Redemptive Inculturation-Existential Synthesis Theology in Filipino Context

By Glenn Plastina

This integration includes basic elements in the foundation of a proposed Filipino theology.

Sensitivity to Cultural Filipino Components
Worldviews. Philippines is composed of fragmented islands with no general worldviews, but differences in concepts of God, world, and man can be categorized when dealt with specifically as theologians start with specific people groups. Theology in dialogue with Filipino worldviews can be more helpful than isolated independent formulation without consultation of where the people are coming from. This is the very case of “unrootedness” of many evangelical churches that discard and take no consideration of their people’s worldviews. Insensitivity to people’s worldviews damaged their understanding of the essence of Christianity since the introduced Christianity is either Hellenized or Westernized Christianity. Through worldviews, the task of doing Filipino theology is a potential enterprise.
Myths. Every tribal Filipinos have their own unique myths that shaped their worldviews. These myths are older than foreigners think. They passed from mouth to mouth and their development have undergone many generations. It is important for theologians to take notice of the people’s mythological understanding for they can serve as bridges in the introduction of the gospel. Many of these myths have resemblance with the narrative accounts of the Bible especially with the beginnings. Moral values are even passed through stories, thus, narrative theology is a potential tool in making theology in the Philippines. Filipinos may love imported stories but the main interest remains the same, their stories.
Traditions. Filipinos are innovative and interested for new things, but they are also concerned of their past, especially their traditions and beliefs. Many might say that since they were born in that belief, they are to die in that belief. This is not mere superstitions, but sensitivity to traditional heritage as part of their identity formation and security. Such traditions are not at all threat to the gospel for it can be the completion of that tradition and the redemptive tool for their past heritage. Filipinos may speak western language fluently, but their heart language is still Filipino. They still think, act, sleep, dream, and believe like Filipinos.

Sensitivity to Filipino Existential Emphasis
Self-valuation. The Filipino concept of self is very interesting and deep. The breadth and scope of it is not only limited to self alone, but of others. Filipinos value themselves in the light of others, yet they value their own. This self-valuation is healthy and weak at the same time. A theological framework that will face the challenge of this concept of self is a potential enterprise since abstraction is of little value to Filipinos. They want something experiential, cause-worthy, and personal, rather than abstract propositions, highly philosophical and irrelevant.
Sense of Well-being. With the Filipino-image downtrodden in the global view, Filipino’s sense of well-being is strongly desired. Almost all aspects of Filipino lifestyle bear the stigma and scar of humiliation, shame, corruption, and economic depression, as well as spiritual insufficiency. Most evangelical churches are not even meeting the demands for Christian lifestyle check-up and there are only a few communities of believers who exemplified an authentic faith. The scandal of the Roman Catholic churches is so popular to make it to the headlines. This is a time, where propositional and abstract theology failed no matter how historical and biblical they were. I think, as of now, what the Filipino need is a culturally relevant modified existential theology that gave emphasis to authentic being and give allowance to non-rational elements.

Sensitivity to Filipino Behavioral Generalities
Relationality. Filipinos, like most Asians, are relational people. The individualist’s theological perspective may only catch a few, but the emphasis that most Filipinos desire is a relational element, even in theology. The mass-appeal to Filipino relationality has been insufficiently noticed in the past. Theological sensitivity to this concept may touch more areas as needed since this is one of the main cores of Filipino behavioral distinction.
Present Valuation. The past and future may be important to some, but most Filipinos are present-oriented people. They want to enjoy and value the present in that many accused them of not preparing for the future, like insurance or security systems. This might be a picture of shortsightedness, but this will help theologians evaluate their theology in the light of the present eschaton. Many Filipinos are into cultic religions and denominations for one main reason: these groups emphasized the here and now. They are passionate of the present life and experience, not on abstract propositions. Most of their spirit worldviews tell them that spirits, ancestors, etc. are actively involved in the present life.

Sensitivity to Humanization of Sacred Concepts
Religions. In broad spectrum, many religions in the Philippines are under the umbrella of Christianity but some of these are Filipino distortions of the Christian doctrine, i.e. INC, Rizalists, Dating Daan, Filipino Spiritists, etc. to name the few. The diversity of Filipino alternative “Christian” religious cults is numerous since Christianity has long tradition already in this country at the arrival of the Spanish. In fact, many of these religious groups are attempts, to some extent, to make the gospel relevant to the Filipino mind pattern. Yet generally, these religions have their own way of dehumanizing people also due to the nature of their teachings and methodology in imposing belief systems to the converts.
Animist traditions. With tiny religious groups in the Philippines, the challenge of Christianity is enormous. These traditional religions are often dehumanizing. Their requirements and religious obligations are not helping them to succeed as a community or as an individual family unit. Though there is so far to prove yet on the relationship of religion to poverty, this seems to be the main motif of the poverty of many cultic and primitive ethnic groups in the Philippines. Of course, politics has been the main player of this economic decline, but the religious understanding of these people is basically the foundational manifestation of dehumanized people through religion. Their idea of the sacred is the great challenge to Christian theology if ever it will be able to make the bridge and take roots in the tribal lands without distorting the essence of the Gospel of Christ.
Miracles. This is where extreme existentialism is found wanting. Allowance for the non-rational and supernatural is necessary to make an effective theology in the Philippines. Many Christians here in the Cordilleras have dual allegiance to power encounters. They may have believed in Christ for their eternal salvation, but for their daily experiences, especially in direst needs and crucial events in life, they tend to go back to their old folk-faith with “Christian” intention. It is important not to bring them the truth only, but truth with power. People around the Philippines are receptive to power encounters, yet most evangelicals have been silent (a conspiracy?) to non rational phenomena, especially that of miracles.

Sensitivity to Filipino’s Identity in a Globalized Society
Retrieval of Filipino Identity. The Philippines has been the melting pot of many ethnic nationalities. With the original Indio-Malayo tribal people with the sequential coming of the Chinese, Muslims, Spanish, Americans, Japanese, Indians, Koreans, etc., Filipinos are struggling to maintain their identity as a people. Mixed marriages, media, and migration to urban cities contributed a lot to this phenomenon. Industrialization and modernization, however, were not impediments to Filipino traditionality and religiosity. A Christian theology that helps to bring solidarity and unity, not uniformity, to the identity of the Filipino people is an important enterprise.
Global Filipino with Local Roots. Filipino OCW phenomenon is also sensitive element in doing Filipino theology. How is Christian faith relevant to the “diaspora” Filipinos? Filipinos are found globally, but they usually have their roots intact in their homeland especially that most of their loved ones are here. Their affections and interests are usually for the welfare of their families who are not well to do, but their efforts contributed to nation building. Nonetheless, their concept of God, world, self, and “fortune” are elemental to theology.
Filipino Community Struggle. With the upsurge of corruption and economic depression, patriotic struggle in the name of Christ is also a challenge. Third world theology, especially liberation theology, is taking grounds among many grass-roots Filipino. Catholics were ahead in terms of theological inculturation and doing Filipino theology, but a better theological alternative that gives foundation to the moral and spiritual changes of community and nation building is a challenge to achieve. Filipinos are not necessarily illiterate but their traditional religious heritage and community struggle are still influential in shaping their theological concepts.

Sensitivity to Family and Community Thinking Pattern
Extended Family. Perhaps, this is where the theological challenge to cater to the family members and needs rather than to a scholastic individual. This does not mean that Filipino theology is to be too low, but that it should be comprehensible enough to be understood by families, a strategic place to cultivate theology and faith. Of course, there is a place for academic pursuit for theology to cater to the scholarly arena and global competency. What I’m suggesting is a theology that can have a multi-level reference understandable to the different stages of family members.
People of Reference. Filipino people are also habitual in terms of identifying themselves with someone or a group of people that are significant, powerful, influential, popular, or not ordinary citizen. They often associate themselves with significant others. This is relational phenomenon and could be a strong consideration in theology since most propositional theology has individualistic tendencies behind. A theology for the community of God is an effective tool that emphasizes community building and identity formation.

Sensitivity to Biblical and Cultural Integrity of Theology
Biblical and Oriental. An “unbiblical” Christian theology can never be an authentic Christian Asian theology. The Bible is still the very foundation of theology as methodology are being modified and explored to make the gospel understandable to the people. When the oriental emphasis is taking ground, westernized or Hellenized Christianity will be minimized, if not eliminated. What is very important is the eternal and unchanging essence of the gospel and not the coverings that surrounds it. With correlational approach to theology, Bible and culture can be a good combination to approach Asian theology.
Oriental and Redemptive. Not only that it is oriental in methodology and biblical in essence, true Asian theology must be redemptive. Whatever is considered to be from God and potential vehicles for God’s message must be redeemed. Thus, redemption covers not just the person but the objects, ideas, concepts, etc. that surrounds the person. It is not to be judgmental on those “strange” practices, rituals, thinking patterns, and the like but seek to find ways to redeem the true purpose and design of the person or object in hand.
Theological explorations may delve into some of these Filipino concepts: the relationship between logos and “diwa,” divine providence and “kapalaran” or “malas,” sin and “hiya,” especially Filipino spirit world, “Bathala” and “bahala na” concepts and the like. The task goes on to make the Gospel of Christ take its roots in the hearts of Filipinos. Himaya sa Ginoo!