95
uniformity but a multifaceted and inviting harmo-
ny. Evangelization joyfully acknowledges these
varied treasures which the Holy Spirit pours out
upon the Church. We would not do justice to the
logic of the incarnation if we thought of Christi-
anity as monocultural and monotonous. While it
is true that some cultures have been closely asso-
ciated with the preaching of the Gospel and the
development of Christian thought, the revealed
message is not identified with any of them; its
content is transcultural. Hence in the evangeliza-
tion of new cultures, or cultures which have not
received the Christian message, it is not essential
to impose a specific cultural form, no matter how
beautiful or ancient it may be, together with the
Gospel. The message that we proclaim always
has a certain cultural dress, but we in the Church
can sometimes fall into a needless hallowing of
our own culture, and thus show more fanaticism
than true evangelizing zeal.
118.âThe Bishops of Oceania asked that the
Church âdevelop an understanding and a pres-
entation of the truth of Christ working from the
traditions and cultures of the regionâ and invited
âall missionaries to work in harmony with indige-
nous Christians so as to ensure that the faith and
the life of the Church be expressed in legitimate
forms appropriate for each cultureâ.
94
We can-
not demand that peoples of every continent, in
94
âJ
ohn
P
aul
II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation
Ecclesia in Oceania
(22 November 2001), 17: AAS 94 (2002), 385.
