12. The Cultural Gospel

The American regime is the most significant in the in Philippines. It was the time of bringing the evangelicals and Protestantism in the Philippines. The Spanish was no longer dominated in the country, and vanished in the country. The American regime has changes the Philippines, and the Law was establish in the Philippine. On the oter side, the religious of the Filipino was not change, but they still cling to the Roman Catholicism Spanish brought for 3 century. However, there are still evangelicals are established in the country.

There are good thing and bad thing in this age. The good thing is we are freed from the domination of the Spanish colony who manipulated for 3 century. Thanks be to the amirican who freed us from darkness. Another good thing was that, the evangelicals from the time of American regime until now is still working. However, the bad thing was that they are bring the American Jesus and we, the Filipino, has syncretized the belief of the America Jesus and the Filipino culture. The question is, where is the Biblical Jesus? From the time of Spanish regime until today, the the western thought is still alive, we are still dreaming if western living, as to say American dream. Another bad thing is that we are still humiliated by the American people. In the case of leadership,  we are discriminated as ignorant than them. We need to learn from them in order to know things very well. The discrimination does not change until today.

 For me, as my heart is convicted by the word of God. I have to live as Filipino and teach Filipino in their own way. I see that it is hard for some, or perhaps almost Filipino to do the western way of thinking. Western books, does not mean they are western can be effective in our eatern way of thinking. I have to do share the gospel by the way our thinking can grasp.

11. Kastil's Leverage

It has been said that religion is used as leverage by the Crusaders or inquisitors in taking ones country. Well. This is true in the Philippines whereby the Roman Catholicism so dominated because of the Spanish conquerors. They were dominating over three centuries using starting from a general to priest.

Today, as we reflect this drama, we can say that the struggle for country is still alive not perhaps in political sense but religious one. Filipinos belief are syncretisization of animism and Catholicism. The idols are representative of, as they though, the God or perhaps gods. This is a saddest drama of all Filipino time. Using the religious activity to lever the nation. Schools were built and powered by religious background. How was that possible of dreaming a new reformation if our own society does not know what is the root of it all? People are complaining. Many children are hungry, and many religious group being built for million peso while poor became poorer. My dream is not reformation of religious activity. My dream is to be Incarnational like what Jesus did. For me ministry does not belong in the one corner of the church, but in the heart of each individual who made holy and commanded as you are going, make disciples.

In application, I will rather make a social concern like education for the poor, shelter for the unsheltered, care for the uncared, and saved the unsaved. 

10. Continuing Conflict.

The ongoing conflict really affects Christianity. From the start, this conflict does not really change. It greatly affects the numbers of Christianity. Many have change the thought because of the influence from the age of reason.

The conflict tells us that there is no perfect religious goup including Christianity Especially when a group build something as a pillar. The Bible is no longer basis for this, but the political and the nation is. The Christianity used to lever the nation to gain power and economical and political power. How does the true Christina change the nation?

For me, I think the best way I can do is to cement myself to what the Bible is saying love one another. It might sound socialism but it was the Bible says. I must not used the religious belief for the sake of power and own glory, but I will used the Christian principle to change the society, not just the church. I we start to change the society by sharing the gospel through building world class school with Biblical principles, and even the least in society can enter, then we can change whole world. Hopefully I can build a Christian school that is not expensive, that even the street children can go in.

09. Division means multiplication?

The Protestant-Catholic conflict in England was the opportunity to bring the gospel into the whole world. The Protestant conservatives went on their for freedom from the Anglican. They want religious freedom, and cling to the biblical teaching. However, they were ceased to express their freedom because of the Anglicanism. It was then the time of progress not only the religious, but also the political, economic and government.

 This conflict is reflected to the Christianity today whereby each theologian who made their theology out of the philosophy of their religious group. This is the time when the age of reason influence the modern era. I think the bottom-line of this conflict is the persons behind the enlightenment.

For me, the best thing I can do is to cling the reasonable faith that I have, and cling on what Jesus said “sell all what you have and give to the poor

08. Influence by Reasons

It was the age of reason that change the worldview of  that time. It was the time of science and technology whereby the spreading of classical books are ever written. The publication of the Scripture was easily spreading because of printing press. It was also the time when the revolutionary discovery of Galileo change the Church concept of the world. It not only that, but it was the time when the enlightenment was pop up, and the it was the time of the greatest philosophers such as Kant, Kierkegaard and Russell. Thus skepticism was come.

 Some theologians are influence by these people. Their philosophical interpretation was somewhat based on their philosophy. These men was the first best known for Biblical critiques. And sadly, our modern and postmodern thought was influence by these guys. If we don’t recognized it, we can be so sure that the foundation of the modern Atheism is based on this time. Paul warn us to be careful from these empty word philosophy.

 For me, this time was the starting point of the modern doctrine and the struggles between Faith and reason. I must be very careful from the sting of this philosophy.

07. Lair does not speak the Truth.

The Pope became the master and emperor to the Rome. They became prestigious and authoritative over the people to the point they are the master of the crusade. I could not imagine that it was the Pope who used the holy City to convince the Crusaders to take the war for false hope. And not only that, but also let them if they desire to go to war.

            How sad it was when people think that the popes are holy, and the vicar of loving Christ. It was not! They have been manipulating and corrupting the church until today.

            My is that, people who believe that can open their eyes to see the truth behind the lies of the Pope.

06. A translation that pseudo-inspired

It was St. Jerome who was translated the Bible into Latin. It was named from him, Vulgates. The translation is what the Roman Papacy have been using as the most inspired and free from error translation of the Scripture. Sadly, this translation was used to lever the common people and to manipulate them to give money to the church. People have not known this language and refers to the Pope as they believe able to interpret it.

Today this Bible is still alive since it was declare during the Vatican II. However, even the Popes or the priest who are using it does not even understand the Latin language. Again it for the leverage that this scripture are used.

 How I wish I could build a group of translator to translated the bible to the people, and exposed the Latin Vulgate to them that it was not the original text used in the original text and was not even used by Jesus in his time.