Asia Graduate School of Theology

# 54 Scout Madrinan St., Quezon City

This paper

An Epistemological understanding of faith between Roman Catholic and Protestant towards an

Emancipatory Religious Education

Is presented to:

Dr. Grace Shangkuan Koo

Professor

By:

Mervin B. Camatcho

Graduate Student

January 15, 2006

Date Submitted
 I. Introduction

In this study I would like to discuss the epistemic learning process of the community on faith and

effects of the methods of the religious teachings that the two major religions namely, Roman Catholic

and Protestant have tried. Also I wanted to show how these two main religions have influenced the

filipino community in the development of faith. Together with it after thorough investigation of their

level of influence to the community, I will introduce a new learning patterni.e., emancipatory religious

education that would emancipate the people in their box of deposite faith in order to appreciate others

faith come into dialogue with them as Christ wishes for the community.

The purpose of this study will be to:

1. Define the epistemic learning process of the community on faith

2. Discuss the models of religious teachings of Roman Catholic and Protestant,

3. Point out the degree of influence of their methods of religious teachings on faith to the

community,

4. Discuss emancipatory religious education,

5. And provide guidelines towards emancipatory religious education in the community

Sharan Merriam & Ralph Brocket. (1997). 77,82. The profession and practice of adult education:

an introduction. San Francisco California: Jossey-Bass Publisher. The objective of the education is

acknowledge the currents and cross-currents, critiques and countercritiques [that] abound in the

thought of a education in passe individuals and society, are to prosper, learning must continue

throughout life to enchance the quality of human life in all its personal and social dimension.
 In further acknowledgement of epistemology, I would include in the discussion the nature and

process epistemic discovery of knowledge and relevant relationship of it religious experriences as

defined by Mouw and Griffioen, ethnotheology- western-linear thinking or enlightenment rationalism

(Gener,2004).

An inermost reaction of the people belonging to other religions on differences varries so far

valid dialogue the use of the post modern approach/philosophy for ground leveling of differences is

important. For Schereiter, he posits that local theology is a more dynamic category than inculturation

and contextualization for religious dialogue (Gener, 2004).

Whenever the gospel is lived, whenever it is preached, we have have the obligation to search continually

for ways in which that good news can be more deeply lived, celebrated, and shared. This process is none

other than the process of inculturation inculturation refers to the correct way of living and sharing

ones Christian faith in a particular context of culture On the first level [it] is the ongoing way of

engeaging in Christian life and mission on the second level, the critical and reflective study of

culturation only makes sense if it leads back to and reinforces the vission that whenever Christians are,

they are inevitably and inescapably involved in the process of the inculturation that is, the living and

sharing of gospel values in a particular context with its own specific problems and possibilities (A

handbook on inculturation. New York: Paulist, 1990. 3).

 II. Epistemology and Faith

Background

Learning patttern of the Filipino community in relation to the faith

Before foreign colonizatio, Filipinos have had already their own ways of expressing their faith

and beliefs. For them the world is occupied by the spirits and these spirits intervene in mans daily life.

As an extentionof this belief or faith expression they have ways of classifying members of then spirit

world. Perhaps a good example of this is the expression on who God is, and what are His are his

subordinates?

The early filipinos believed in one principal and supreme God. The name of this supreme God

varies according to language of them. Each province of the philipppines has a name for its God e.g.,

Bicolanos named him Gugurang, Negritos called him Bulalakaw, Mangyans assigned name for him-

Mahal na Maka-ako (santos,32). In fact a prayer from a native region says,

Group Prayer of the (KALK)

Kapaatirang and Litaw na Katalinuhan

Aklat Dasalan (nuevo. 1948)

Amang Araw (solo Diyos)

Amang Araw ng Sangsinukob

Siyang tunay na solo Diyos

At matang nanganganinos
 Kami po ay iyong kupkop.

Hari ka ng daigdigan

Na walang nakakapantay

Ang ningning ng iyong ilaw

Sa sinukob siyang tanglaw

(Translation)

Father sun of the Universe,

The true and only God,

Whose eyes are fiery with brillance.

We are under your care.

You are King of the world,

You are without equal,

The brightnes of your light

On earth is our griding torch.

This prayer given above accomodates the culture that bears the communitys own spiritual expressions.

This also recognizes the communitys idea on hierarchical order of deities i.e., the primary God which is

concieve as the Bath and in his own great power controls the whole world; while the secondary deities

are composed of the spirits/spirit beings e.g., anitos, diwata, kapre etc.

The conception of these ideas on the primary and secondary deities as well as the religious

practices performed by individuals subsumed into the communitys life because the reason for this is to

appease the angry spirits. Now this learning is introduced by they babaylans/catalonans. The babaylans

and cataloana(they were regarded as the experts in the community)are not only tasked to heal

relationship between human beings and the spirit world. Their other tasks are (1) to provide help and

informationfor diagnosis and healing by means of dreams, vissions, and impressions which are accessed

through the spirit world, (2) to manipulate, obligate, or control the spirit world through rituals involving

the use of magical words, devices designated times, and formulas, and (3) to achieve psychic balance or

equilibrium in the community (Santos, 38). The babaylans and catalonans duties arent simply to

communicate to the spirits but also to preach and cure the sick.

Furthermore, when the Spaniards colonized the country, the filipinos faith turned upside down;

from animistic form of faith expressionto a rationalistic pattern of faith expression with a mixture of

subjectice experience through idol worship. Apparently, when the spanish frairs started to Christianize

the native Filipinos a doctrine on saints adoration and icon worship infuenced the religious life of the

natives. The pattern of worship also reached even the remotest part of Metro Manil, particarly the place

in Taguig.
 In this remote places, early filipinos offeredsacrifices to anitos (e.g., patron saints and their

reasons for this practice wasnt remotethey learned through observing their parents and elder in the

community and so they jusst followed what have had been imparted to them. One of these beliefs is the

bathala who is very trancendent so direct contact would be very impossible so they offered to the anitos

in order to intercede for them to the supreme God Bathala (Santos, 37). This ritual is not new to the

native of Tipas, Taguig. They also adhere what is imposed of them.

a. Symbols, faith and Practice

The native of tipas, taguig who decided to stay in their original faith have made their practices of

faith rich. In one of the barrios named Ibayo and Ligid Tipas Taguig, as expressed their faith and devotion

through an Icon worship- St. John the Baptist that is the patron said of the said place.

Originally fishing is the source of income of the residents of Tipas because its location is

strategically near laguna lake. The other source that these people have is their land. They would

resort to tilling the land when rainy seasons begin because they couldnt sail and catch fish when the

waves are hause-liked size. Only a handful of people are working in the office because very few went

to school to study or are learned.

When the summer and the feast of the Patron Saint come people are perparing for the Pista Ng

Bayan and as their expression of their gratitude to their God they are offering their fruits of labor to

their church. They believe that this is their way of thanking God for bountiful blessing that they

received.
 Women who stayed home to rear their children are also willingly giving their time and effort to

the church when possible. Serving the church by cleaning and attending litugical services and mass

every Sunday are their ways of expressing their to their God (whom they believe is their Lord and

Savior). Their devotion and sincerity couldnt be denied as true and their religious lifestyle couldnt

be belittled. In fact the changed life that Jesus said in his gospel is displayed and very much

manifested that even strangers and visitors would say, this is really community of Christ (Christian

household paroikoi oikos tou theou as household of God). By their ways of expressing their

faith e.g., prayer/devotion to the patron saints, offering foods to idols and others are regarded by

the evangelicas as evil. Should we say such?

Their religious devotion as expressed in an offering due to the bountifull blessing or harvest is

very must connected to salvation. For them since God caused great blessings and never because of

their efforts then they felt obliged to be faithfull to their Go. This expression of gratitude somehow

sips through to their whole being bringging forth changed in their ways or styles of their lifeuntil

they do not notice that their life until they do not notice that their everyday walk is trully Godly or

Christ-like-life.
 The vehement desire to be faithful to God and be like Christ in every facet of life is truly

manisfested. Their repetant hearts simultaneously flow because their will no bless God by offering

the fruits of their harvest and their harvest and their desire to be of help others are not hidden in

their day to day walk of life.

In this expression we can also witness the idea of salvation express as ginhawa or relief. The

idea on ginhawa/relief is very much cultural because Taguigenos believed that the true

understanding of ginhawa/relief is an integration of a belief system that provides a sense of security

and continuity. Ang Dios and naglalang kaya siya din ang bahalang magbigay (God created me so

he has the only power to provide my needs) is a special way to realize a secured feeling and this is

not new because the book Qoheleth agrees to what it says,

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God

favors what you do enjoy life with the partner whom you love, all the day of this transient life that

God has given you under the sun all your transient days. For this is yourhand finds to do do it with all

your might , for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning not

knowledge nor wisdom. (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10)

 The idea of ginhawa has a direct relationship with the word kaluluwa. The word has an

equivalent meaning to Arabic word ruh which means, wind, spirit, seat of emotion and organ of

mental act )Mercado 2004). The greek translation is which denotes the windspirit and the

invisible, immaterial and powerful (Vines.1085). the word has a broader perspective that says,

kaluluwa is a disembodied spirit or ghost that implies both personal continuity and incompleteness. .

. and in order to experience the fullness of salvation man has to have the holistic concept of

salvation. Therefor salvation would not just zero in on spiritual blessedness, but in a holistic concept

and a body-soul plenitude (visayan ginhawa means nourishment, heart, feeling of LIFE.)

In order for salvation to be whole, it has to be total. Its concern must not only the soul

but also the whole human being; not just from sin but from all human evils such as disease, hunger,

poverty, corruption, weeping; not only an immediate heaven but a transfigured cosmos.

After many years the process of learning evolved defending on he needs and the

environment of the community. In fact in 80s a different religious learning pattern was introduced

and it was very much in accoordance to the needs of the community and the problem that the

community was experiencing.

 A1. Birth of a new spirtual symbol

Over the past decades, charismatic movements have proliferated in the country. It

reached even the remote places in Metro Manila. Street Crusades and evangelistic preaching are the

monthly activities that everyone witnessed. praise the lord, Alleluias, and the Charismatic

songs are heard around, drawing many people to their groups. They have established many

churches in Metro Manila and many people left their churches and joined the Charismatics. So much

so, the bad result that this movement brought is the ill feeling towards their previous religion. They

criticized their previous ways of worships and banned the worship to idols in front of many people,

condemmed these idols as bearers of evil spirits, preached against the old doctrines where they are

used to, and disrespected the parochial priests.

Other extremes faith-expressions are the exclusivist theory of salvation, the impurity of

foods offered to idols, speaking of tongues as manifestation genuine salvation and disregarding

good works because faith is enough to acquire salvation (sola fide). The other patterns to learn and

grow the faith are the rout learning in Sunday school, bible study, prayer meeting and Sunday

worship. The fundamentalist group considers the bible as the primary source of learning in because

it is infallible and inspired by God (as opposed to the post modern idea of text).
 Although there were people who became members of the charismatics born again, who

are believed to be the third wave, still there are people who prefer to stay in Roman Catholic faith.

Catholic devotees must be understood that the devotion icons is their way of expressing their identity; a

sacremental expression of belongingness maybe is an excess of Catholicism according to hard core

evangelicals but arent we aware that we too have excesses in our own faith?

Significant of symbols to ones faith

Should these excesses be dammed and judged as evil?

The need to understand faith, the struggle for life, and the problem of meanings is defined and

discussed well through symbols. They (symbols) explain the reality to man and tell how one ought to live

in harmony with reality. And wether these maybe creedal propositions, religious epitome, and liturgical

ritual, they still stand for something that is a reality . according to the principle of semiotic these

representations are conceptualization of meaning seekingto define ultimate reality that is embodied

only in religion. Thus making religion as good as symbols or expression of faith (Greenly,1971).

He mentioned that the religion is rooted in community and it rein forces community. Likewise

for religion to be fully an expression of mans relatedness to his God/god, there are rituals needed to be

performed. Consequently, these rituals apeal not only to the human intelect but also to the whole

person. The rituals enactment is calling for the mind, body and emotions to be connected to the

Supreme Being. A notable model for this ritual is the Eucharist, a symbol used to define the relationship

of man to his God. Like other rituals, Eucharist is a special kind of symbols (ritual) because it speaks

about the perfect human relationship to God and others not just a mere reenactment of beliefs.
 Positing Melba Maggys idea (2003), she mentioned in her article that, a failure to cross over

other expressions of faith through a symbol is a lost of richness of the indigenous mysticism. A great

historical event like the Pasyon for the Filipinos is indeed a religious symbol/ritual embodying the

totality of filipino Christianity. To ignore and desregard such is an immediately expression of ignorance

about the indentity of the Filipinos and even an ignorancia (an excuse to say I am not aware of it) isnt

an excuse for it slammed filipino religious identity. Likewise the idea on salvation for filipinos is never

rational. It is again immediate rsponse to a life today. In other words, western theology/formulation of

Christian faith is never an answer to a complete realization of the gospel because a gospel in itself is

never pure (156).

. . . there is no free-floating Word somehow which is not incarnated in a human culture and language . .

.e.g.., even the name kyrios or Lord is a culturally bound term. . .

The task to localize the rituals like using rice or bread in communion and use folk tunes and hymns are

still not capturing the local dress of Christianity (Maggay, 2005)

There must be a sincere action to localize the gospel, a task to speak the language of the people

in the community. This is where the significance of the symbol must come into being.

III. Grounds for dialogue

(the Theotokos and the saints)

 Preeminent among the saints is the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos (birthgiver of God). The

theotokos was chosen by God and freely cooperated in the choice to be the mother of jesus Christ, the

God-man. The Catholic tradition believed that the Christ Child from the moment of conception was both

100% Man. She is thus called Theotokos as an affrmation of the divinity of the one whom she gave birth.

It is also believed that her virginity was not compromised in giving birth to God incarnate, the she was

not harmed, that she felt no pain, and that she remained forever a virgin. Because of the unique place in

salvation history, she is honored above all other saints and especially venerated for the great work that

God accomplished through her .

Considering the theotokos, iff for instance we dialogue with the Roman Catholic devotees of

Saint Mary Mother of God in Tipas Taguig how do we do it? For sure this is an urgent issue on icon

worship or the wooden statue that is perceived to be the tagapamagitan is serious. It is imbedded in

filipino culture that he tagapamagitan is always the onewho standsin their place and pleads for them if

they are in need of a champion or someone who delicately sets forth their case when nogotiating, when

something needs to be fixed, or when they are in need of some favor from powers. This tagapamagitan

must be the go-between for God and man. He or she be able to mediate the power and presence of

God.

The roles mentioned above were for the Filipinos satisfied by Virgin Mary. There was awe-

inspiring and deeply mystifying about the fervor and constancy od the devotees of Blessed Virgin Mary

(title given to her). Like the tagapamagitan the run to her in praise and in supplication; they askher to

intercede for them to the father so that they may be comforted in their sufferings. They were attesting

that her nearness to the father ensure them of the grace and mercy of God.

Prayer like the rosary is for them very powerful. In fact Pope Pius XII, in his encyclical

Ingruentium Malarum of 8 September 1951 declared that, we are well aware of the Rosarys powerful
efficacy to obtain the material aid of the Blessed Virgin. Although there is more than one way of praying

to obtain this aid, we nevertheless consider the Rosary the most suitable and most fruitful means . . .

this prayer is never mechanical but ery much devotional. . .(Santos, 432).

Aside from the prayer offered to her, Mary was accorded the title. Theolokos, God bearer, at

the council of Ephesus(431). The title given was to counter the nestorian view that there was a clear

distiction between the two natures of Christ such as Mary was the mother only of Jesus humanity but

not his divine nature(Gorospe,66).

The council affirmed:

If anyone does not confess that Emmanuel is truly God, and therefore that the blessed Virgin is truly

Mother of God, Theotokos, for she bore according to the flesh him who is Word from God, let him be

anathema (Coyle, 22-23).

In support of this issue, the Catholic Church cited Elizabeths words in Luke 1:43 and its says,

the Mother of my Lord.

In LumenGentium 53, Mary was depicted as truly the Mother of God and of the redeemer. She

was also regarded as quasi-devine being with power to stand between the heaven and earth. Through

it she was given power to become a co-redemptix of Christ. . .mediatrix of all Grace, the Mother of the

Church dates back to Pope Pius Xs encyclica Ad Diem Ilum Fifteenth century (Coyle,62):

By his companionship in sorrow and suffering between the Mother and son, it has been allowed to the

most august Virgin to be the most powerful mediatrix and advocate of the whole world with her divine

Son. . .Since Mary has been associated with Jesus Christ in the work of redemption, she merits for us
what is called de congruo [by a title of appropriateness] those things which Christ merited de condigno

[in justice], and she is the supreme minister of the distribution of graces (Coyle, 67).

The devotion to Mary degenerated into superstition. She became the magical mother who could

solve all problems. She usurped the place of christ in the process of personal savior. This idea was

developed when the doctrine on Holy Spirit wasnt yet fully defined in fourteenth to fifteenth century.

So the Marian idea took the place and ultimately Mary was given the qualities of a name, caring and

nurturing which supposedly for the holy spirit (Ibid,56).

I must now say that Mary as again another very important icon for the Catholic needed to be

regarded carefully and if we wish to dialogue with the Catholic we must understand how the icon works

and play the important role in the life of the devotees.

The icon is not , like the naturalistic painting and end in itself, an aesthetic object to be enjoyed

for whatever merits it possesses, but it essentially a symbol carrying us beyond itself. The icon stands for

something other than itself. It is designed to lead us from the physical to the spiritual realm. The icon is

an image or representation of a real sacred person or event, and is designed to lead us to it. An idol, on

the other hand, lacks this authentic symbolic character, its prototype being fictitious or the opposite of

what it purports to be-an evil being instead of God.

The nature of the icon being essentially symbolic, the veneration of it is a veneration of the

prototype or original which it represents. St. Basil the Great, quoted by Damscene and other defenders

of icons, the honour which is given to the icon passes over to the prototype.

IV. Dialogue through epistemology and reconceptualization

 Before I start pursuing my model for interfaith dialogue, allow me to use this simple story that

speaks about the essence of asian spirituality.

A salt doll journeyed for thousands of miles and stopped at the edge of the sea. It was

fascinated by this moving liquid mass, so unlike anything it had seen before. What are you? said

the doll to the sea. Come in see, said the sea with a smile. So the doll walked in. The further it

went, the more it dissolved, till there was only a pinch of it left. Before that bit dissolved, the doll

exclaimed in wonder, Now I know what I am!

Peculiarity of the Filipinos is in the way they think. For them concept are abstracted from sense

of experience which is very much opposite to the west. In connection to the story Asians would

never think of themselves separate from the community. They always consider their origin which is

noted as the context. In other words Contextual theology isnt unusual to the Asians what is unusual

and peculiar to them is the systematic theoology. They do not think the way the west thinks. The

Asians in contrast have developed more the imaginations. This is why they could simply express

their through images, myths and symbols. Their approach to the world is more holistic than abstract.

Rational argument is integrated with intellectual intuition, emotion, and the experience of the body

and the world (Amaladoss,18-19).

This pattern of learning simply shows that faith is seen as a body truth and dogma that are

experienced and felt. In simple faith expression the Filipinos are not really interested in salvation

understood as having ticket to the heaven or an afterlife. Their real interest real interest is in

potency and inner power for this life. Salvation is in the present tense (Maggay, 2003).

The expression of sining or a sinner is shown in the word, naliligaw ng landas or lost our way

and nagkamali or made a mistake. It is not similar to Jonathan edwards claim in his sermon, the
 Sinners in the hands of the angry god. It is a communal expression that needed to be restored

because they are lost and the in the state of disharmony(Maggay,2003)

Manifestation like, extravagant preparation for feast, belief in the patron saints, a go-between

to god and salvation as relief are cultural expression of faith of the Filipinos which I believe could be

simply pacified with a faith expression of self towards God.

Let me show you how Filipinos differ from Jonathan edwards idea about God and sin;

The calamities that filipinos experienced are never defined punishment of God becausehe was mad at

them. Instead they believed that these were caused by the anitos because their neighbors violated and

made them mad. They would not resort to Gods expression of his wrath because (1) they believed that

he could not be reached as a result he was perceived as distant and indifferent, gets deppressed but not

angry when people sin.

How then the dialogue begins?

I must say that before I embark into lengthy discussion on process of dialogue I should set first a

guideline to direct or a thesis statement that will help me to arrive at accepted reality and valid truth. I

must say that Truth is found in all facets of the kaleidoscope or shall I say, according to Pannikar(1999)

for a person who wishes to dialogue with others he should temporarily suspend his bias and embrace an

unprejudiced judgement about others fundamental tenets in order to be able to listen clearly to their

claims and assumptions. Or one has to avoid the tendency to impose what he believes and be ready to

meet others on their common ground and renounce self personal standing as his priority.

I must confess that the task to dialogue isnt easy instead it is a difficult task because there

maybe cases that you wouldnt control others temper or even your own temper until the worst is to

deny acquaintances. So to speak directly from my heart I want to say that in my task of immersion I
needed to stay impartial and maybe unbiased. . .which I believed a difficult task because I would always

arrive at my own reality and truth(Descarte,1980).

Framework of my Dialogue

When I set my feet on their worship and venerated places I prayed hard that I would not in any

chance hurt them and say anything that would shove them away from me. In my own way of reminding

myself I always try to remember the wisdom I got from my professor in world religion and then created

my own framework of having dialogue with the devotees os Saint John the Baptist in Tipas Taguig.

This framework is, the dialogue that I would wanted to emphasize is never focused on Platos

idealistic metaphysics where he imposed that there is an innate truth in man (Lockhead,46). . .although

there is little truth in it (this is mine) fiether on sacratic dialogical method. Both have shortcomings in

the difenition of epistemic truth. Christians would always avoid the idea on innate truth and negation of

necessity to find truth from without which is directly from the scripture. Instead the dialogue that I wish

to propose is coming from the idea of Martin Buber which is the I AND THOU. Buber posited that I

AND THOU. Transcends in a person to person relationship becauseit could also embrace the dialogue

between traditions of which I wanted to emphasize in the paper. In support to Martin Bubers idea

another philosopher that I wanted to qoute is Feuerbach, and he said that true dialogue is not a

monologue of the individual thinker with himself, but a dialogue between I and Thou has a proper and

inalienable ontonomy . it is the source of self-understanding that I cannnot assimiate from ones

perspective alone(panikkar,37).

Perhaps the best way to accommodate this principle is to consider how a native devotee to a

patron saint experesses his or her God. Like the encounter of the italian soldier cornelius to God-Yahweh

(Acts 10:34-5 cf.) and the gentile soldier whom Jesus himself confessed that there wasnt any faith he

had seen ever (Matt. 8:10NEB). Their encounter and faith coulnt be denied of having the truth-
encounter with God and that it isnt fitting to say that ines faith is the only faith known to God. With all

these faith expressions, religious symbols and experiences I shall say that there is an emancipatory faith

that would respect all ther models that illuminate the image of God (Supreme One) and for sure this

model of faith will bring the community to a faith-expression which result to a well rounded faith-people

of God.

If again the notion of salvation, for them expresses ginhawa or relief which is very much

cultural because these devotees believed that the true understanding of ginhawa/relief is an integration

of a belief system that provides a sense of security and continuity. Ang Dios ang naglalang kaya siya din

ang bahalang magbigay (God created me so he has the only power to provide my needs) then I would

hesitate to adopt such expression. I could use theirs to dialogue with their faith.

Apparently, I could use the communicative theory of Habermas which emphasizes the

competence ability to put sentences together according to grammatical laws of a aparticular language

and do something effectively in the act ofsaying something (Bringham,2008). Which now be like,

salvation for the Protestant is vey individualistic and salvation for the Catholic is very experiential then if

we could just make these two iseas of salvation work together then there would be no conflict in

faith.This means that the fundamental law of language use is mutual understanding. The habermas

definition for communicative action requires that all intentions of the participants be harmonized.

For intance;

a. In prayer

St. Paul urged the Christians of first century Thessalonica to pray without creasing (1

Thess.5:1). His letter to Rome was an instruction for the Christian community there to be

constant in prayer (Rom. 12:12). He demanded unceasing prayer and he practiced, We

contanstly thank God for you (1 Thess. 2:13). He wrote to the Thessalonians community and
comforted Timothy, his true child in the faith (1 Tim. 1:2) with the words: Always I

remember you in my prayers (2 Tim. 1:3). In fact, whenever St. Paul spoke of prayers in his

letters, two Greek wors repeatedly appeared: PANTOTE (pantote), which means always; and

ADIALEPTOS (adialeptos), meaning without interruption or unceasingly.

If for him prayer was not merely a part of life we can conveniently lay aside if deemed

more important came up; prayer is all of life. Prayer is as essential to our life as breading. This

invenetd some important question i.e., How can we be expected to pray all the time? We are,

after all, vere busy people. Our work. Our spouse, our children, and our school- all place heavy

demands upon our time. How can we fit more time for prayer into our already overcroweded

lives? These questions and the many others like them which could be asked set up a false

dichotomy in our llives as Christians. To pray does not mean to think about God in contrast to

thinking about other things or to spend time God in contrast to spending time with our family

and friends. Rather, to pray means to think and live entire life in the Presence of God. As Paul

Evdokimov has remarked, Our whole life, every act and gesture, even a smile must become a

hymn or adiration, an offering, a prayer. We must become prayer-prayer incarnate. This is

exactly what St. Paul meant when he wrote to the Corinthians that whatever you do, do it for

the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).

Let me give you the models of spiritual practices that we BORN AGAIN Christians are

missing and maybe intentionally neglecting for reasn of spiritual arrogance.

APPRIATION

A. Prayer of the HEART

 Although we have prayer meetings and overnight prayer meetings but these prayer

practices are classified to what Paul and the monk of the orthodox said, To pray does not men

to think about God in constant to thinking about other things or to spend time with God in

contrast to spending time with our family and friends. But prayer must be, for Paul Evdokimov,

Our whole life, every act and gesture, even a smile must become s hymn or adoration, an

offering, a prayer-prayer incarnate, This is exactly what St. Paul mant when he wrote to the

Corinthians that whatever you do, do it for thr glory of God (1 Cor. 10;31).

b. Theosis

I did not encounter this term in my spiritual journey. Although always attend worship

services in the church I did not see how this term works in my life. We evangelical Christians are

missing this. We need to think the way they think and see how this theosis [a union with the

energies of God and not with the essence of God which always remains hidden and unknown]

works in our lives. This is not a process of becoming like god but a union with God.

c. Icon

I wonder why when I became a born again Christian, we from the group where I was converted,

immediately avoided it when I can see also truth in it. I know how excesses destroy us and for sure this

is the excess I see thst we Christians ignore. The icon that is supposed to be the expression of the

prototype and never the GOD has to be placed in the church in ordedr to remind us of the GOD whom

we serves and whom we oue lives.

The simple acceptance that thse images are important reminder of their great contributions to

Christian Faith is an important communication action. Although they may be people who would get their

handkerchief to wipe icons, this devotion is never offensive for me because it could not harm my
salvation. This action is I believe a form of respect and not worship so in a way I am dialoguing with

them.

Again for record purposes let me give you tell you what the Church Fathers reitherated in the

council meetings of the believers;

The Iconic Controversy

(Definition of the Second Council of Nicaea, 787: Actio VII. Mansi.xiii 378 D sqq)

The controversy begun with the Iconoclstic edict of Leo II (the Isauian) in 726.

His motives included the desire to purify the debased Christianity of such of the East, and

espacailly the Balkans had demoralized the population and almost destroyed learning.

The Second Council of Nicaea held under the influence of the Empress Irene when the emperor

was a boy, was followed by a temporary healing of the breach between thw East and West, bit it broke

out again in 815

Proceeding as it were on the royal road anf following the divinely inspired teaching of our holy

Fathers and the tradition of the Catholic Church we define, with all care and exactitude, that the

venerable and holy images are set up in just the same way as the figure of the precious and life-giving

cross; painted images, and those in mosaic and those of other suitable material, in the holy churches of

God, on holy vessels and vetments, on walls and in structures, in houses and by the roadsides; images of

our Lady and God and Savior Jesus Christ and of our undefiled Lady, the holy God-bearer, and of the

honorable angels, and of all saintly and holy men. For more continually these are observed or means of

such representation, so uch the more will be beholders be aroused to recollect the originals and to long

after them, and to pay to them the actual worship which is according to our faith, and which is proper
only to the divine nature but a to the figure of the venerable and life giving cross, and to the holy

Gospels and the other sacred monuments, so to those images to accord the honor of incense and

oblation of lights, as it has been the pious custom of antiquity, for the honor paid to the image passes to

its original, and he that adores an image adores in it the person depicted thereby. . . (Bettenson,1967)

Conclusion

I would not wander why there are still Protestants churches and evangelicals who are until now

eluding themeselves to the ideas ofnecumenical when this believe is a a good way of an inter-faith

dialogue. Perhaps they should see the other side of truth engraved in the cross of Jesus or death of

Jesus. In fact it is very clear that when Jesus started his ministry on earth he wasnt promoting

exclusivism or syncretism but a reality that each individual group also posses truth and reality which

must be the focused of the true faith. Now I can say that the task of dialoguing is an important act of

faith and philosophizing is an actual expression of humanity because it is only through these two steps

where believers could see all the beauty and the graces that God is pouring on us.

The act of fusing theology and philosophy in the making faith by people is very important.

Therefore each leader and pastor must understand this motion of faith.

If we evangelicals could only accept that there are born again in the Roman Catholic churches

are the precious seed for spiritual renewalin that church, then we could expect that through them there

would be changed too in the lives of the other devoteees. While for he devotees who remained faithful

to their faith and who continued studying His Words (logos) mustnt be discourage so that when time

comes for the truth to be recalled they will be ready to announce the truth that lies in the Gospel of

Christ. Their offerings to church mustnt be condemned instead be encouraged because they are but

simply expressions of thanksgiving to God and for His continuous grace.

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