ABSTRACT
Scholars isolate two fundamental properties of the process of inculturation, one mainly theological and the other explicitly sociological, even if the two are not completely unconnected. The theological aspect pertains to the nature and method of divine self-revelation. The sociological aspect of inculturation concerns itself with human dignity that, in the process of evangelization, is realized by recognizing and respecting the “otherness of the other.” Inculturation is, consequently, a narrative that pertains to what, legitimately, Christian people at any given time and place may or may not do. As such, inculturation is a highly dynamic and interactive process which has, as one of its main features, continuous explicit or implicit comparisons between or among modes of human existence in the world. From the New Testament, the story of inculturation is clearly illustrated by tensions in the early existence of the church, leading to their resolution at the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem at around 50 CE.
