For anyone attempting to give an account of the development of theology in East Asia a problem immediately arises: when and where to begin? Should it begin with the arrival of Christianity in China, Japan and Korea, or only with the emergence of alternative theologies which have made a radical break with the West and are truly responding to Asia's ancient cultural traditions as well as contemporary political contexts? It is evident from any survey of local theologies that they would often go through a period of imitation and adaptation before embarking on a creative phase. Many factors enter into the picture, one of which is the sense of gratitude and respect for tradition – the Western tradition in this case which brought Christianity to Asia – and the feeling of belonging to a historical church that often leads one to emphasise more the value of continuity and authority than that of critique and invention. It is interesting to note that up until the 1970s, before contextual theology became the order of the day, the dream of many East Asian theologians was to become an Asian Aquinas or Luther, and even today many would still be content to be followers and interpreters of Rahner, Barth or Moltmann. This conservatism is sometimes reinforced by church institutions; witness the not uncommon disciplinary actions that were taken against wayward theologians when they dared to move beyond the narrow confines of evangelical or Catholic theologies.