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Forgiving or forgetting
John J Carroll Bernadeth Y Pasco
John J Carroll
Bernadeth Y Pasco
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Abstract
Asia is a continent of diversity, which is going through many radical changes and the people at the grassroots level are demanding this change in all strata of life. In a sense, one could say that Asia has erupted and the people are demanding for sharing of power and resources on an equitable basis. The collapse of some of the autocratic states and overthrow of dictators in the Asian people’s cry for food, shelter, health service, clothing, education and security is aloud cry for life. It is the language of the poor and marginalized for justice and human rights. It is within this background that one has to read the report of John J Carroll. His is an attempt to share a historical account of the unfinished Philippine revolution and the role of the church, mainly from a Roman Catholic perspective. He tries to show us the struggle and the risks churches in the Philippines have had to take in order to be agents of change and reconciliation in a dehumanized society. In Asia, the Philippines is the only country where the majority of people claim to be Christians. The story and the experience of these people are important for Christians worldwide to learn lessons from their experiences and avoid mistakes. The church, which claims to be the body of Christ, has a God-given commission to be the presence of Christ in contemporary history. It is a divine mandate for mission and that involves to be the conscience of a nation and also to expose idols which try to take the place of the living God. In other words, the church is called to embody the mind of Christ and re-enact the life and ministry of Jesus in the world today. This is a costly ministry. The ministry of reconciliation and peace building are indeed costly and very often ridiculed and marginalized by the status quo and the powers that be. For the Christians this should not be a surprise as it is the story of Jesus Christ recorded in all four Gospels and preached by the church for centuries. I hope the story of the Philippine people and the church will give us the spiritual impetus to resist temptation to conform to this world but to become people who will dedicate their lives to transform the principalities and powers of this world that deny and destroy lives of millions of innocent people created in God's own image.
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Book
Date
2005
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9187748649
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With permission of the license/copyright holder