Open Conference Systems, Theology International Conference 2024

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Catholic Church and Vietnamese People's Belief in Ancestor Worship
Huy Quoc La

Last modified: 2024-03-16

Abstract


Each cultural region has different characteristics. These features are imbued with tradition and sacred meaning. Like other ethnic groups in the world, the Vietnamese people also have their own cultural characteristics. That characteristic is expressed by the Vietnamese people through promoting loyalty and filial piety. Loyal to the king, filial to parents and grandparents. That characteristic is clearly expressed through the belief in respecting ancestors. It has become an indispensable feature of the Vietnamese people.

However, the coming of the Catholic Church to Vietnam created a storm of culture in the hearts of the Vietnamese people. What happens when the Catholic Church confronted the belief in ancestor veneration? In this article, the writer will clarify (1) the formation of the Vietnamese people's belief in worship ancestors; (2) the formation and development of Catholicism in Vietnam; (3) the causes of Catholic persecution; (4) What has the Catholic Church done to integrate into Vietnamese culture?

 


Keywords


Catholic Church; the belief in worship ancestors; persecution; cultural integration