Junes' Sense: Nation's Historical Sense & Ecclesiality for Life

Junes' Sense: Nation's Historical Sense & Ecclesiality for Life: Nation’s Historical Sense and Ecclesiality for Life (Nationalistic Church Witness of Catholicity) What inspired you to write this boo...

Nation's Historical Sense & Ecclesiality for Life

Nation’s Historical Sense and Ecclesiality for Life (Nationalistic Church Witness of Catholicity)

1. What inspired you to write this book? In my honest thought is that human condition of the “weak” is also shaped by the late 19th century capitalist’s imperialism and its global economic agenda, seems causing the treats to human as consumerist-subject, and the Church appeared naively in the business of nicety. Truth in actuality and of people’s history of resistance defines what human can do in response to his reality. The Philippine Independent Church (nationalistic catholic) is one product of human cry for justice, found itself embracing the Christian Faith, in a very strategic time parallel to the condition of life that caused the first Christian community in which the message of God’s love for all people make sense. Now, I wanted to see that Christianity makes sense only if not detach from the condition of life that shaped it. The PIC church (and those came out of struggle for freedom) embraced God’s message of inclusive love, peace and justice are messages not to lead people ‘out of this world’. Seeing the American fundamentalist/Pentecostal type, and the Roman Catholic Church positioned help of the imperialist’s agenda while promoting teachings about personal experience and self, end-time gospel and heaven, etc., indirectly serving the imperialist world. Nationalistic (product of history) church (including Anglicans) is now very strategic religion in carrying the core message about love for all people. It has lens for the importance, significance and spirit of Christianity for life, consistent with the condition of life in Moses time and the first Christians in the Roman imperial rule defined by Pax Romana. Where and when seems Pax Americana is established the nationalistic church born witnessing the inclusive love of God.

2. Summarize your book in one to three sentences. Filipino History of freedom, fairness, racial respect and independence from the cruelty by “superiority complex” of the ruler, when the Filipino revolutionaries are willing to die to change the evil situation of their time, is one ultimate display of a human design in them. Giving importance to the thought said ‘we are all created equal’ is one demonstration that Filipinos saw the same values as others, and fighting is not for dominance against another but to make real of “equality” with others. Reaching the cause of struggle in forming the nationalistic catholic witnessing God’s love for all races (in Philippine Independent Church) is one perfect end of the struggle, proclaimed by Filipino people, then, led by Filipino priests from Roman Catholic. Church is (beyond institution and dogmatism) to promote, protect and preserve life under God. Freedom became their language to express God’s Kingdom.
3. What is the overall theme of your book? Struggle for freedom, respect for human and racial dignity ended in God’s truth of life. Ecclesiality (churchness) FOR LIFE witnessing for God’s love for all is a MUST emphases as the churches today seems reduced into being church for doctrine, claim, self-help, formula for richness, diverting attention to heaven (away from this world), captivating mind with fear of the end of the world, only to be hijacked by the ruler of the world. Indirectly (and consciously or not) became church of imperialist.
4. Where does this book take place? In the ‘home of freedom’ where Thomas Jefferson taught “We are all created equal’, the United States of America.

5. Who are the main characters and why are they important to the story? Late 19^th century and early 20^th century Filipino people defending their freedom that ended up embracing the Church of Christ as the end of their struggle for fairness and equality and respect. The main character is the Filipino people and clergy who responded to the call of their time, embracing the Witness of the Church of Christ about LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE to “brotherhood” state under God’s fatherhood. Saw the core value of Christianity (FOR LIFE) is NOT OBSOLETE in our time, but for eternal life embracing the whole.

6. Why do you think that this book will appeal to readers? All people in this world know the value of our human reactions (and the record of it in history) to the evil, injustice, inhumane, unfairness, inequality, disrespect, deception and lies. All people of nations has this commonality to chant against ending the evil regime, the cause of darkness that victimizes all humans. Indeed we are humans recognizing what bind us affirming our normalcy in this world. Indeed we are “WE” for the common good. All have history to treasure, our raw material to understand human (against “us and them” mentality). We the citizens of this world educated by our past experiences affirming to live as one human citizen of this world. If there is god (as we all believe), he must be the God and the Source of LIFE.

7. How is your book relevant in today’s society? HISTORICAL SENSE AND ECCLESIALITY FOR LIFE is about life affirmed in history that built sensitivity and consciousness or sense to serve, preserve and promote life. Seeing God as the Source of life (revealed in the struggle of the past) is one most important aspect. Religion is power, “god” is power, and religion is REAL: if not for life then for what? It is not giving justice to God and Christianity when we take the issue of life out of God. Seems darkness enveloped us, of course the LIGHT of the world (Christ) must be seen as is. What is the wisdom of history must ones anchor to lead us to next level for goodness. We cannot waste the lesson of history, instead, our instrument to celebrate our humanness.

8. What makes your book different from other books like it? Super great I think because is authored by the most humble kind of person, also honest human that cannot ignored the thoughts for life. The book is addresses one of the most important event: Imperialism FOR MARKET and RACISM undermining the ‘human equality’ seen by the founder of America, and the core reason of Filipino revolutionist; When that kind of imperialism positioned as the “World Power” proclaimed in the Philippines in 1902, the real vehicle for life, the church nationalistic catholic, and the God of life is affirmed and proclaimed in the ecclesiality of nationalistic PIC.

9. What do you want readers to take away from your writing? The thought that God, Church or Christianity is not actually offensive, bad, ugly, not enemy, not vehicle and deception of Satan. Honest humanness in the struggle for good is one ultimate revealing “teacher” if not stained by propaganda and lies. In that honesty points to the goodness of God. The truth that sets free is not at all lies, and so we can glorify God from that.

10. How did you learn about topic? (i.e. personal experience, education, etc.) I grew up learning the message in the church which made me Christian into mature age. In my reflective moment the thoughts of life came to me naturally, and said yes to something that I learned from my theological study, and disturbed often times by the thoughts that to me offensive to the very purpose of God, like detaching God from the things that humans are willing to die for (respect for human life). I am not currently involve in the Philippine independent Church but I see the Church from the distance, as one very strategic church for the very purpose of God for life, founded where and when the very threat (imperialist of racist-inequality and global power for market/wealth-Mammon) to life is established.

11. Is there a particular passage you’d like us to utilize? If so, please provide. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40). “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30).