture and universal Church. This differs from adaptation, where missionaries impose their culture on others. True inculturation occurs at the levels of theology, practices, and church structures, and involves an ongoing process of cultural exchange and transformation between the gospel and local cultures.

1. Characteristics of
Inculturation
Nicolas Standaert

2. 1. Contacts between Cultures
 There are no pure culture
in nowadays.
 When one culture meets
another culture, two
possibilities may occur:
1. Acculturation and;
2. Inculturation

3. Acculturation
• is a process of
estrangement or
alienation
• New religions will
gradually change the
whole system of the
original;
• The outside culture’s
causing a certain breach
with the original culture.

4. Inculturation
• is a process of
integration or
incarnation
• Foreign religion
undergoes change and
receives a new form in
a culture that receives
it.

5. 2. Local Culture as Main Agent
 Inculturation is a renewal brought
about by the members of a local
culture.
 Two essential difference between
Inculturation to Adaptation:
 The missionary was asked to
adapt to the culture of the land
where he or she went to proclaim
the Gospel. He is the main actor.
 In inculturation, the chief actor is
not the missionary but the
people belonging to the culture
in which the Gospel takes shape.

6. Two examples to illustrate differnces between Inculturation
and Adaptation
 In adaptation, the missionary will
translate his theology into the
language of another culture, but the
theology will remain essentially
Western. Following the method of
inculturation, the local culture will
give this theology new expression
taken from its own thought-patterns.
 The same applies to liturgy: in
adaptation, the local language is used
and perhaps liturgical colors and
musical instruments may change. In
inculturation, liturgy is given a new
form.

7. • Ricci’s method of
adaptation made it
possible for the
Chinese to develop
their own ways of
being Christian.
• His translations made
it possible to find new
expressions.
Matteo Ricci, SJ
(October 6, 1552 – May 11, 1610)

8. 3. All Levels of Religious Experience
1. level of thought or
theology
2. level of activity or action
3. level of structure,
organization and the
various services and
charisms proper to each
religion.

9. 4. The Process of Interpretation
 1st phase - culture accepts
only those
elements which,
in one way or
another, agree
with its own
culture pattern.
 2nd step - accepting
something that
does not fit into
the existing
pattern.

10. Several Degrees of Inculturation as well as
Acculturation
1. Value or Accent
Shift
2. Substitution
3. Rejection
4. Counter-
Accommodation

11. 5. Cultural Change
 Inculturation is linked to a
culture and therefore will be
different in every culture.
 cultures go on developing
 Inculturation is more than
reviving “folklore,”
 Cultural changes lead to
specific developments that
may have a profound
influence on inculturation.

12. 6. The Gospel
Pedro Arrupe define inculturation as:
“ the incarnation of the evangelical life
and message in a particular cultural
context and through members of that
culture, in such a way that Christian
experience is expressed not only in
terms of that culture (that would be a
simple adaptation), but so that it
becomes a source of inspiration,
direction and unification, transforming
and remaking it so as to bring about ‘a
new creation,’ which enriches not only
the specific culture but the universal
Church.”

13.  Inculturation means inserting
the Gospel into a real culture,
effected by members of the
local Church.
 Inculturation becomes possible
only when the good news of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ has first
been proclaimed.”
 Inculturation as energy for
renewal and a treasure for the
universal Church is linked to
the right teaching (orthodoxy)
and right practice (orthopraxis)
of the Gospel.

14. Thank You!!!