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Saint Columban College

Pagadian City

Senior High School Department

REL.ED 12 (Christology)

Christ in the Filipino Context – Jesus Nazareno

Submitted by:

WINSTON TAPODOC

PRINCESS AVRIL SOPHIA LUMOSBOG

SOPHIA CLEREESE BANGCONG

MIAH BUYSER

STEM F
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I. INTRODUCTION

This paper provides a primer on the basics of Christian theology as it is understood in

the American context. It explains the major beliefs or doctrines that are generally accepted

by all Christians while also highlighting the theological diversity of the Christians churches. In

other words, although all Christians are there to doctrines discussed here, various groups of

Christians often interpret these doctrines differently. These disagreements usually have

historical roots; thus, Christianity’s historical development is inseparable from its doctrinal

development. For this reason, the paper gives an overview of Christianity’s historical

development before moving into a discussion of the major Christian beliefs.

II. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

The image was made by an anonymous Mexican sculptor and arrived in Manila via

galleon from Acapulco, Mexico on May 31, 1606. Folk belief attributes the colour of the

image to soot from votive candles burnt before it, although the most popular legend is that

it was charred by a fire on the galleon that brought it from Mexico.

Researcher of Catholic theology, Monsignor Sabino Vengco meanwhile noted that the

image was not charred, but in fact dark through to its core as it was carved from mesquite

wood. Vengco based this claim on personal research in Mexico, where he said mesquite

wood was a popular medium in the period the image was carved. He also likened it to Our

Lady of Antipolo, another popular image of similar provenance and appearance.

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The image was first enshrined in the Church of San Juan Bautista of the Augustinian

Recollects in Bagumbayan, Luneta. In 1608, the image was transferred to the Church of San

Nicolás de Tolentino (popularly known as the "Recoletos Church") inside Intramuros. It was

enshrined in the retablo mayor or high altar of the church, leaving only for a procession on

Palm Sunday. Both the church and the image were destroyed in the Allied bombardment of

Manila during its liberation in 1945.

III. CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE

They have all been influenced by their particular cultures and religions, by their

economic position and social class, by their gender, and by their position as part of the social

mainstream or as members of a minority group. Everybody’s identity is complex.

Religion is only one of the things that shape a person’s view of who he or she is. But in

interfaith dialogue – if the encounter is one that concentrates on matters of religion – the

religious part of a person’s identity gains more weight, perhaps more than it carries in their

everyday life. When people make statements in an interfaith conversation, the statements

may seem to be more strongly anchored in religion than they really are and then the speaker

intended them to be. Since the people involved in the dialogue may be seen primarily as

representatives of their faith community, the people listening may come to think that

opinions which are evidently subjective are actually based on religion, even if in fact they

have no link at all to its core values. This can lead to people having a distorted view of each

other – and of the religions in which they have grown up.

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IV. IMPLICATION AND CRITIQUE

This study in contextual theology investigates the history, rituals, prayers, cultural

expressions, and personal experiences surrounding the two devotions. I argue that the

devotees worship is their living witness to the vulnerable and broken Christ, whom they

encounter as the God-with-them and who rescues them from the many challenges they

experience.

V. CONCLUSION

  We must bear in mind that the Catholic Church did not teach to worship idols/images,

rather, venerate the sacred images and relics in order to show and strengthen our faith. Take

note that it is God who answer our prayers and make miracles since the sacred images and

relics are symbols of our faith and for veneration purpose only.