TOWARD A RELATIONAL SPIRIT ECCLESIOLOGY IN ASIA

A Relational Spirit Ecclesiology in Asia is a
historical, analytical and systematic study focusing
on the meaning of church and its mission in
contemporary Asia as presented in the documents of
the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences. This
work asserts that the new way of being and becoming
church in and with contemporary Asia is based on an
operative theology: Relational Spirit Ecclesiology.
This Relational Spirit Ecclesiology considers Christ
as the motivating center and the Spirit as the
guiding center of the Asian church s mission and
life in the Asian context of many religions, many
cultures and many poor. The Spirit-guided mission
of the church, therefore, can no longer be
considered merely a mission to the peoples of Asia
(missio ad gentes) or a mission among the peoples of
Asia (missio inter gentes). Rather, the mission of
the Asian church, permeated by a Relational Spirit
Ecclesiology, necessitates a mission with the
peoples of Asia (missio cum Gentibus). Moreover,
this mission is carried out in a distinctive Asian
mode of mission: triple dialogue.