Priest says Western church must respect Asian, African churches

Published: 2007-10-11

BERKELEY, Calif. (CNS) -- The future of the Catholic Church as a global force depends on shared power and mutual respect between the church's historic center in Western Europe and its fast-expanding population base in the Southern Hemisphere, Georgetown University theologian Father Peter Phan told an audience in Berkeley Oct. 6. Father Phan, who brings an Asian cultural perspective to Catholic thought, described the growth of Catholicism in the developing world and the importance of local culture among people embracing the Catholic faith in Africa and Asia. He was the keynote speaker at an international conference sponsored by the Franciscan School of Theology. The Oct. 6-7 event focused on how globalization is changing the church and what the church can do to change with it. Father Phan said he is advocating mutuality, not conflict. Vatican officials are examining a book written by the Vietnamese-American priest for possible ambiguities on the unique role of the Catholic Church in the framework of religious pluralism. The book, titled "Being Religious Interreligiously: Asian Perspectives on Interfaith Dialogue," was published in 2004 by Orbis.

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