New ARC Publication Officially Launched

New ARC Publication Officially Launched

The new ARC edited volume entitled Church Communication in the New Normal: Perspectives from Asia and Beyond was successfully launched online via Zoom on 19 October 2022. The event consisted of presentations by the book’s editor, Anthony Le Duc, SVD and a number of the book’s contributors including Antonio Pernia (Foreword), Robin Xavier, Rico Jacoba, John Murray, and Trong Quang Pham.

After the presentations finished, participants also had the chance to raise questions and comments on issues that were raised by the speakers. Twenty-one scholars contributed to the contents of this book, which addresses church communication from a variety of perspectives – theological, pastoral, cultural, etc. All of the authors who contributed to this book either are working in Asia or come from Asia, and hail from a range of expertise.

In his comments regarding the book Vietnamese American theologian Peter C. Phan noted that this book is the “first volume that deals with how the Church in Asia can resume its prophetic mission, liturgical worship, and pastoral ministry in times of pandemic and post-pandemic.”

Daniella Zsupan-Jerome observes that the book “demonstrates the integral role of communication in the way a community of faith gathers, worships and extends care. The book also showcases creative directions for ministry in light of the pandemic experience, all the while rooting the study contextually across a variety of cultural locations both distinct but common, especially from the perspective of faith.”

While the book is available in both hard copy and electronic copy, the Asian Research Center has decided to make the electronic version free to download from the ARC website in order to facilitate greater access to the research presented in this volume.

In his presentation at the book launch, Fr Anthony Le Duc, SVD remarked that despite the eclectic nature of the articles in the book, this collection takes the word “communication” as the keyword for discussions and reflections on the present with eyes gazing towards the future. Thus, “as the Church strains forward in the new normal with its losses, grief, uncertainties, and challenges, it is my hope that the discussions on Church communication in this book reflect this spirit of looking for greater meaning in particular events, searching for a long-term vision from the present, and turning ongoing experience into transforming lessons.”

20 October 2022