Reece Ven V.

Bico
M. Div. Senior
REFLECTION PAPER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE PHILIPPINES
Rootedness in the Pre-Hispanic Religion
Introduction
The Pre-Hispanic religion of the natives of the Philippine islands has a strong
tone of Animism and there is a strong connection to the present belief system and
the pre-Hispanic religion even if the present has been Christianized. Pre-Hispanic
religion is mainly animism. Animism is a belief that everything surrounding them
has spirits which can be benevolent or beneficial to them, malevolent or harmful to
them, or just playful in nature. With this kind of belief, the natives were very aware
and careful in their daily duties and work especially in dealing with almost all
natural or celestial surroundings. Intervening with these spirits are the Babaylans
and other sources point out of different ranks of priest and priestess specializing in
different issues confronting the different spirits. The tabi-tabi po expression in the
modern times is a strong evidence of this belief. The Pre-Hispanic religion also
reflected their respect to the sanctity of life as they believed that there is
immortality of the soul but not the Greek type of immortality (dualism). They
believed that there is life after death and in the wake of the deceased person, the
family should be on guard so that the sorcerers wouldnt open the coffin which can
be desecration on the process of reaching life hereafter. It is however amazing that
even when Christianity spread in the Philippines. The rootedness in the pre-Hispanic
religion still leaves imprint in the modern day Filipinos. In this reflection paper, a
reason should be sought out to find the distinctive bridge on preserving the preHispanic religion in the midst of flourishing Christianization.
How it (pre-Hispanic beliefs) was preserved?
It should be noted that in the way of Christianizing especially in a colonial
was to really remove what is so-called pagan beliefs to them and replace it with the
authentic Christian practices and beliefs. There is however discreet tone in the ways
Christianity adapt in the environment so that it will become replaced by Christian
symbols but the fact still remains it was not an original Christian. Starting point
should be on how the Cross should be interpreted in the times of Roman Empire and
persecution. Another is Constantines decision on celebrating Christmas to replace a
pagan celebration. Fast forwarding in the events of the conquest to the Americas,
the missionaries replaced the mother goddess in Mexico with the Virgin Mary. It
might be that in order to understand the new religion which is Christianity, there
must be a common image or experience which can find a gateway to understand
Christianity in the understanding of those who had earlier pagan beliefs. However,
the aim was to really remove all the pagan practices and belief but to first remove it
is to synchronize it first. Thus, this synchronization cannot totally destroy but just
hide some practices which can still surface unintentionally. In the context of the

missionaries in the Philippine islands, the missionaries were really advocates to

remove pagan practices and replace it with Christian practices but it could be the
slow paced process of Christianizing that had in, one way or another, made those
pre-Hispanic traditions and beliefs survived.
Another way of looking for the reason was the different reactions made by
different tribal groups. This means that not all are in one with the new religion and
geographically, when they are far from the colonizers and the missionaries, they
can maintain their practices and transfer it to another generation. It is important to
remember that these pre-Hispanic beliefs and practices surfaced in just one year
and Christianity in three hundred years. It might be that the beliefs of the preHispanic people had been there longer than the era of colonization and
Christianization. This will suggest that in order to undone everything is to have more
than the years of the practices. In addition to the suggested reason, the tension on
a sort of covering the pagan with Christianity reality is there that it can create a
different effect; A Christian faith with the pagan basis.
It is quite interesting that the mission on reaching out the people towards
Christianity had some lapses and it is sometimes difficult to proclaim the teachings
of Christianity alone. It needs help from the culture and the existing faith to
embrace Christianity. However, it must be noted that Christianity in this time 16 th
century is having a turning point in the reformation age. Yet the prevailing mission
statement is to save the souls of those who have not yet heard the name of Jesus
Christ. Thus, absolute control of a certain religion cannot be realized and this will
also give space in the survival of the prevailing pre-Hispanic beliefs.
The reason mentioned are not for the purpose of declaring a general
statement whether Christianity is essential or not. The purpose of the reasons is to
make a critical and conscious view on the flourishing religion in relation to the
intention it is preached and proclaimed. These will also make an awareness on the
unconscious pre-Hispanic belief and how should a church worker answer and face
the issue. Christianity is still moving and evolving. In this process, God is still
working and it makes everyone humble and point to the discernment why
Christianity exist in the present context.