Among the cultural challenges that the Church has to encounter today, the one that draws the concern of the Pope Francis is the loss of local cultural values on account of the prevailing culture of modernity. For, he says, in it “priority is given to the outward, the immediate, the visible, the quick, the superficial and the provisional. What is real gives way to appearances” (# 62). What is worse is that such ways of thinking and acting proper to those “cultures which are economically advanced but ethically debilitated” have made an invasion into many countries, specially owing to globalization, and have hastened deterioration of their own cultural roots.

Further Pope Francis corroborates his apprehension with the statements from both the African and Asian Synod of Bishops. Thus, quoting from Ecclesia Africa, EG says: “the African bishops, for example, while taking up the Encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, pointed out years ago that there have been frequent attempts to make the African countries ‘parts of a machine, cogs on a gigantic wheel. This is often true also in the field of social communications which, being run by centres mostly in the northern hemisphere, do not always give due consideration to the priorities and problems of such countries or respect their cultural make-up” (# 62).

Similarly referring to the Ecclesia in Asia EG says: “In the same token the bishops of Asia underlined the external influences being brought to bear on Asian cultures. New patterns of behaviour are emerging as a result of over-exposure to the mass media… As a result, the negative aspects of the media and entertainment industries are threatening traditional values, and in particular the sacredness of marriage and the stability of the family” (# 62).

In sum, the concerns of EG about the fast spread of modern culture into other continents are three: (1) The importance given by the modernity to the merely superficial elements erode the values of permanence which are inbuilt in the traditional cultures of Africa and Asia. (2) The social media of the North spread into the rest of the world so powerfully that the local culture is shattered and the priority to their local problems/perspective are completely neglected. (3) The negative aspects of the modern culture threaten even the foundations of institutional values regarding the sacredness of marriage and stability of family.

As parallel thought to the three challenges Gandhi’s remarks are notable. As to the first challenge, he said: “Some of the immediate and brilliant results of modern inventions are too maddening to resist. But I have no manner of doubt that the victory of man lies in that resistance. We are in danger of bartering away the permanent good for a momentary pleasure (MAC, 78). Much earlier He said “Modern civilization is a civilization only in name. Under it the nations of Europe are becoming degraded and ruined day by day….. This civilization takes note neither of morality nor of religion. … Civilization seeks to increase bodily comforts, and it fails miserably even in doing so. It must be shunned (HS chs. 5-6).

Secondly, about the erosion of local culture Gandhi was so worried that he took a clear stand regarding the approach we need to adopt towards other cultural influences. It is significant to cite here the oft-quoted statement from Gandhi: “I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown out my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any…Mine is not a religion of the prison-house” (Bose 298).

Thirdly, as regards the sacredness of marriage, Gandhi stated that “The ideal that marriage aims at is that of spiritual union through the physical. The human love that it incarnates is intended to serve as a stepping stone to divine or universal love” (Bose 273). So much so that even family man should consider his wife as a companion for service, rather than a means for pleasure. Elsewhere while he was asked to prioritize the conditions for a good marriage through a letter, he wrote thus: “spiritual development ought to be given the first place in the choice of marriage. Service to come next. Family considerations and social order should have the third place and mutual attraction or ‘love’ the fourth and the last place (Bose, 278). It was perhaps prophetic for Gandhi to tell the Christians of his times: “Confuse not Jesus’ teaching with what passes as modern civilization, and pray do not do unconscious violence to the people among whom you cast your lot” (All Religions, 55). This precisely what Pope is identifying it as a challenge for the Church to encounter in his EG.

Dr.A.Pushparajan