Philippine Association for the Sociology of Religion Journal
The PASR Journal, is an open access journal that publishes research journal articles bi-annually. Articles published in this journal are peer-reviewed. It is handled by the PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION FOR THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION, a scholarly, non-political, and non-profit academic association. This Journal Publication accepts articles with multidisciplinary interests related to sociology of religion.
Religiosity and Cultural Diversity Awareness Among College Students in Mindanao
This study explored the link between religiosity and cultural diversity awareness among Filipino college students enrolled in a state college in Mindanao. A descriptive–correlational design was used, with data collected from first to third-year students through adapted and validated survey instruments. These tools measured both religious beliefs and practices, as well as students’ awareness, and sensitivity toward cultural differences. Findings showed that respondents generally reported a high level of religiosity and a very high level of cultural diversity awareness. Correlation analysis revealed a significant moderate positive relationship between the two variables, suggesting that students who are more engaged in their faith also tend to demonstrate greater respect and openness toward peers from different cultural backgrounds. The results indicate that religiosity may encourage values such as empathy, moral responsibility, and inclusiveness, which are essential in a multicultural campus environment. The study underscores the constructive role of religious orientation in fostering cultural understanding and harmonious interactions among students. These insights may help higher education institutions design programs that integrate religious formation with multicultural education to promote inclusive campus communities.
Copyright (c) 2025 Glenford Franca, Iris Miranda, Aldwin Miranda (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Exploring the Transformative Effects of Spiritual Retreat and Recollection Activities on Senior College Students
This study examined graduating students’ perceptions of retreat and recollection activities through the lens of Symbolic Interactionism and Structural Functionalism. The focus was on how structured reflection helps them re-evaluate their values, relationships, and readiness for life after graduation, which aligns with the interactionist perspective's emphasis on how individuals create meaning through social interaction and self-awareness. Using a descriptive-comparative design, the study employed the Retreat and Recollection Perception Scale (RRPS), an instrument with four domains: Self-Perception and Personal Reflection, Values and Purpose, Relationships and Community, and Moving Forward. The instrument was found to be both valid and reliable. Data were gathered from 256 graduating students who participated the activity. The responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and group comparison tests. Results showed a very high overall mean score, indicating that the retreat activity was perceived as meaningful and transformative. Students reported greater self-understanding, stronger values, improved relationships, and more optimism about the future. This supports the functionalist view that education and related activities serve a key function in transmitting core societal values and fostering social cohesion and integration. A significant difference was observed by age, with younger students giving higher ratings, while gender, religion, and institute showed no significant variation. These findings affirm that retreats foster holistic development and inclusivity, highlighting their role in preparing students emotionally, socially, and spiritually for life after college, thereby facilitating a smoother transition into adult roles as described in Transition Theory.
Copyright (c) 2025 Edel Quinn Casis, Glenford Franca, Abdullah Mangulayon, Jona Jean Delos Santos, Aldwin Miranda (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
A Jesus-centered values education theory and method offers a uniquely inclusive framework that transcends the relativism of cultural and religious pluralism. Unlike pluralistic approaches that affirm inclusivity by embracing all cultures and religions as equally valid, a Jesus-centered approach grounds inclusivity in the universal and unifying historical truth of Jesus’ life and teachings. This anchors values in human reality that invites scrutiny. Jesus, a revered figure in major religions embraced diversity while fostering unity based on love for neighbor as one loves oneself, affirming common values of humanity, love, justice, and peace. Such inclusivity is holistic; integrating spiritual, moral, and communal dimensions, in a way that empowers individuals from all backgrounds to flourish together under a unifying moral vision that transcends cultural divisions without negating their particularities. Jesus-centered values education affirms truth-seeking as a supreme value, that at the same time serves to critique and affirm cultures towards universally acceptable postulates.
Copyright (c) 2025 Lily Apura (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Ecological Crisis as a Moral Crisis: A Thomistic Reflection on Environmental Issues
This essay presents a theological reflection that demonstrates how the global ecological crisis is, in fact, a moral crisis in light of St. Thomas Aquinas' theological treatises on the natural moral law and the common good. It will assert two fundamental theological assumptions: (1) that the created world, which God created and through which God makes himself known and can be known, is naturally governed by order to serve the common good for all other creatures, including man, and; (2) that man, as a microcosm, is divinely mandated to care for the planet, and is likewise morally responsible and accountable before God if he fails to true to this fundamental vocation. To demonstrate this, the present work will be divided into three main parts. First, the intersection between theology and ecology should be established, as the planet – our "common home" – serves both a natural and supernatural revelatory function in relation to the will of God. Secondly, it will briefly present pertinent data that describe the planet's current state, as well as the historical development of the crisis in question. This will somehow include the pastoral teachings of the Church regarding the environment and the ecological crisis (i.e., Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical Laudato Si' and the pastoral letters of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines). Thirdly, the principles of Aquinas on the natural moral law and the common good will be presented to demonstrate that this crisis and its causal factors primarily and grossly violate the will of God.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ted Patrick Tuvera (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Integrating Spirituality into Athlete Care: Enhancing Holistic Well-being through Theological Approaches
While athlete care has historically paid great attention to physical health, performance enhancement, and psychological resilience, little attention is given to the spiritual dimension, considering that this is also a critical component of overall human well-being. In this study, I make a case for incorporating spirituality into the care of athletes from a theological perspective that seeks to cultivate mental, emotional, and physical resilience. I aim to investigate whether faith-based practices help sustain athletes and mitigate moral dilemmas. Furthermore, by citing historical and recent examples, I will also illustrate how faith-based mindfulness practices, spiritual mentorship, and community can help enhance a player's mental health, ultimately leading to improved performance. Tools such as centering prayer, lectio divina, and spiritual journal practices are examined through a theological framework to explore their impact on optimal attentional focus, emotional regulation, and coping in the student-athlete. Moreover, this study also suggests a structured spiritual module range for student-athletes, encompassing regularity and disciplinary areas related to typical exercise, along with peer support and exercises that promote ethical decision-making, thereby creating an environment conducive to personal/professional growth. This interdisciplinary paper proposes an integrative model for athlete care that merges theological reflections and sports science to provide coaches, psychologists, and pastoral caregivers with salient guidelines.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hansson Labisig (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Social Theories in Climate Change: An Analysis of the Agricultural Productivity of Farmers in the Municipality of Bustos
The Philippines is an agricultural country where farm products are vital to economic growth and food security. From a Structural Functionalist perspective, the Philippines' agricultural sector serves as a critical subsystem for maintaining societal equilibrium and food security, yet this stability is currently undermined by environmental dysfunctions. Using Social Ecology theory, the vulnerability of arrowroot and rice farmers in Bustos, Bulacan highlights the precarious relationship between human labor and a volatile climate, where extreme weather events disrupt the traditional "metabolic rift" between rural production and national consumption. Human Capital Theory suggests that while farmers possess indigenous knowledge, a "knowledge gap" in climate-resilient crop selection and information dissemination limits their adaptive capacity and threatens their socioeconomic survival. Moving forward, Risk Society theory explains that agricultural instability is no longer just a natural occurrence but a manufactured risk requiring institutional intervention to prevent total systemic collapse of food stability. This study employed descriptive research to examine the impacts of climate change on agriculture. Findings indicate that climate change has adverse effects on farm yields. Important predictors include farmers’ training, knowledge, awareness of global warming, preparation levels, and access to climate-related information. However, two critical areas remain underemphasized: proper selection of climate-resilient crop varieties and effective dissemination of climate change information to farming communities. The practical implication of this research is clear: rice and arrowroot production are increasingly vulnerable to climate variability, leading to reduced supply and potential threats to food stability in the Philippines.
Copyright (c) 2025 Romar C. Ignacio, MTE (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
A Framework for Understanding Thanatourism Motivation and Behavior in Corregidor Island: Basis for Strategic Intervention Programs
This article examined how visitor attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, core components of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), correlate with demographic characteristics to influence the behavioral intention to engage in Thanatourism. It aimed to analyze and contrast the distinct motivations, expectations, experiences, demographic differences and correlations of visitors using this theory for understanding why people visit dark tourism sites like Corregidor and how they behave there, focusing on motivations and behavior. Using data from 75 respondents at Corregidor Island, the findings can be interpreted through the Push-Pull theory of tourism motivation, which posits that people are driven by internal forces (push factors) and attracted by external attributes of a destination (pull factors). The results indicate that "learning and understanding history" and "curiosity" served as primary push motivations, while the island's historical and cultural significance were strong pull factors. Tourists rated unique learning experiences (4.10), casual interest (3.93), and engaging entertainment (3.87) as important motivators, while "dark experiences" were rated as neutral (2.96). These key findings indicate that while motivations are diverse, they shift with age towards historical understanding and differ based on visitor origin. The research concludes that these motivations are complex, diverse, context-dependent, and shaped by a mix of personal and demographic factors.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jamie Abad (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Human Rights in the Time of Pandemic: Policies, Transgressions, and Opportunities
The Corona Virus Disease – 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the perceived order of societies on a global scale. This extraordinary public health emergency exposed the vulnerabilities of peoples and institutions, particularly the fragility of the social order and existing inequalities, as highlighted by conflict theory. As a response, governments initiated containment measures to secure the well-being of their citizens. These policies represent a societal effort toward restoring equilibrium and maintaining essential social functions in the face of crisis. This study examines the responses of the Philippine government using a structural functional analysis (positivism) of the policies related to the pandemic. This approach views society as a system with interdependent parts that work together to ensure its survival, where policies serve a specific function in maintaining social stability. The Siracusa Principles were used to enhance the functional evaluation of the laws that were crafted. Phenomenology, a micro-sociological approach, was used to treat the experiential inferences, emphasizing the lived experiences and subjective interpretations of the pandemic by individuals. A structured interview schedule was devised to generate responses from the medical frontliners and the Philippine National Police, key actors whose roles and interactions were dramatically reshaped by the crisis. The City of Manila and Quezon City were considered as study sites. The results of the study examined the policies that sought to address the health crisis as well as its corresponding legislative counterparts in the local government relative to planning, aids, and funding, illustrating how various social structures adapted to perform their necessary functions in a time of widespread disruption.
Copyright (c) 2025 Frederick Rey (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Exegesis on John 2:1-11: The Wedding at Cana: Interpreting the Miracles in Our Life
The passage of the wedding at Cana is a unique Gospel passage, which can only be seen in the Gospel of St. John. In reading such a passage, we can see how Jesus did his first miracle – turning water into wine. Such a scene in the Gospel shows the drama of a mother and a son, showing the parental authority of Mary to Jesus. In the same manner, this passage is full of emotions since there is a wedding feast, Mary is there assisting the servants, and Jesus replied to Mary, which seems to be a kind of hostility. Though Jesus is already with some disciples, we can see how he performed a miracle, showing his divinity, and at the same time, following her mother’s request, which shows his humanity. At first glance, we can say that there is a hesitation in Jesus’ side when it comes to the request of Mary, but there is also an internal force, which made Jesus follow his mother’s request. Jesus’ disciples saw the miracle. Jesus obeyed his mother, and the servants saw what happened. The host was grateful for having the best wine. These emotions manifest multiple events that happened in a single event in the Gospel. Thus, St. John’s Gospel can be said to be full of signs and unique events on the portrayal of the life of Jesus.
Copyright (c) 2025 Renniel Jayson Jacinto Rosales (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Forging Souls for the Beta Generation: Reconstructing Values-Based Education in the Algorithmic Age
This article, adapted from a keynote address prepared and delivered to the educational community by the authors, explores the critical challenges and imperatives in shaping the character and instilling values within the "Beta Generation"—children growing up fully immersed in the digital and algorithmic environment. Drawing on expertise in the digital economy and referencing contemporary technological trends in China and global research, the paper identifies four major "Digital Fault Lines" in values-based education: Cognitive Fragmentation, Empathy Erosion, Moral Fog, and Cultural Archipelagos. Sociologically, these fractures are understood as manifestations of rapid social change and technological determinism, which disrupt established agents of socialization (family, school) and challenge the existing moral order (Durkheim’s concept of anomie) by creating new forms of digital inequality and social isolation. The study argues that the observed Empathy Erosion, for instance, reflects a breakdown in social cohesion necessary for maintaining a functional society. It then proposes an architectural reconstruction of four essential pillars—Depth Over Velocity, Woven Empathy, Moral Calisthenics, and Coded Conscience—to transform these fractures into foundations for Authentic Intelligence. The article argues that addressing these challenges is not merely an educational concern, but a strategic imperative vital for the future of human flourishing and the preservation of collective consciousness through the responsible transmission of ancestral virtue.
Copyright (c) 2025 Xiaoming Yi, Venicris Alonsozana (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Towards Inclusive Disability Theology: A Critical Analysis in the Context of the Vision of Synodality
While Disability Theology seeks to address the real and urgent challenges faced by persons with disability, important aspects often remain overlooked. While Disability Theology critically examines the social, structural, and ecclesial exclusion of persons with disability, it can sometimes neglect and even be antagonistic toward other experiences and perspectives that are incongruent or even connected to disability, resulting in a somewhat exclusive and limited theological stance. This gap and other emerging concerns call for a more inclusive and holistic approach to Disability Theology, which embraces not only the welfare of persons with disability but also the fullness of humanity by its vision, affirming the dignity and participation of all individuals regardless of ability. Employing the thematic analysis in the light of the ecclesial principle of synodality, this article contends that Disability Theology must present a hopeful and promising vision that is genuinely inclusive, participatory, and reflective of the entire Body of Christ. Based on review of relevant literature on disability from various perspectives to assess its inclusivity and examining whether the current model of Disability Theology is genuinely inclusive, it is lacking. Consequently, for Disability Theology to address the phenomenon of disability adequately, it must incorporate Pope Francis’ synodal approach and content. This endeavor is significant in enhancing the existing model of Disability Theology, steering it toward a more inclusive framework.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ser Allan Bodoraya (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Pro Tutela Fidei: St. Paul of Chartres's Missionary Zeal during the American Colonization of the Philippines(1904–1946)
The United States’ benevolent assimilation of the Philippines in the 1898 Treaty of Paris led to a huge backlash against the three centuries of Hispanic Catholicism in the country. Consequently, Protestant missionaries and the Aglipayans flourished in the archipelago while a huge number of Filipinos started to deflect from the Catholic faith. This colonial transition entailed protecting Catholicism and the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres (SPC) were among those who responded to the call of evangelization, dedicating themselves to education, care of the sick, and Catholic ministry among the underprivileged. The SPC Sisters were the first of European congregations to come to the Philippines with their missionary efforts during the American rule, forging a collective narrative of how the Church struggled and grappled with the social issues of the times. This study utilized interviews and dutifully examining the archives of the congregation to trace SPC’s journey in that period, chronicled the congregation’s odyssey as it relentlessly displayed evangelical zeal, courage, and valor while taking on the challenge of Pro Tutela Fidei (for the protection of the faith).
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres
Copyright (c) 2023 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Riting the Life Cycle: Academic Approaches and Conceptual Considerations
In this short article, I would like to offer some reflections and commentary on various academic approaches to understanding the life cycle.1 I would specifically like to consider what kinds of questions scholars can ask about the rites or rituals that mark the life cycle—questions that can perhaps help us see and feel afresh the shape and texture of otherwise familiar practices. What grounds PASR is its commitment to collegial scholarly inquiry, and that shared commitment necessarily includes openness to different methodological approaches and backgrounds: some members of PASR are theologians, some are sociologists or anthropologists, and some members are from disciplines in the humanities that focus on the learning of languages and the careful study of texts. I happen to be from a religious studies background, and have found that the way in which religious studies is understood varies depending upon the academic culture in which it is situated. And so, in the spirit of dialogue that PASR seeks to foster, I would like to share something from my academic background as a scholar of religion, trained in an American setting,
Challenges and Coping Mechanisms of Students with Parental Separation
This paper studied the common challenges of twelve students from a public high school in Batangas and their shared personal coping mechanisms from broken family life situation specifically due to parental separation. The consequences to the students’ social, academic, financial, emotional, psychological and spiritual dimensions were determined. The data of this Narrative Qualitative Research which came from one-on-one in-depth interview and non-verbal responses showed how their experience having a parental separation situation affected their life which led to their personal strategies to survive its struggles. The findings revealed that students have a lot of untold stories relative to the dimensions and they managed to cope with these challenges primarily through spiritual interventions. In conclusion, students with broken family are indeed challenged but good socially, inspired academically, able to manage financially, tough emotionally, winning psychologically, and has hope spiritually. Though students face different challenges in life, making God their inspiration, source of comfort and strength in facing the challenges in the family is the most ideal coping mechanism recommendation.
Copyright (c) 2024 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Flagellation and Crucifixion: The Yearly Lenten Vow in San Pedro Cutud, San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines
This paper discusses “Flagellation & Crucifixion: The Yearly Lenten Vow in San Pedro Cutud, San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines. It uses qualitative methodology utilizing triangulation techniques. Findings are their petitionary- vow fulfillment, i.e., a vow of sacrifice and penitence and at the same time a petition of prayer for the following reasons: For good health / long life, for prosperity, their vow of sacrifice or penitence as a family, forgiveness of sins. In conclusion, the yearly Lenten vow in San Pedro Cutud is deeply rooted in their history as a community whose tradition of penitence is a serious vow faithfully fulfilled every Lenten week. The challenge now is the sustainability of their beliefs and the spirit of the Lenten practices.
Exploring the Laity’s Mission in the Philippines in the Light of the New Testament Mission: A Missiological Inquiry
This paper delves into the role and mission of the laity within the context of the Philippines, drawing insights from the New Testament’s perspective on mission. The research employs a missiological framework to investigate the extent to which the laity actively engages in and contributes to the mission of the Church in the Philippines. This study comprehensively analyzes the laity’s mission and its significance for the Philippine church context by examining biblical teachings, historical precedents, and contemporary practices. The findings of this research contribute to the scholarly discourse on missiology and provide practical insights for empowering the laity to effectively participate in the mission of the Church, thereby fostering holistic transformation and renewal within Filipino society. The missiological and theological aspects of the research will be used to interpret the Philippine Context of where we find the laity. This study follows the triple “R” steps: Reality, Reflection, and Response or the See, Judge, and Act steps of contextual research. This research looks into the present situation or context of Filipino laity’s awareness and involvement in the Church’s mission in the Philippines. This context, which is a product of the study on the 500 years of Christianity, is interpreted and evaluated in the light of the Church’s teachings on mission. The present context of the missionary outreach of the Filipino laity in their missionary outreach in the light of the New Testament. Lastly, a missionary praxis for the laity is here proposed.
Rethinking Missions Strategies in the Context of Globalization: A Call for Interconnectivity
Globalization is a multi-dimensional and deeply enmeshed reality that transformed the world. Globalization occupies a global space that has intensified global interconnectivity, integration of markets, and global interdependence. Globalization sets the stage for global interconnectivity and convergence among peoples, cultures, religions, and ecology. As such, contemporary globalization is creating a new space for the mission of the Catholic Church that seeks interconnectivity. It has brought about a vast web of interactions and increased connectivity in every aspect of life, especially the Christian life and mission. This study argues that in the context of globalization, there is a need to rethink the Catholic Church’s mission strategies by exploring globalization as a new space of mission in this contemporary context that calls for interconnectivity. Primarily, this study discusses the phenomenon of globalization by understanding how it presents a profound and systemic change in mission today. Subsequently, an exploration of the aspects of globalization in relation to culture, economy, religion, and ecology is presented. Finally, an analysis of globalization and its consequences on the mission is discussed.
Cross Communion Paradigm: Reimagining Liberation Theology from the Perspective of the Catholic Church
Theology of Liberation is regarded as an essential elaboration and concrete theological reflection of the Second Vatican Council. As part of the development of mission in the modern world, theology aids the Church in responding beyond the option for the poor project and to discern and act on situations other than economic issues. However, theology is often associated with leaning toward ideologies deviating from the Church and shrouds the possibility of formulating a theology aligned with it. This paper intends to present a theology of liberation affiliated with Church teachings toward a proposed Cross Communion paradigm. The framework will utilize the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the Cross model: the vertical aspect focuses on communion with God with the spiritual, magisterial, and transcendental dimensions, and the horizontal element focuses on communion with society and its sociological, temporal, and historical dimensions. Founded on the Scriptures and the teachings of liberation, elaboration of the concept of freedom, and the Social Teachings of the Church, the paradigm presents distinguishing elements responding to a form of split-level Christianity that reduces faith to verticalism or horizontalism and Marxist tendencies in theology. Also, analysis of general views of liberation from theological and non-theological perspectives, aligned or not aligned with the Church’s teachings.
Copyright (c) 2025 Christopher Esparagoza, Pablito, Jr. Baybado (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Religious Coexistence in Lebanon: Messages and Lessons
The Lebanese society is structured according to religious confessions. In a country of 10,452 km², Lebanon has 18 religious confessions officially recognized by the Constitution. Some of these religious groups came to Lebanon searching in its mountainous landscape for a safe and peaceful refuge away from persecutions. In other words, it was the arduous landscape that has attracted all those who sought to freely live their political and religious beliefs. They preferred the harsh life in the mountains, over the comfort of city life, just to preserve and defend their religious beliefs and their cherished freedom. Over the years, and due to the religious diversity that developed in this country, Lebanon has become a "mosaic of religions": But any mosaic is fragile by definition. Salah Stetie¹ wrote "this land of mountain and high plateau has always attracted rebels: those who refuse to bend to the ideas of the current reigning and dominating ideology. Here, sheltered by the magnificent rocks and the narrow valleys... you can say "No" to those trying to make you say "Yes" when you do not wish to".
Copyright (c) 2013 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Nigerian Pentecostal Churches in the UK: Community Identity and Aspects of Boundary Maintenance
A measure of contemporary academic work has come to rigorously challenge the conventional view that in Western liberal democracies there is an observable narrowing of the fissure between the secular public square and the religious domain of faith communities. It is in the public sphere, so it is frequently presently argued, where religion can be seen as establishing a common space in the context of diversity and pluralism. This paper engages with such theorising by considering a relatively fresh wave of black Christian revivalism in the UK, a form of Pentecostalism originating in West Africa and subsequently transported to a localised setting of diaspora. The paper will conjecture that the churches involved conform to early academic surveys which interpret Pentecostalism as principally a means by which a black ethnic community is able to adapt and respond to social marginalisation and in doing so construct elements of boundary maintenance with mainstream society and the public sphere. The discussion will be with reference to the largest church of its type in the UK, the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Local Actors, Global Actors: The Neo-Pentecostalists in Central America
This paper analyses the interactions of networks in connection with the modes of functioning of the neo-Pentecostal churches. From these interactions emerges the central figure of the minister, who articulates the local, transnational and global dimensions in a specific manner. Due to these networks the central actor - the minister-is in a position to incorporate into this mechanism all external contributions centred around these networks. Beyond the person of the minister, the articulation of the local and the global and their resulting redistributions constitute the centre of the analysis of the research carried on in different Latin American countries (in particular, Guatemala).
The Religious Factor in the Global World: Indicator and Modality of Management
Our point of departure is Michel de Certeau's statement that when the politics weakens, the religious returns. However, when it returns, it is not the same. The first function of its re-appearance is to emphasise such a severe deficit of politics that it cannot, so to speak, be expressed. Hence the recourse to religion as is shown in the situation of the generalised fluidity of signifiers and markers by the articulation of simultaneous urgency and impossibility to build up a renewed relation of totality. This central problematics (the religious factor as indicator and management mode) will be explored through certain hypotheses considered to be particularly important: the production, via religion, of an individuation that is compatible with the process of globalization that is taking place in the contemporary world; - the management, through religion, of the re-articulation of the changing relations between the individual-community-universal; - the establishment, through religion, of a renewed relation to politics.
Framing Dakwah: Frame Alignment Process and Kammi's Struggle for a Sacred Society
This paper aims to provide an empirical understanding of frame alignment processes in a contemporary Indonesian Islamic social movement organization (SMO). Field research on KAMMI a Muslim students' organization provides the primary empirical foundation for four frame alignment processes: (1) value amplification; (2) transformation of domain-specific interpretative frame; (3) frame extension, and; (4) frame bridging. Discussion toward framing context in this particular case will provide empirical evidences about how certain SMO formulated its strategies to mobilize its potential participants. Additionally this paper reveals the activists' point of view upon what currently known as Islamization tendency of Indonesia's society. In this case, KAMMI movement can be classified as a mixture of religious and political movement, and the main goal of the movement is to overcome Indonesia's crises. Here, moral degradation has been blamed by KAMMI activists as the main source of various socio-political problems. KAMMI activists believe that it can be solved through dakwah (proselytizing) movement, through which they argue Islamic values as suitable remedy to construct sacred society. In KAMMI movement, the activists use and implement the Islamic values under the umbrella of Islamic revivalist, and characterize their movement as significant religious duty.
Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) Involvement and its Relation to the Spiritual Growth of the Filipino Urban Youth
This research endeavors to describe the involvement of a selected group of Catholic Filipino youth in Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) and how such involvement contributes to their spiritual growth. The BEC has been integrated by some of the parishes in Metro Manila Area in their respective systems to mobilize manpower and enhance people involvement through the grassroot-level of evangelization. Utilizing the purposive sampling method, the researcher worked with the youth of Sagrada Familia Parish (Caloocan City), Sta. Quiteria Parish (Novaliches City) and San Jose Agudo Parish (Quezon City). Youth involvement was measured based on the length of membership in the BEC. Indicators of spiritual growth were incorporated in the survey questionnaires, with subscales on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The researcher-made instrument was content-validated by an expert in the BEC. It was also pre-tested and shown to have a correlation coefficient of 0.824. Results of the survey indicate that involvement of the youth in BEC has a weak correlation to their spiritual growth. Benefits gained from community involvement, areas for improvement, and recommendations were threshed out in a Focus Group Discussion conducted for the three (3) represented communities.
Copyright (c) 2016 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
El Renascimento: Unveiling the Metaphorical Meaning of Bathala
The author attempts to unravel the tenets of modernism versus the tenets of postmodernism and how the principles of the latter become popular especially with the onset of post colonial studies. This paper explores the effects of the proliferation of postmodernist paradigm that led to the creation of various indigenization movements to those societies which were once colonized like the Philippines. It mainly highlights the revival of the ancient Filipino system of belief on Bathala (Bahala), the ancient Filipino Supreme God through the interpretation of the symbols of Baybayin, the ancient Filipino system of writing. This paper finally addresses the need for a discourse on the renaissance of the precolonial culture in the Philippines particularly in the field of religion. Thus, by uncovering the meaning of Bathala, this author believes that the present Filipino generation will be able to understand and appreciate the roots of their spirituality.
Learning from the Navajo: Rethinking Religion for a Post-Colonial Era
This address explores the importance of generating concepts from non-Euro-American religious spaces to understand religions worldwide. As an example, it shows how the Navajo concept of hózhǭ highlights the socially transformative role of experience in religious settings — something that Euro-American sociologies typically fail to grasp. It then argues that such insights are of universal rather than of parochial importance. A truly post-colonial sociology needs to put treat insights from all societies, cultures, and civilizations as potential sources of understanding.
Copyright (c) 2025 James Spickard (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Constructing a Counter-Memory: A Proposition to Atrocities and Historical Apathy to the Martial Law Experience in the Philippines
People construct cultural memory from how they make sense of past experiences through texts, oral tradition, artifacts, or symbols that are passed down from generation to generation. Cultural memory crystallizes people’s shared experiences and gives generations a sense of collective identity. But in the Philippines, a spirit of indifference has permeated the current generation, so the long-standing trauma of martial law from Marcos’ excesses seems to have become “more tolerable.” Democracy advocates were on the defensive as Marcos and his band of supporters reconstructed cultural memories of the martial law era into legitimate ones. This paper argues for the need to create a counter-memory to correct the historical distortions that permeate Philippine society.
Decoding the Elementary Forms of Social Exchange in Philippine Politics
Considering the interplay of cost and reward as the basis of human interaction, this research is designed to elaborate on the nature and structure of social exchanges in Philippine politics. It is assumed that the appropriation of rewards and benefits impacts the actor’s behavior or the behavior is modified (Baldwin and Baldwin, 1986 p. 6) based on the understanding of past and anticipated consequences. The cost and benefit analysis are used to render a thorough analysis of the social behavior between and among political actors in the Philippines. It is argued that the virtue of a theory depends on its capacity to generate assumptions about the social world. Thus, this research, attempts to test the five propositions perceived by Homans (1961) as the foundations of sociability. These propositions were validated to generate a scientific blueprint of the dynamics of human interaction as participants strive to achieve a balance in the ecology of power relations. The project seeks to elaborate on how social bonds are built, maintained, or broken in politics. Qualitative research techniques were employed to explore and explain the phenomenon using the narratives of elected officials, party officers, political advisers, and leaders of politically inclined organizations that supported politicians during the election season. Interestingly, this study theorizes about the basis of political interaction in the country by looking into the costs and benefits of politics, the occasions when actors get punished or rewarded, consequences when actors failed to value the reward accumulated from a political interaction, misappropriation of rewards and punishments, and what drives actors to choose one response over other alternative course of actions.
Myanmar Historiography in the Pre-colonial Period
Historiography is the writing of history, and obviously, there could be several motives that prompt a writer to produce a work of history. In Myanmar, historiography starts with the writing style of royal autographed so-called Rajavamsa that explained only a chronology in the 16th century. The Chronicles described the continuous registers of events in order of time and events around the Myanmar kings. The prose chronicles are called in Myanmar, Yazawin (in Pali) or Chronicle of kings. Chronicles can be analyzed that there are many reasons and objectives for writing this historical record. This style of historiography flourished under the auspices of the kings or provincial governors until the downfall of the Myanmar monarchy in 1886. The 19th century, which marked the highest stage of development in writing Chronicles, was an age of official chroniclers. The compilers were very scholarly and learned; hence, one of the great merits of the chronicles lies in their literary qualities. In my paper, I would like to explore the transformation of the style of historiography in the Burmese language and the presence of an outstanding local Chronicle.
Caring for the Filipino Elderly: A Revisit to the Document “The Dignity of Older People and their Mission in the Church and the World”
The issue of older people, their roles, and their challenges in the church and society are among the most pressing issues in the Philippines and many parts of the world today. United Nations reported that the proportion of older people in the world’s population is now at ten percent and is steadily increasing. The figure is significantly higher in developed countries, increasing the demand for elderly caregiving for family members and health providers. This research paper aims to understand older people, their value, dignity, and mission in the church and society, in the light of the document “The Dignity of Older People and their Mission in the Church and the World,” published by The Pontifical Council for the Laity on October 1, 1998. The specific objective is to revisit, understand and develop a sense of empathy for the elderly to provide selfless love and kindness, consonant with the older people’s dignity as a human person. This qualitative research study uses the contextual method of analysis. Previous and similar studies on older persons will be articulated and used to understand the older persons’ experience in the Filipino context. In the field of knowledge, this research paper can foster one’s appreciation of the dignity of older persons and their potential roles and contributions to the church and society. The paper concludes by highlighting that older people shall be accorded the utmost care and respect consonant with their dignity as human persons.