Francisco De Jesus and Family

“Naming The Unknown God” 2nd Asian Theological Seminary Forum Union Church of Manila, Makati City February 27, 2006 Reported by: Francisco De Jesus

I have attended the forum entitled, “Naming the Unknown God”. It is the 2nd Theological Forum of Asian Theological Seminary. This Theological Forum explores how we can work together for peace and understanding in a country that is as religiously diverse as the Philippines. There have been many topics discussed specially during the break away sessions like, the Roman Catholic Perspective on Interreligious dialogue, What’s wrong with the crucifix? A second look at certain Roman Catholic practice, Faith and Works: Revisiting a key theme for the Catholic-Evangelical dialogue etc. Different speakers and lecturer presented their perspective on the said topics. Among them are Father Rocco Viviano SX, Dr. Narry Santos, Dr. Timothy Gener, Rev. Erick Maliwat and Dr. Hwa Yung. The Two-day forum provided me not only the opportunity to re-visit many pressing issues and key themes relevant to our Ecumenical Community such as TSPI but also challenged me as a Training Officer to deeply reflect their implications and applications. These are the topics that have caught my attention and would also like to highlight.

1. What Evangelicals can learn from Folk Catholism: the case of El Shaddai by Dr. Timothy Gener.

a. Accordingly, Dr. Gener stated that Roman Catholism in the Philippines could be categorized in to two; one is the official Roman Catholic representation and second is Folk Catholism, which adapts indigenous expressions of the Roman Catholic Church in the local experiences of the people.

b. With almost hundreds of expressions of Folk Catholism in the Philippines the most prominent and the biggest is the group called El Shaddai. The El Sahaddai group according to Dr. Gener is an eclectic blend of Pentecostal-Charismatic practices of Kenneth Copland/ Kenneth Heggins, Filipino culture and the Roman Catholic beliefs.

c. This may have been the case, Vatican continuously expresses its support to this group even though there have been many issues and questions in their existence.

d. To date, the group boasts a membership of about 9 million strong all around the world. With their Spiritual leader and founder Bro. Mike Velarde.

e. Some of the criticisms that were mentioned for the El Shaddai group are;

i. Person/ leader centered

ii. Lacks the Theology of the Cross- Has the tendency to carry the Prosperity Gospel model of belief.

iii. Politicized

f. Dr. Tim Gener as an evangelical also gives several things where he learned from the group.

i. It should challenge Evangelicals to look beyond the superficial understanding of the people and their culture in presenting the Gospel.

ii. One can be both eclectic and indigenous at the same time yet still effective.

iii. It is a good model of Renewing (Nominal) Catholics from within.

iv. Use of the Vernacular is very effective. v. Emotional expressiveness in prayer and worship.

vi. Effective communication, ritual, music, dance, feast and celebration.

vii. Healing Services

2. What is wrong with the Crucifix: A second look at certain Roman Catholic Practices by Atty. Francis Eugenias.

a. History of Christianity in the Philippines can be traced in various sources. Predominantly, Roman Catholism shaped the culture, ideals, dreams aspirations and imagination of the Filipinos for over 300 years under Spain from 16th century to the dawn of the 20th century.

b. While Protestant and Evangelical movements came during the American Era of the Second World War and proliferated along with their Philippine occupation. It is said that Philippines experienced a monastery life for 300 years under Spain and 50 years of Hollywood under the American occupation.

c. From those roots of Christianity in the Philippines, we have become the only Christian nation in Asian with diverse expression of faith and practices. Not to mention the various Indigenous forms of Christianity that have came up all along the history.

d. With this and of course with some obvious differences, Protestants and Evangelicals viewed Roman Catholism with suspicion and vise-versa.

e. With the dynamics of change and the interaction of these Religious groups Roman Catholism have taken two forms, One is the Official Catholism- Faith and practices laid down by the church. The other is Folk Catholism- adapted indigenous practice of the Catholics tolerated by the church.

f. Specific issue addressed by Second Plenary for Catholic Pilipinos (PCP2), Catechism for the Filipino Catholics (CPC) and even the Vatican II council, allowed the devotion of the people to images and icons.

g. They clarified that those images should not be worshipped but only as an aid to the true God. They used two terms to make a clear distinction in referring to the icons and images. i. Dulia- is used and ascribed for the veneration of the saints and icons. ii. Latria- is the term used to worship God alone.

h. Atty. Francis Eugenias as an Evangelical affirm this Roman Catholic position. He even went on to say that Protestant/ Evangelical interpretation of Exodus 20: 3-4. (Which I don’t have the luxury to discuss in this report). This is the biblical verse where Protestants and Evangelicals use to oppose the use and veneration of icons and images for the church.

i. As according to him, there is nothing wrong in using icons and images as long as they serve only as aids to worship the true God. The documents of the Roman Catholic Church as referred to earlier were consistent to biblical exegesis.

j. As stated by Atty. Francis Eugenias, The crucifix is the deep reminder of Jesus Death for the payment of the penalty of our sins.

k. That he even agreed to use a crucifix with the image of a suffering Jesus on it that even the ecumenical Protestants would not want to use. He reasoned out that this crucifix conveys an even more powerful message of the gospel, that Jesus had suffered great because of His love for us is also great.

l. At the end he gave a list of things he propose to evangelicals and Protestants in dealings with Catholics.

i. In terms of evangelizing the nominal Catholics, Mary and the Saints can become a good evangelism tool.

ii. Bashing of icons and images should not be included in our way of evangelism and discipleship. It will do more harm than of help.

iii. Conversion can also occur inside the Roman Catholic Church.

iv. A term Catholic-Evangelical is not an oxymoron (A term which I think he would like to call himself). v. Evangelicals should not focus on Church Growth alone but instead should focus more on Christian Community Building.

3. A Catholic Perspective on the Possibility of Interreligious Dialogue as an Ecumenical Enterprise by Father Rocco Viviano.

a. Father Rocco Viviano traced a long history and a rich source of Catholic Church experiences in Her reflections and dialogue with the other faiths. He stated that the Roman Catholic Church was deeply moved of what had happened to the 6 millions Jews who were executed by Hitler because allegedly they were of lower race.

b. This tragedy according to Father Rocco rendered the Roman Catholic Church to be greatly disturbed not only because there were 6 million souls executed violently and discriminately but the church also feels that She has some indirect participation in promoting the act. In the way She regards the Jews, in Her biblical interpretations, teachings and in Her social and discriminatory dealings with them.

c. That is why when the Vatican II council came; the Church and Her Magistrate allotted a portion (4 pages) in the documents exclusively addressing the issues of other faiths (such as the Jews) and the Church’s official stand in dealing with them.

d. The Portion in the Vatican II documents that addresses these issues is called, “Nostra Aetate” which means In Our Time.

e. The content of this document had been subject for many discussions and expositions. There has been a thick book entitled Dialogue and Proclamation intended to expound on the content of Nostra Aetate. Even Father Rocco affirmed the value of Nostra Aetate in the Catholic Church because as a professor in Loyola School of Theology he teaches this as one subject for one semester.

f. He pointed out important principles crucial in understanding this document.

i. The World is not the world of the devil but it is of God’s, God is at work and His Grace sustains it.

ii. There is a willingness not to limit God’s Love, Grace and Mercy and that these attributes of God can be dispense/ can be found even outside the Church.

iii. There is an innate value in all religions. iv. The Church rejects nothing of what is Holy and true, even if these things are found in other religions.

v. Nevertheless, the Church still needs to preach that salvation is by Jesus Christ alone.

g. Father Rocco is one of the Society of Xavier and he is a missiologist but he said he never regarded Protestants and evangelical who are parts of the ecumenical community as a mission field to be evangelized but as partners in responding to the issues of the other Faiths and religions as mandated by Nostra Aetate.

h. Father Rocco gave the Four-Levels of Dialogues that the Catholic Church uses.

i. Dialogue of Life- Witnessing by Life, making Christ known by the fruits of our life with Jesus.

ii. Dialogue of Works- Christians working towards universal values like peace, love and harmony towards Kingdom of God Building.

iii. Dialogue with other Theologians- This a scholarly dialogue with other theologians and scholars of other faiths and religions.

iv. Dialogue of Religious experiences- Sharing experiences of the divine for conversion, conversion not to another religion but conversion in a sense being converted to what God wants us to become.

Conclusion/ Reflection

1. My participation in the 2nd Theological Forum of Asian Theological Seminary is a very rich experience. The theme Naming the Unknown God did not only highlighted the crucial work/ plan of God for the whole world (to all people, people groups and all of His creation) but also raises the urgency in our present time to communicate the message of the Kingdom reign of God to all.

2. In this, I interestingly learned that the Roman Catholic Church sees the Evangelical and the Protestant churches as partners in this endeavor. I may beg to disagree with the concept of ecumenicalism because of its vague concept and purpose as I understood it, but if it is the case, I am more comfortable in adapting the concept of being partners for establishing the Kingdom Reign of God for the world.

3. It is also worthy to note that there is an occurring trend within the Evangelical and Protestant scholars to contemplate and reflect the relationship of the Roman Catholic Church and Protestants/ Evangelicals and their commonality towards the building of the Kingdom of God for the purpose of reaching the vast unreached billions people of the world for the reign of Christ.

4. I have observed and interacted with the different participants in this forum (theologians with different persuasions, denomination and tradition). I have sensed different reaction to the topics of the forum especially to the specific topics I have highlighted. Many are suspicious, some are curious and others are passionately interested.

5. As I reflect my work with TSPI I can’t help my self but be challenged knowing the fact that TSPI is a Christian Development Organization that seeks to express the reign of Jesus Christ in the lives of our clients. I can’t help my self, but to feel at peace knowing that I am part of the movement of God’s Kingdom on Earth as a Training Officer, where we do not only preach the Kingdom of God through our transformational inputs but also concretely demonstrate it through our livelihood programs. I may not be a clergy nor a priest but I am confident that I am a Kingdom Minister for the Kingdom of God.

6. Lastly, seeing my self as part of this Ecumenical Christian Organization, I can’t help but to pray for it. Pray for the Lordship of Christ be firstly established and understood in this organization because it is only through the Lordship of Christ that is being commonly shared in this organization can we rightly be effective participants in the building of the Kingdom of God.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008 at 5:50 pm and is filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.