Pius XII himself, in his first encyclical letter, Summi Pontificatus, demonstrates his own positive approach to local culture. Outlining the principle of adaptation which, according to him, must pervade the entire activity of the Church in mission countries, the Pope considers it right for all nations to preserve and develop their cultural patrimony. He based his doctrine on the unity of the human race, and the equality of all men. It was thus the duty of the Church to assume such cultural patrimony into the new churches. As he says:

The Church of Christ...cannot and does not think of depreciating or disdaining the peculiar characteristics which each people, with jealous and understandable pride, cherishes and retains as a precious heritage. (Therefore) all that, in such usages and customs, is not inseparably bound up with religious errors will always be the object of sympathetic consideration, and whenever possible, will be preserved and developed...(19)

And in the address to the Directors of Pontifical Mission Works in 1944, he again emphasises that:

The specific character, the traditions, the customs of each nation must be preserved intact, so long as they are not in contradiction with the divine law. The missionary is an apostle of Jesus Christ. His task is not to propagate European civilisation in mission lands. Rather, it is his function so to train and guide other peoples, some of whom glory in their ancient and refined civilisation, as to prepare them for the willing and hearty acceptance of the principles of Christian life and behaviour. (20)

It is in his encyclical Evangelii Praecones that his thought on the need to promote the local culture as a principle of missionary acculturation is most explicitly expressed. Quoting extensively from his two earlier documents, the Summi Pontificatus and the Address to the Directors of Pontifical Mission Works, Pius XII lays down, as a matter of principle, the church's attitude toward local culture in her missionary activity:

Another end remains to be achieved, and we desire that all should fully understand it. The Church from the beginning down to our time has always followed this wise practice: let not the Gospel, in being introduced into any new land, destroy or extinguish whatever its people posses that is naturally good, just or beautiful. For the church, when she calls people to a higher culture and a better way of life under the inspiration of the Christian religion, does not act like one who recklessly cuts down and uproots a thriving forest. No, she grafts a good scion upon the wild stock that it may bear a crop of more delicious fruit.(21)

Pius XII based himself on a fairly optimistic assessment of human nature, which "has in itself something that is naturally Christian... (thus) the Catholic Church", he says "has neither scorned nor rejected the pagan philosophies".(22) In this, Pius XII, to some extent, anticipated the teaching of Vatican 11 in declaring that: "Whatever there is in the native customs that is not inseparably bound up with superstition and error will always be received kindly consideration, and, when possible, will be preserved intact". (23)

This statement of Pius XII however underscores, also, the predominantly pre-Vatican attitude towards traditional religion, particularly in the African context. Unfortunately, traditional religion, as is well known, was collectively and negatively branded as "superstition", and was considered erroneous. It never therefore received kindly consideration, neither was it thought worthy of preservation. Unfortunately, also, it was not only traditional religion that was negatively appraised, the ultimate fate of non-Christian peoples themselves was pessimistically viewed.

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