CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

Dr. Dennis Nordine

Baptist Theological College

Prof Lydia Mapile

Asian Theological Seminary

Ms. Gladys Mangiduyos

Wesleyan University-Philippines

Ptr. Jerson Narciso

Central Philippine University

Mr. Robert Del Rosario

International School of Theology

Ms. Cora Navarra

Asian School of Development and Cross-Cultural Studies

Prof. Anita T. Leyson

Philippine Christian University-Union Theological Seminary

Coordinator

Introduction

Christian Education in the Philippines dates back to its first colonizers, the Spanish conquistadores, who brought with them in 1521 their political system that was closely intertwined with their religion, an education that taught the Catholic doctrine, medical mission and social services. It is worth mentioning that the oldest university established in the country, the University of Sto. Tomas, is even older than the oldest university in America. Together with this were boys’ and girls’ schools like Letran, Colegio de San Agustin, Sta. Isabel College, University of San Ignacio and University of San Carlos, established by the different religious congregations like the Dominicans, Recollects, the Daughters of Charity, the Jesuits, and many more.

When the Americans came to the Philippines in 1898, the occupation had with it another package of political, socio-cultural, economic, and welfare systems. If the Spanish colonization was very strong in the role of religion, the American regime was characterized by a stronger role of the government in almost all spheres of societal endeavor. For the first time in the history of Philippine colonization, public institutions were set up—be they in welfare or in education. Government hospitals were established, foremost of which was the Philippine General Hospital. The concept of public school saw its realization opening education to every one with elementary education made mandatory. Higher education during the period was purportedly aimed at the democratization of the Philippines according to American patterns, with emphasis on self-government, the propagation of the English language, the promotion of the dignity of labor, and the initiation of mass education as the base of enlightened democracy. On the other hand, Protestant American missionaries started to make a dent in their evangelization efforts with the establishment of churches and bible schools. It should be noted, however, that the Bible came to the Philippines as early as 1828 and 1853 as recorded by the American Bible Society and the British and Foreign Bible Society respectively. However, the first account of its distribution in the country, the Gospel of Luke translated into the Pangasinense dialect, was in 1873. A few Filipinos also knew of some Catholic priests who obtained and read the bible. As a matter of fact, Fr. Jacinto Zamora, one of the Filipino martyrs executed by the Spanish government in1872, had given a copy of the Gospel of Matthew to a young Filipino who later became a Protestant evangelist. (Kwantes, 1998)

The first Protestant school recorded in the history of American occupation in the country was the Silliman University in Dumaguete City. The school celebrated its 100th year in 2001 with its graduates coming from all parts of the world. The University has its Divinity School and prides itself of being a Christian University in that part of the country. Other schools that were established by the American missionaries were the Central Philippine University (1905) which started as a school for boys, and later adding a school of theology (1929) under the Philippine Baptist Conference in Iloilo City, the Union Theological Seminary (1907) in Dasmarinas, Cavite, now a part of the Philippine Christian University (1946) that maintains two campuses, one in Manila and another in Cavite, The PCU is run by two big churches—the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines; the Wesleyan College (1946), now a University, in Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija, under the auspices of the UMC. Other Theological and Bible schools also came into being: the Harris Memorial Training School for women church workers, the FEBIAS College of Bible and the Ellinwood Bible School.

Another seminary that made a dent in the history of Christian Education in the Philippines was the St. Andrews Seminary that was established in the 1930s under the Episcopal Church in the Philippines. Secondary schools were also established bearing mark of Protestant missionaries. Together with us in this conference are representatives of other schools offering Christian Education as their main program: the Asian Theological Seminary, an international and interdenominational school established in 1969 and located in Quezon City; the Baptist Theological College (1958) located in Cebu and which started with a three-year training for pastor farmers; and, the International School of Theology located in Novaliches, Quezon City.

What should Christian Education be in the Tertiary Level?

Higher education refers to the formal layer of education beyond secondary education. It includes all colleges and universities offering baccalaureate and/or graduate degree programs as well as institutions offering vocational, technical and technician courses. These colleges and universities are-either public or private. The public schools are established by law, administered, supervised and financially supported by the government and are referred to as state universities or city colleges. . Private schools are established in accordance with law, duly authorized to operate educational courses by the Department, supported and maintained principally through tuition and other student fees, and owned and administered by a private person or a corporation. Private schools are further subdivided into sectarian and non-sectarian. The sectarian schools are run by religious organizations or denominations and offer a distinct type of Christian education depending on the orientation of the religious group that is running the institution. -

A University, or any school for that matter, is an institution that is engaged in the formation of the human being in the community. That, being its special function, the school is especially equipped to help in the training of the human mind so that the mind will pursue the truth and avoid falsehood, appreciate beauty, and learn to delineate what is good and what is bad (Nacpil, 1998). The school also develops the human person to acquire skills and find his place under the sun, earn his living and contribute his own good to the community of which he is a part.

Where, now, does Christian education come in?

Every person who has had the exposure in a Christian institution of learning believes in the unifying philosophy of education, which regards all truth as one with God as its author, no matter, that science would refute it. This philosophy is given flesh as the school begins to acquaint students with God and His truth in all aspects so as to effect in them a well-rounded growth fit for a useful life in the community and the nation. The school, therefore, shall stand for high moral principles, for service, and for the application of Christian teachings to all human affairs.

From a theological perspective, education means the liberation of humankind from sin to have a free and fuller life. Christian Education derives its philosophy from the imperatives of the Bible, that is, the human person was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) endowed with inherent worth and dignity and tasked with ruling and caring functions over all creations (Genesis 1:26-28; Ps. 8:4-8). Education should be governed by a realization of the worth and sacredness of the human being, and as such, should aim at the full growth in stature, in mind, body and spirit of each person (Camba, 1998).

The liberating context of education should find itself in the following:

1) Freedom from the imposition of other culture into The total educational process. Long years of colonization resulted to the alienation of Filipinos from their own cultural heritage. The Christian family is undergoing a lot of changes with long treasured values being set-aside because of Western ideas, technological advances, globalization, political, educational, and social revolution. The medium of instruction, which is the English language, all the more influenced the mind, trimming it down into what is beautiful in the English language.

2) The marginalized sector of the population need to be liberated from their continuing alienation from the normal stream of society. There is too much unequal distribution of wealth and services. If our Christian schools will be true to their mission, then the curricula should be reflective of Jesus’ preferential love for the poor and powerless.

3) Freedom from selfishness. Christian education should concern itself with the social realities of our time. Webber (1998), as cited by Lydia Mapile in her dissertation, defines social concern as the application of Christian worldview to the political, legislative, economic, and moral life of society and individuals. It actively promotes justice and morality, and speaks of five educational tasks, namely, the act of representing of speaking on behalf of powerless or advocacy; organizing communities that encourage and empower people; evangelism; worship; and, service (Pazmino, 1994).

Following the foregoing discussion, let us now sum up what Christian Education should be in the academic community:

1. Christian Education must aim toward total formation of the individual—both in his mental, physical and spiritual being.

2. Fully cognizant of the person’s worth and dignity, Christian education must be liberating. It should aim toward liberating the individual from all forms of enslavement—poverty, ignorance, western influences that are inimical to the preservation of his/her own culture.

3. Christian education should aim at genuine service to the poor, the deprived and the oppressed by being socially aware, concerned and responsible.

4. Church-related schools, when their aim is definitely Christian, can be regarded as a vital part of the program of church’s evangelistic outreach and at the same time a valuable agency in the preparation of young people for responsible citizenship:

Where are we-in the Implementation of a Christian Education Program?

With the foregoing as our framework, let us take a closer took at Christian Education in our own schools. The Philippine delegation is composed of seven members—three from Christian Universities₁ three from Theological Schools, and one from a School of Developmental -and Cross-cultural Studies. Poring over the vision and mission statements of these institutions, we see some commonalities and converging points. In summary, the following highlight the uniqueness of each school.

1) Central Philippine University—A university committed to exemplary Christian education for life and responsive to the needs of the total person and the world. Its philosophy of education is directed towards the search for truth for the wholeness of life through the creative interaction between knowledge and faith. Its commitment to the proclamation of the Good News finds itself in word and deed through classroom instruction and research, effective Christian service by its administrators and highly committed and competent personnel, Christian ministry, evangelism and mission program and campus ministry as a major work of the Chaplaincy office, University Church, Religious and Ethics Department, Gospel Teams, school organizations, community outreach and socio-cultural-environmental concerns, and the training of pastors. As a Christian University, it is ecumenical in its perspective believing that there can never be unity in doctrine but there can be unity in faith and love that transcends the barriers of creed, culture, and race.

2) Baptist Theological College—Its vision is the glorification of God by assisting churches - in training leaders to minister in all areas where God calls them to minister. Its Christian education curricula for its biblical and theological training are designed to develop in its students the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills which are required for effective ministry and respond to the changing cultural, social, spiritual environment in which the gospel -is to be carried out. As an educational institution, it implements a program that strengthens the Christian lives of its students through nurture; devotional life, exemplary Christian modeling coupled by a core of spiritually and educationally excellent faculty who are professionally trained, engaged in usable research and Christian ministry.

3) Asian Theological Seminary—The purpose of-the seminary is to glorify God by providing quality theological education to prepare workers for God’s Church in Asia. These workers include pastors, evangelists, bible teachers,, cross-cultural missionaries, local lay leaders and leaders in para-church ministries. Its theological education is grounded on the Scriptures that finds relevance in facing the pressing issues of the day as its trained workers serve as “salt and light” in this world. Its Christian education finds meaning in the theme: “Committed to the Word, Caring for the World:” While it fosters the highest standards of scholarship, it commits itself to mission and witness through communication of God’s truth to all mankind, engaging in holistic ministry to the needy and involvement in socio-political transformation, maintaining a sense of community that goes beyond our shore. The offering of a course in its curricula, which intertwines cross cultural studies and urban ministries, prepares its students to respond to societal changes including the current trend in urbanization.

4) Wesleyan University of the Philippines—It started as Philippine Wesleyan College, named after its founder, John Wesley, a spiritual, methodical, and disciplined scholar who demonstrated his faith by helping others. As an institution of learning, its vision for a dynamic society finds meaning in its mission to achieve scholarship, selfless service, and character. Its academic programs are geared toward training future leaders based on the enabling and empowering principles and teachings of Jesus Christ. With a collegial and democratic leadership, WU-P strives for excellence in all levels of educational endeavor—from the preschool to the graduate level—through a high standard of academic programs, quality instruction, adequate facilities, research and a core of faculty that inculcates in their students the capacity to integrate knowledge so that they will be resilient enough to face the realities of this fast changing world. WU-P has also made a dent in its service to the community through its outreach program and its special education for the rehabilitation of the handicapped. A strong integrated campus ministry and a school of theology further enhance its Christian education, which is infused into its academic curricula. The Wesley Divinity Seminary, which is located in the old Philippine Wesleyan College campus, trains future workers of the local churches under the auspices of the United Methodist Church. -

5) St. Andrew’s Seminary—The seminary started as a catechetical school in the 1930’s in response to the great need to train local church workers. Its first training school was put up in Sagada, Mountain Province, with three students underwent tutorial classes in Scriptures and church doctrine. The Seminary formally opened in 1947 in its Quezon City campus joining three other institutions, Trinity College, St. Luke’s Hospital and the Cathedral, all of which reflected the mission of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, namely, education, health care, spiritual nurture, and theological education for ministry. The seminary training was integrated with programs such as clinical pastoral education, urban industrial institute, and the rural service program. These gave the students opportunities for social and political involvement, interaction with their contemporaries in the Roman Catholic and Protestant seminaries, and exposure to the realities of communities and the streets, which were later, related to theology and the Scriptures. Despite financial setbacks in the last decade, the Seminary, which underwent some revisions in its Bachelor of Theology and Master of Divinity curricula, is seeing signs of recovery. It takes pride in its institute of liturgy and music and a Philippine-based ministry but without losing sight of its vocation in East Asia and the Pacific.

6) Philippine Christian University—Union Theological Seminary—Although the Union Theological Seminary was established several years before the Philippine Christian University, the merging of the two schools strengthened the vision of PCU as a distinctively Christian University, integrating faith, character and service, in building up and enhancing a quality of life. This somehow complements the Seminary’s vision of an empowering and relevant spiritual leadership for Christian mission and ministry through a learning process of understanding, interpreting and articulating the transformative character of the Christian faith, by being faithful to God’s call and responsive to people’s context and needs. Both the university and the seminary strive for academic excellence but fully grounded on the realities of the time and strong in their ecumenical orientation fully recognizing that the role of the school is to become a forum for the discussion of other religious tenets yet binding in the subject of faith. They take pride in a philosophy of education that is Filipino in character yet ecumenical in approach, strong in Christian value orientation with the integration of Christian formation and Christian Ethics in the curricula. Both have an active campus ministry, various student Christian organizations, and a community outreach program reaching out to cultural and urban communities.

7) Asian School of Development and Cross-Cultural Studies (ASDECS)—ASDECS envisions the creation of a mutually enabling environment that builds the capacities of individuals and organizations in generating faith-based and experience-grounded paradigms and fresh approaches to cross-cultural, tranformational development practices that are rooted in the Asian context. It is committed to the establishment of a training consortium specializing in both formal and non-formal education in the field of development and cross-cultural studies through courses that are integrative, practical and multi-disciplinary; a core of experienced faculty from the academe and from the field with intensive cross-cultural experience; formal courses for busy professionals who wish to sharpen their skills in development and cross-cultural work; the empowerment of grassroots communities by creating mobile teaching teams to deliver non-formal training in rural and urban poor sites. Using a two-fold strategy of training and research that integrates development, cross-cultural and missions studies, ASDECS aims toward the formation of Christian professionals interested in doing holistic mission in a way that is sensitive to both the social and cultural context of Asian peoples. It utilizes a modular approach, on the job research, and reflection sessions. It integrates holistic development and spiritual perspectives in its training with the end in view of using these perspectives in theory-building.

Let us look at the common elements present in the foregoing Christian schools of learning.

1) Christian education not only in the seminary but integrated into the curricula of their academic programs. -

2) Campus ministry that is inter-racial, inter-faith and socially relevant.

3) Ecumenical orientation

4) Community outreach program that is a true manifestation of the schools’ social concern.

5) Christian education that is Asian in context and distinctively Filipino in orientation.

6) Core values that include love of God and country, a sense of community, and service and ministry to the needy.

7) A striving toward academic excellence through a core of dedicated competent administration, faculty, and staff relevant programs, instruction, and resources

8) A sense of community where administration, faculty, staff and students form the locus of a university’s aspiration.

In the final analysis, there is the presence of Christian dimension in the universities, yet some nagging questions need to be answered.

Issues/Problems Faced by Christian Schools -

1. Can the schools truly strike a balance between academic excellence and a strong and distinct Christian outlook? In this time of rapid technological advances and globalization, is not the school pressured into taking this as a priority in its desire to produce academically equipped individuals and thus sacrifice the Christian dimension in its curriculum?

2. How strong is the Christian foundation of our schools in the Philippines to enable them to open their doors to other races, creeds, religious orientations? How is unity in diversity which is the essence-of ecumenism-best demonstrated without any fear of losing one’s identity-?.To what extent has ecumenism permeated university life?

3. Can a -Christian university truly show its concern for the poor, deprived and oppressed? Is the university willing and capable of investing part of its resources since the need of-this sector of society is not merely spiritual but also economic?

4. Is our campus ministry true to its stated mission of being the light and the salt in the campuses, making Christ alive and visible in the campus through the proclamation of the Word, education, nurture, sharing and caring so that every individual and the whole community may become living witnesses of God’s saving act in history? That campus ministry is people and not religion; it is being and doing, an exemplification of love and compassion for the helpless? That campus ministry is inter-faith,. inter-racial, participatory, and socially relevant? Can campus ministry unite learning and piety in ‘a Christian university?

5. If by academic discipline to claim knowledge it would require the following criteria: specific object of inquiry, method of inquiry, valid relationship to other disciplines, yield results that can be established by scientific method, and has a language of expression, would theology be able to meet the same criteria considering that God which is the object of theology does not appear as a phenomenon, He cannot be verified, He is not the result of an inquiry, no relationship with other disciplines, and has no meaningful language? Then, would this not negate after all what we have been talking about in terms of fusing academic learning and Christian perspective?

Conclusions and Recommendations

The Christian perspective is essential in the making of a genuine institution of learning despite the continuing debate on whether or not there can be a convergence between the tenets of Christianity and the academic elements of a university, the search for knowledge and truth that can only be done by a method of inquiry. The formation of the human mind requires a curriculum that is not merely empirical, contingent and relative, but one that is humanizing. The curriculum must aim at the development of the human being fully cognizant of his/her worth and dignity as enunciated in the Scriptures. The academic curriculum must expose the person to the realities of the world giving his/her the option to respond to them magnifying therefore the liberating perspective of theology and ministry. With this conclusion, we would like to recommend the following:

1. The development of comprehensive academic curricula that balances between truth as a requirement of the academic disciplines, and truth as seen from a Christian perspective.

2. The promotion of a strong ecumenical program where the university serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas about the Christian faith in relation to other beliefs, for inter-religious dialogue. We need to see the Holy Spirit working through the diversity of the human experience. . . to embrace a vision of the future of the church as reconciled diversity. (Richard Wood, quoting Bishop Walter Cardinal Kaspar, in his speech as President of the United Board for Christian Higher Education, December 2001). The true meaning of ecumenism should be imbibed and practiced not only by administrators, faculty and staff, but also the students.

3. Strengthening of the Chaplaincy through a more active relevant campus ministry.

4. Strengthening the service orientation of the schools with the preferential option for the poor, the voiceless, the oppressed.

5. Continuous training of faculty, administrators and staff of the university not only academically but exposure to Asian social realities, the rapid changes in the Filipino family, reorientation to Christian education so that they may be able to do their tasks in the context of being Filipino, Asian, and being Christian.

Addendum to the Philippine Report

International School of Theology — Asia

ISOT is an interdenominational school of theology with a vision for the Church of Asia to be supplied with godly, reproducing servant leaders who would help spearhead a movement of God to fulfill the Great Commission of Christ in Asia and the world. The school tries to attain this vision by committing itself to the formation of servant leaders who have a passion for God and who possess the biblical knowledge, Christ-like character, and practical skills needed to help the Asian church fulfill the Great Commission in this generation.

Experiences in the formation of Church leaders were very encouraging although the school is not spared from some problems. It is to the credit of the school that it has in its faculty a group of dedicated and committed individuals who continue to serve and train students for the ministry despite its inability to pay their salary. Another strength of the school is its challenging classes due to the diversity of its students adopting therefore a curriculum that responds to the realities of the various cultures and religions. The formation of the Church leaders follows a two-pronged strategy—classroom instruction and a strong student discipleship program. This discipleship program includes an outreach program where both students and faculty go out to do practical field ministry, giving leadership training, conducting house-to-house evangelism, and seminars in various environs.

ISOT faces the challenge of having to uphold academic standards vis-à-vis its mission to develop future leaders who will be ministering in their own native language. Another constraint is financial since its faculty is responsible for their own support in order to be able to continue teaching without having to be burdened by the financial incapability of the school. Despite all these problems, however, ISOT continues to bear witness as a true school of God.