On Inculturation-Existential Synthesis Theology in Filipino Context

By Glenn Plastina

The quest for an authentic Christian life is a challenge to many Filipino Christians. Just last week, I overheard it in news media; the Philippines is the top three most corrupt country in Asia! (now, It's number two.) Personally, I empathize with this situation of seeing the suffering poor and the richie rich; and the most vicious have the face to stand unashamed before the nation as if nothing happened. Almost every major establishments and government agencies are known as havens of corruption and scandal. To some extent, even many church-leaders and authorities are sources of anomalous conduct.

I have had an opportunity to visit Hong Kong in one of my tours of duty. After I stayed there for a few months and learned some of their worldviews and beliefs, it was an eye-opener in doing ministry and theology. I came back with a new and broader perspective in my ministry. As I enter the Philippines, especially with the notorious airport and taxi transportation, I felt I was in a different dimension. Nevertheless, this is where the Gospel of Christ is supposed to be understood in a relevant way. I may not be sure of Bulatao’s Split-Level Christianity, but I’m convinced that existential theology in its positive sense may help a lot in inculturation of Filipino people. There is no doubt that Roman Catholic traditions are still Roman in a catholic (universal) setting. But there is no contest that their advances toward inculturation are also ahead in comparison to evangelicals.

Filipinos are rich in culture. There might be some concepts that will not be met by extreme existentialism—i.e. rejection of supernatural, miracles, etc.—but its quest for integrity, honest intellectual evaluation and authentic being might give a different impact to the concreteness of Filipino worldviews that will contribute to an indigenous theology. Though Filipinos are relational people and they posses languages and vocabularies that have a more meaningful emphasis in their own ideas, these concepts are no doubt ontological also. Their understanding of these local concepts are part of their value systems and being! Most of the Filipino concepts that has been considered and popularly known possessed some dynamic quality that would somehow shed light to the relevance and potentiality also of the Gospel to transform, purify, complete, or strengthen the specific cultural concepts in consideration.

If indeed inculturation is a significant nation building approach and existentialism as a method that emphasized authentic being and existence, then synthesis of these two theological methodologies is a potential system that could be applied in local churches, especially in ministering with family units. Existentialism approach will cover the factual dimension of existence and inculturation will deal much on the valuational dimension of existence. Since relationality is not the only thing in knowing the existential being of Filipinos, ontology might illumine more the concept of Filipinos as a person and as a humane being. We may never have control to do away with many things in a broader sense, like the blatant corruption in national level, but at least, we can start with the smallest unit in the country that will affect, shape, and determine the future of our churches and nation. We begin in our own families and local churches.