ABSTRACT
The term “inculturation” is patterned on the term “incarnation,” which refers to the Word of God who takes on human flesh to become a man in Jesus. His disciples—the Christians—believe that the Word must become an inner element in every human culture in view of its transformation. As the Church spread outside Europe in the Americas, Africa, and Asia in the 15th century CE and later, it was simply transplanted, so to speak. It was Mateo Ricci and Roberto de Nobili who launched the movement toward inculturation. But it had its impact, not at the official, but at the popular level. At the official level, it was the Second Vatican Council that launched the project of inculturation. While the progress at the official levels has been slow, at the level of popular religiosity, arts like painting, music, and dance, spirituality, and theological reflection, some progress is being made.
