1st Edition
Christianity and Radical Democracy in the Philippines Building a Church of the Poor
This book analyses faith-based development action in the Philippines by studying Catholic social movements and development studies in Southeast Asia.
By drawing upon primary, qualitative data, this book examines cultural production and community resilience amid poverty and structural restraints. It also interrogates the discourse of Basic Ecclesial Communities, the smallest organizational unit of the Philippine Catholic Church, to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the social movement. The author shows that the dream of local economic development and empowerment requires help from the Catholic hierarchy, particularly the organizational and leadership resources at the diocese level.
This book is a unique contribution in opening up interdisciplinary approaches to religion, faith, and social development. It will be of interest to researchers on Asian Studies, especially Southeast Asian Studies, Development Studies, the Anthropology of Development, Social Movements, and the Anthropology of Christianity, Missiology, and Religious Studies.
List of Illustrations
1 Introduction
2 Basic Ecclesial Communities in the Philippines: Philosophical Roots and a Place in Critical Development Studies
3 Republika ng Pilipinas and the Island of Negros
4 Development in the Diocese of San Carlos
5 Basic Ecclesial Communities in San Carlos: Place-Making, Social Capital, and the Structures That Limit Development
6 BECs, the Diocese, the Discourse, and Development: Potentials, Limits, Recommendations
Appendix A: Herbal Medicines
Index
Biography
Christopher Moxham teaches in the Department of General Education at Mount Royal University, Canada.