The
Challenge of Religious Re-Awakening
in
Asia Today
by Fr.
Eliseo R. Mercado,Jr., OMI
Notre Dame University
Introduction
We
are living in an interesting age. Everywhere, the slogan of nations is
globalization. This is one of the major trends that greatly impact our societies
and diverse communities. Briefly stated, this trend paves the way for the
collapse of borders, frontiers, and geographical distances as people, trade and
resources move more freely and faster. Globalization is poised as the single
key factor that levels the playing field. And the leveling of playing field
includes among others the homogenization of cultures.
This
trend is further enhanced by science and technology, particularly of
cyberspace. Cable TV and Internet bring the whole world right at your home.
While
the whole world becomes a global village and playing fields get more even, the
“believers” see the coming together of nations and communities into truly one
humankind. But our coming together albeit cable TV and Internet does not level
off cultures and distinct ethnicity.
Asia
is a complex continent. Religions, ideologies, culture and poverty are integral
features of Asia’s complex realities. It is a home to diverse ethnic groups and
major world religions. And if we include the Middle East to the Asian region,
all major religions have their origins from the continent. Animism, the diverse
Chinese beliefs, Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam
find their natural matrix in Asia. The last three had their origin in the
desert context and thus consider the environment as hostile – something to
conquer, subdue or dominate. Others
emerged from a more environment-friendly matrix thus find harmony and unity
with the environment as paramount value to ensure the continuity in creation’s
cycle of birth and re-birth.
Religious
Re-Awakening
To
everybody’s surprise, in this so-called modern age, the new surge of religions
and ethnicity and often in their violent forms continues to haunt governments
and citizens alike. In fact, religious re-awakening is a major phenomenon in
the world today. Religions and ethnicity, despite the much-daunted
globalization, continue to endure. In fact, I believe that this new surge of
religion and ethnicity owes their new life to the powerful secularizing influence
of today’s new “modernism”.
This
new religious re-awakening goes by diverse names and labels. Their many names
reveal to us that this awakening is not at all a monolithic movement. They are
to be found within a broad range, from militarism to pacifism; and from genuine
spiritual renewal to aggressive intervention in political affairs.
The
basic root of religious revivalism is also diverse. In a Christian tradition,
revivalism has always been associated with a “reaction” to a modernist trend in
the living as well as interpretation of religion. The “modernists” or
“liberals” advocate for a new worldview and order that no longer reflect a
strict adherence to the bible. The onset of Darwin’s evolution, Marx’s
materialism and the scientific methodology in human endeavors and morality is
perceived as an erosion of the absolute authority of the bible as the source of
the doctrine and salvation. Moral absolutes based on the bible are also
questioned.
This
religious re-awakening is different from the usual “conservatives” in these
varied Christian churches and denominations. While the traditional
“conservatives” resist these modernizing and secularizing trends, they
nevertheless adapt to modern conceptions of the heart of the scriptures whose
message is centered on the divine rescue from sin and death.
On
the other hand, the new religious re-awakening rejects the present social order
and calls the faithful to fully adopt the slogan: “back to the bible” in its literal and
strictest understanding.
The
label “fundamentalism” originates from the Christian matrix of re-awakening
movements. From its inception fundamentalism carries a tradition of militancy
and separatism. It is militant not only in its confrontation of the world and
call to be born again but also in its structure and governance. This movement
separates itself from the mainstream Protestant denominations known for being
“liberals” or “modernists” and their perceived complete absorption by the
world.
Re-awakening
in Other Religious Traditions
In
Islam, religious revivalism is often understood by non-Muslims as Islamic
fundamentalism. Yet, the revivalism in Islam is much wider and broader. In
fact, the Muslims do not accept the label fundamentalism, because of its
Christian derivation. Like their Christian antecedents, the religious
re-awakening in Islam is a reaction to the present realities.
First,
there is the strong reaction to the domination exercised by the West
(understood as Christian) over the Muslims and their territories. The
imposition by the West of a secular nation state during the era of colonialism
and post independence period is “resented” by the adherents of this revivalist
movement. The concept of nation state is
opposed to their understanding of Islamic ummah (community) whose existence is
guaranteed only by a government based of the Shari’a (Islamic Law).
From
this trend flows the Islamic state movement that strives to re-establish the
state governed according to the Islamic Law. And since the Islamic Law
originates from divine revelation, it may not be developed or modified, but
merely applied. The strict
implementation of the Islamic Law preserves the moral order upon which the
integrity of the community depends.
Second,
the Islamic revivalism perceives the corrupting influence of Western
“materialism”. The secularizing trend
has caught the Muslim youth and erodes the community’s moral and social order
that is based on the Shari’a.
Third,
it is believed that the society’s blueprint is designed, lived and completed
during the golden era of Islam, that is, the Medinan era (622 to 661). They accept that the vision of Islam is
realized during the time of the prophet and the four “rightly guided
Caliphs: Abu Bakr (632-634), ‘Umar
(634-644), ‘Uthman (644-656) and ‘Ali (656-661).
The
Islamic revivalist movements derive their inspiration from the “nahda”
(renaissance) that is stimulated by the teaching of the Salaf (the prophet and
his companions). This is translated as
strict adherence to the Qur’an and the Hadiths.
All other traditions are considered as blameworthy innovation and need
to be rejected.
Again
as in Christian revivalist movement, the Islamic one differ from country to
country in their understanding of a return to the basics of the religion. There are those who are inspired by the
ancient grandeur of Islam and want to go back as far as possible to the
institutions and the way of acting and
living during the golden era of Islam.
On the other hand, there are those who try to recapture the dynamism of
Islam and reconcile it with the exigencies of the modern technological era and
the condition of a modern state on which the old rules of the Shari’a cannot
possibly remain unaltered. Then there
are those who embrace the Islamic revivalist movement to oppose the increasing
secularization of the contemporary society.
Common
Characteristics of Religious Revivalism
There
are four basic common characteristics of the current religious revivalism. First, there is the accepted blueprint of
societal as well as individual life. God
gives this blueprint in the revelation.
The blueprint is completed and/or nearing completion. The members of the movement are call back to
this blueprint either to hasten the realization of the blueprint once again in
our times.
Second,
the fact that religious revivalism is a reaction to the contemporary trends
that are perceived menace to faith of the individuals and the community. “Modernism”, secularization and the moral and
social “corruption” destroy the very fiber of the traditional moorings of the
individuals and societies. Revivalism is
a strong reaction to the present social and moral order that is perceived as
new paganism.
Third,
religious revivalism gives answer to individual’s need for healing and
identity. No doubt, the woundedness and
injustice, particularly of the poverty of the greater number of citizens, seek
healing and redress. The re-awakening
movement emphasizes healing, wholeness by strict adherence to the imperatives
of faith as given. In the same vein, the
growing alienation of people in our contemporary world surfaces the need for
identity and belonging whose lines and parameters are clearly defined and
delineated. These parameters are also
given and cannot be changed and modified for all times. The revivalist movement gives this security
and identity as well as belonging to a group that is saved and already living
under a completed and realized blueprint.
Fourth,
the revivalism is an alternative being poised vis-à-vis the arrogance of the
state to think and decide for all. The
imposition of a uniform economic and social order destroys the specific
character of peoples, nations and communities.
The new religious revival movement takes this power from the state and
restores it to God.
There
is, no doubt, a very powerful force in religion and ethnicity. It is a power to create or destroy, life of
death, unity or dispersal, segregate or congregate, to call or to expel, and to
make peace or war as well. Often,
religious awakening is accompanied by a powerful ethnic centrism that
re-enforces a worldview that sees others as foreigners and sources of
corruption and defilement.
The
examples are the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Jami’a group in Pakistan and
Middle East, Janata in India, the militant Buddhists in Sri Lanka, the Soka
Gakai in Japan, the diverse fundamentalist groups in Christianity, the ultra
Orthodox in Judaism, the Hezbollah and the Hamas in the Middle East, and the
variety of nativistic and millenarian movements in indigenous beliefs.
Conclusion: The Battleship and the Lighthouse.
The
point I wish to share is better illustrated in a story borrowed from a Navy
Journal as quoted by Stephen Covey in his famous book, the Seven Habits…
“A
battleship assigned to a training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in
heavy weather for several days. The
visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained open at the bridge
keeping an eye on all activities.
Shortly after dark the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, ‘light bearing on the starboard.’ ‘Is it
steady or moving astern?’ the captain called out. Lookout replied: ‘steady, captain.’ This meant that they were on a dangerous
collision course. The captain called to
the signalman: ‘signal that we are on
collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees.’ Back came the signal, ‘advisable for you to
change 20 degrees.’ The captain said:
‘said I’m a captain, change course 20 degrees.’
‘I’m a seaman second class came the reply, ‘you better change course 20
degrees.’ By that time the captain was
furious. He spat out send” ‘I’m battleship, change course 20
degrees.’ Back came a flashing light: ‘I’m a lighthouse.’ The battleship and the captain changed
course!
Religion
and ethnicity are like lighthouses… We,
specialists, theologians, ideologues, politicians and even revolutionaries, are
merely captains. Our battleship may have several forms and shapes. But in the final analysis we have to change
course else we find ourselves colliding at lighthouses. (Talk given at NDU March Convocation 2002)
