Commentary written during the Asian Forum on “Celebrating Synodality & Indigenous Living Traditions in the Asian Church”, Nepal, November 2024.
The path toward meaningful inculturation of Indigenous media in the liturgy and pastoral ministry remains challenging for the Church in Asia, despite evident need and historical precedents.
In India, early efforts by pioneers like Fr. Dr. D.S. Amalorpavadas at the National Biblical, Catechetical, and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC) showed promise.
However, rather than advancing, the Church seems to be regressing, moving further away from authentic cultural integration.
With over 35 years dedicated to Tribal and Folk Media, I have witnessed and struggled in what increasingly feels like a losing battle.
Neither the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) nor local bishops have demonstrated the boldness or resolve required to fully promote Tribal and Folk Media or to embrace liturgical inculturation.
Hesitation often sidelines the rich spiritual and cultural expressions of Indigenous communities that comprise a significant portion of the Church.
Globally, Indigenous peoples make up 63% of the Christian population, with 73% in Asia alone. Yet, the face of the Church in Asia remains far from Indigenous, failing to reflect the heritage, media, and leadership of these communities.
This disconnect risks alienating vast numbers of the faithful, whose languages, art forms, and lived experiences remain largely unrepresented in their faith’s most sacred expressions.
The very essence of Synodality—communion, participation, and mission—may hold the Church’s last, best hope for genuine inculturation.
It offers a chance to fulfill the vision of “One Church; Many Faces,” where unity is enriched by diversity, not diminished by it.
It is imperative that the Church’s leadership finds the courage and vision to make this transformation a reality. We stand at a crossroads and now is the time for action.
The Church must choose to fully embrace its Indigenous communities, not only as participants but as leaders and bearers of a truly inculturated faith.
Will the Church in Asia rise to this call to embody a truly inclusive faith, or will it allow these rich cultural expressions to fade into the margins?
The answer lies in whether it can embrace Synodality and, at last, become the Church it aspires to be.
Fr. Vincent B. Wilson, born in 1955, is a respected scholar and cultural leader with a Ph.D. in Christian Folk Drama from the University of Madras. He currently serves as the Director of the THINAI Tribal and Folk Media Research Centre in Kottar Diocese and as Coordinator of the PILLAR Research Centre for Religion and Society (PRCRS) in Madurai.
Fr. Wilson holds degrees in Theology, Sociology, and Philosophy and is a visiting lecturer and professor at various institutions, including Jnana Deepa in Pune, St. Paul’s Theological College in Trichy, and Sacred Heart College in Chennai. His work includes extensive field research on Christian folklore and Tamil folk cultures, guiding numerous Ph.D. and M.Phil. students, and publishing several books and research papers on folklore’s role in societal transformation.
Additionally, Fr. Wilson has directed cultural troupes and conducted over 500 training programs in folk arts and Street Theatre. His contributions have earned him multiple awards, including the Best Book in Tamil Folklore (2003) and two Lifetime Achievement Awards in Folklore and Folk Arts (2018).
