In Cambodia, Catholic Mission works in partnership with the local Church on a variety of projects. This work of Global Mission requires an understanding and praxis of interfaith dialogue and inculturation. Let’s find out more about what these terms mean.
One of Catholic Mission’s projects that it supports is a farming project in Phnom Voah. Here, the Bishop is working in collaboration with the local Buddhist temple and creating a greenhouse on the grounds to demonstrate sustainable agricultural practices. As most of the staff and students who participate in these projects in Cambodia are Buddhist, this type of partnership and interfaith dialogue is very important.
It is also fascinating to see how people from other cultures and countries may adapt the teachings and practices of the Christian faith, to express a form that is ‘inculturated’ and reflects their local reality. “The term ‘inculturation’ as applied to Christianity, denotes the presentation and re-expression of the Gospel in forms and terms proper to a culture. It results in the creative reinterpretation of both, without being unfaithful to either”.
In the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang in Cambodia, there are two very special and symbolic icons that characterise an example of inculturation. 'Christ with a disability’ and ‘Mary of the Inclusive Love’ are icons that have been developed to recognise “We are coming from a very concrete history of destruction in Cambodia – a society destroyed by war, by many ideologies – and we are trying to build a Church, a place that welcomes everyone, and a place that helps the people to find themselves as the children of God” Bishop Enrique ‘Kike’ Figaredo Alvargonzalez says.
'Christ with a disability' is a crucifix depicting Christ as an amputee with one leg missing, or as Bishop ‘Kike' explains, “Jesus is in solidarity with people who suffer from landmines.” He continues, “the people suffering today join the sufferings of Jesus to save the world. It says something important to me and all of us – the mystical body of Christ is missing something – and this missing part can be lack of understanding, lack of kindness, lack of dialogue, lack of love. As followers of Christ we have to help to fulfil (mend) this leg.”
‘Mary of the Inclusive Love’ is a carving present in all the parishes of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang. She holds Jesus with open arms, welcoming all who wish to draw near. In the middle of the figure are two children; one holds a book symbolizing wisdom, the other plays the flute bringing together art, music and tradition in praising God. In the lower part are three children; one child gives a hug of welcome, a sign of solidarity to include two other children with disability. One child is using a wheelchair, holding a dove to represent peace and the other child uses a crutch and holds flowers, a sign of love and God’s greatest commandment – Love one another as I have loved you. The crutch and the wheelchair are like a sacrament that restores their dignity and makes communion between people with and without disability. The cloak of Our Lady, which surrounds them all, symbolises the family we belong to in the Church. We are all included under this cloak, all under the love of God. At the bottom, lotus flowers, the most emblematic flower in Cambodia, represent glory, purity and holiness.
This collaboration with the Buddhist temple is a great example of interfaith dialogue and shows how we can work together to build a better world for all. As Pope Francis writes “interreligious dialogue is a necessary condition for peace in the world, and so it is a duty for Christians as well as other religious communities. This dialogue is in first place a conversation about human existence or simply … a matter of being open to them, sharing their joys and sorrows”.
It is also an example of the CST principles of Solidarity, the Common Good and caring for our Common Home. Standing in solidarity with others as part of the one human family and recognising that we can only bring the fullness of life for all when we are in relationship with each other and the world we live in.
Think about where you may have seen representations of Catholic symbols, saints and icons that are different to how you imagine them. What differences do you notice in the ‘Mary of the Inclusive Love’ statue in comparison to a more traditional statue of Mary. Why do you think this representation is important to the people of the parishes in Cambodia? What about the image of the cross with the ‘amputee’ Jesus?