The Value System of Catholicism in Vietnam: An Approach from the Perspective of Vietnamese Cultural Value System

Abstract

Over more than 400 years of evangelization and development in Vietnam, Catholicism has significantly influenced and left notable imprints on various aspects of Vietnamese life. This article highlights some of the key values of Catholicism in Vietnam across three dimensions: culture, ethics, and lifestyle. These constitute the prominent categories of values that have played a central role throughout the history of Catholicism’s presence in Vietnam. From the cultural perspective, Catholicism is regarded as a cultural bridge between East and West, expressed through worldview, human outlook, and both tangible and intangible cultural values. From the ethical perspective, the article focuses on the moral cultivation of Catholic believers. From the lifestyle perspective, the analysis emphasizes family life, community relations among co-religionists, and interactions between Catholics and followers of other religious and spiritual traditions.