A Short History of the UCCP Before Martial Law

A Short History of the UCCP before Martial Law

The Coming of the American Missionaries

It cannot be denied that American colonialism hasten the coming

of the Protestant missionaries to the Philippines.1 As the Augustinian

Friar Urdaneta had arrived with Spanish canon and muskets, so the

Presbyterian missionary James Rodgers arrived under the protection of

American artillery and Springfield rifles. The result was that a number of

Protestant mission arrived within a short time:

Presbyterians 1899

Methodists 1900

Northern Baptists 1900

United Brethren 1901

Disciples of Christ 1901

Protestant Episcopal 1901

Congregationalists 1902

Christian Missionary Alliance 1902

Seventh-Day Adventist 1905

1 Kenton J. Clymer. Protestant Missionaries in the Philippines, 1898-

1916: An Inquiry into the American Colonial Mentality. (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1986.)

About three years after the victory of American Naval fleet eight

missionary societies entered the country. This gave rise to one of the

classic comity agreements in the history of missions. This resulted in

the organization of the Evangelical Union in the Philippine Islands. 2

The early missionaries met in Manila in April 1901, to choose a

common name for Protestant Churches. Another significant

accomplishment of the Evangelical Union was the definition of territories

assigned to the various mission groups to evangelize, in the Comity

Agreement. The territorial divisions mutually agreed upon were as

follows3

• Methodist—Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Nueva

Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Bataan, Zambales, and Ilocos Sur (south of

Vigan);

• Presbyterian—Morong (old name of Rizal), Laguna, Batangas,

Cavite, Tayabas (now Quezon), North and South Camarines,

Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Cebu, Leyte, Bohol, Negros Oriental

and Samar;

2 T. Valentino Sitoy, Jr. Comity and Unity: Ardent Aspirations of Six

Decades of Protestantism in the Philippines (1901-1961). (Quezon City: National Council in the Philippines, 1989.)

3 Sitoy (1989) p 3, and Norword Tye. Journeying with the United

Church of Christ in the Philippines: A History (Quezon City: UCCP. 1994) pp. 17-18

• United Brethren—La Union and the Mountain Provinces;4

• Disciples of Christ—Ilocos None, Ilocos Sur (north of Vigan),

Abra, Northern Mindoro, and designated places in and around

Manila in agreement with the Presbyterian Mission;

• American Baptist—Panay, Southern Mindoro, Romblon, and

Negros Occidental;

• Congregationalist—Mindanao, except the western end;

• Christian Missionary Alliance—Southern Mindanao and the Sulu

Archipelago.

The City of Manila was considered a common territory, open to all the mission

groups

By and large, the comity agreements worked well. The

missionaries devoted themselves in evangelism and establishing

churches. Furthermore they gave emphasis also on social concerns.

The Protestant missionaries in the Philippine had from their very

beginning a manifest concern for the poor. Most of them initiated

charitable works more as a form of service to the people, who were

mostly non-Protestants such as health care (hospitals: Mary Johnston

4 Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur were originally given to the United

Brethren but were afterward given to the Disciples of Christ (Tye, 1994, p. 18)

Hospital, Iloilo Mission Hospital Dispensary) agricultural development,

education and other types of social services.5

The Protestant missionaries also brought with them a common

spiritual heritage. Dr. Valentino Sitoy describes the brand of

Protestantism which came to the Philippines as an "...admixture of

Calvinist [rather than directly Lutheran] influence, with perhaps equal

measures of English and Scottish Presbyterianism, and a

Puritan/Methodist tradition from the Church of England."6

This common Reformation heritage motivated the missionaries to

overcome the scandal of division by exploring ways on how they can

work together despite their diversity. They tried two kinds of Church

unities. According to Dr. Enrique Sobrepeña these are interchurch

cooperation in which each church or denomination maintains its own

identity, but cooperates with other churches for the common good and

5 Anne C. Kwantes, Presbyterian Missionaries in the Philippines:

Conduits of Social Change (1899-1901) (New Day Publishers, Quezon City: 1989)

6 T. Valentino Sitoy, Jr., Several Springs, One Stream: The United

Church of Christ in the Philippines, Vol.1: Heritage and Origins (1898-1948). (1992: United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Quezon City) pp. 40-41.

the organic union in which separate churches or denominations come

and merge thus becoming one or a single denomination.7

Dr. Sobrepeña gives us the chronology of the interchurch

cooperation that eventually culminated in the establishment of the

NCCP. Evangelical Union (1901-1929), National Christian Council

(1929-1938), Philippine Federation of Evangelical Churches (1938-

1942), Philippine Federation of Evangelical Churches (1942-1946),

Philippine Federation of Christian Churches (1946-1963), and then the

National Council of Churches in the Philippines (1963).8 He also gives

an example of a successful organic union of half-dozen denominations

and a handful of individual congregations in the Philippines that

culminated in the formation of the United Church of Christ in the

Philippines (UCCP) in 1948.9

The early American missionaries, such as Rev& Mrs. James

Rogers, Dr. Frank C. Laubach, and many others were zealous in

leading the way for church unity. They bequeathed this quest for unity to

7 Enrique Sobrepeña, That They May be One, (United Church of

Christ in the Philippines: Manila, 1964) p.29

8 Sobrepeña, p. 140

9Sobrepeña, ibid. See also T. Valentino Sitoy, Jr., Several Springs,

One Stream: The United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Vol.1: Heritage and Origins (1898-1948). (1992: United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Quezon City) pp. 40-41.

the various denominations that missionary societies have established in

the Philippines. This is evident when we examine the denominational

membership of the NCCP. The Convention Baptist of the Philippines,

the United Methodist Church, the IEMELIF, the UNIDA, Philippine

Independent Church (Aglipayans) which has a concordat with the

Episcopal Church, Lutheran Church in the Philippines, Philippine

Episcopal Church, the Salvation Army and the United Churches of

Christ in the Philippines (UCCP). The UCCP is composed of the

Presbyterian Church, United Brethren and the Congregationalists,

Disciples of Christ, the Philippines Methodist Church, and the

Evangelical Church in the Philippines. Except for the Christian and

Missionary Alliance because of theological reason, did not join the

NCCP. The Evangelical Union was precursor of the NCCP was an

attempt by the missionaries to overcome the scandals of division and to

witness to the prayer of Jesus that the believers may be one.

The United Evangelical Church in the Philippines (1929)

In the pursuit of organic union, as early as 1909, a Committee on

Church Union was organized to work out a basis for a union of the

churches which had joined the Evangelical Union. However, an organic

union of these churches did not materialize. It was therefore decided

that those who wished to do so might unite, and leave the door open for

others to join later.

In August 1924 the General Committee on Church Union, with

representatives from the Presbyterian Church, the Congregational

Church, the United Brethren and the United Church of Manila met in

Manila and adopted the doctrinal basis known as the Nanking

Agreement.10

A committee was created to work out a more complete

basis of union. The statement of doctrine and form of government,

developed by the committee, was eventually presented to several

churches for their consideration.11

The churches gave their approval to

the Basis of Union and elected their delegates to a uniting assembly.12

Finally, on 15 March 1929, the Presbyterians, the

Congregationalists, the United Brethren, and the independent United

Church of Manila formally adopted the Basis of Union and the United

Evangelical Church came into existence.13

The merger of these

denominations and the birth of the United Evangelical Church was a

significant historical development in the quest for Protestant church

10 T.Valentino Sitoy, Comity and Unity: Ardent Aspirations of the Six

Decades of Protestantism in the Philippines 1901-1961 (Quezon City: National Council of Churches in the Philippines, 1989).p. 61

11 Sitoy, 1989. p.61

12 Enrique Sobrepeña, That They May be One, (United Church of

Christ in the Philippines: Manila, 1964) pp. 49-50.

13 T.Valentino Sitoy, Comity and Unity: Ardent Aspirations of the Six

Decades of Protestantism in the Philippines 1901-1961 (Quezon City: National Council of Churches in the Philippines, 1989).p. 69

unity, for it was one of the three groups that joined to form the UCCP.14

Japanese-Sponsored Evangelical Union and Post-War

Reconciliation

After the Second World War, the Protestant churches have to

deal with the problems of reconciliation, reconstruction and

reorganization. Remember that during the Japanese occupation the

Religious Section of the Japanese Army wanted the unification of all

non-Catholic churches. On 30 April 1943 the Evangelical Church in the

Philippines was officially organized. Rev. Dr. Enrique Sobrepeña of the

United Evangelical Church of the Philippines UECP was elected

Presiding Bishop.15

Both leaders and members of the UECP, however, became

divided as to the correctness of joining the Japanese Imperial Army-

sponsored Evangelical Church in the Philippines of 1943. Some

churches considered it the occupation army’s ruse to facilitate their

propaganda, surveillance and control. Joining the Japanese-sponsored

union was looked upon as an act of collaboration with the enemy.

Others believed with equal sincerity that the Evangelical Church in the

14 The two others groups that would that constitute the UCCP were the

Philippine Methodist Church and Evangelical Church of the Philippines

15 Sitoy 1992, 446

Philippines, although Japanese-initiated, was an authentic union of

Protestant churches 16

Rev. Leonardo G. Dia, who had been elected General Moderator

of the UECP in 1941 and was based in the Visayas, decided not to join

the Japanese-sponsored union. About half of the conferences of the

UECP in the Tagalog and Bicol regions and all of those in the Visayas

and Mindanao followed the leadership of Rev. Dia. Dr. Sobrepeña,

however, joined the Japanese-sponsored Evangelical Church in the

Philippines.17

After the war the Japanese-sponsored Evangelical Church in the

Philippines began to break up. A majority of the churches that joined

earlier withdrew their membership. Only the Ilocano Disciples, the

Philippine Methodist Church, and the Ilocano and some Tagalog

segments of the UECP remained, and tried to preserve what they could

of the Evangelical Church in the Philippines under the leadership of

Rev. Dr. Sobrepeña. In the meantime, those who followed Rev. Dia

16 Norwood Tye,. Journeying with the United Church of Christ in the

Philippines: A History pp.12-13

17 Sitoy 1992, 450

continued to call themselves the United Evangelical Church of the

Philippines.18

Providentially, time healed the wounds inflicted by the war. The

Lord used the peaceable spirit and persuasiveness of Bishop Proculo

Rodriguez to reconcile the two estranged church leaders, Dia and

Sobrepeña.19 This development paved the way toward resumption of

the talks about organic union involving the two church groups under the

two leaders. It eventually led to the union of 1948, the birth of the United

Church of Christ in the Philippines.

The Founding of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines

On 25-27 May 1948,167 delegates from three church bodies met

at the Ellinwood Malate Church. In that uniting assembly the United

Church of Christ in the Philippines was born. Officially, there were three

uniting churches that approved the Basis of Union which served as a

provisional constitution of the UCCP20 These were the United

Evangelical Church in the Philippines (1929), represented by General

18 Sitoy 1989, 106-107

19 Sitoy 1989, 107

20 Norwood B Tye,Journeying with the United Church of Christ in the

Philippines: A History (Quezon City: United Church of Christ in the Philippines , 1994) p. 46

Moderator Leonardo G. Dia which included eleven congretations of the

IEMELIF led by Bishop Matias Cuardra and some local congregation of

the UNIDA;21 the Philippine Methodist Church (1933), represented by

Bishop Roberto Songco; and the Evangelical Church of the Philippines

(1943), represented by Bishop Cecilio Lorenzana.22 These three

churches include five different denominational traditions. These are the

Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, the Congregational

Church, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the United

Brethren.

Three other groups were part of the Joint Commission on Church

Union and participated in the drafting of the Basis of Union but were not

yet ready then to join the union. These were the Iglesia Evangelica

Unida de Filipinos (UNIDA), The Christian Church - Disciples (Tagalog

Conference), and the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches23

(UCCP, 14). It was only in 1962 that the Tagalog Conference of the

Disciples Church joined the UCCP.24

21 Sitoy 1992 p. 491

22 Minutes of the First of the First General Assembly of the United

Church of Christ in the Philippines (Manila:Reprint ), May 25-27, 1948. pp. 14-15

23 Minutes, 1st UCCP General Assemby, 1948 p. 14

24 Minutes of the Eight General Assembly of the United Church of

UCCP Church Government25

It is important to note that the UCCP has a distinct polity as a

result of the merger of three Protestant traditions namely the

Presbyterian, Congregational and Episcopal traditions. Integrating all

these traditions would lead to a unique form of church government. As

stated in the Basis of Union26, the basic document that the UCCP, has

three governing bodies, namely, the General Assembly, the Annual

Conference and the local church council.

The General Assembly is the highest governing body in UCCP

polity. The General Secretary, together with four jurisdictional area

bishops, has general oversight over the entire UCCP. They are elected

by the General Assembly.

The General Assembly designates the geographical area of the

Conferences. The administrative officer of a Conference is a Moderator.

Local churches elect representatives to the annual conferences. Official

Christ in the Philippinesy May 21-27, 1962, p. 103

25 Despite the series of organizational restructuring of the Church

government: from 1952 to 1974 the three governing bodies would essential remain the same. (Tye 1994).

26 Minutes, 1st UCCP General Assemby, 1948. See T. Valentino Sitoy,

The Autonomy of the Local Church in the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, UCCP Constitution and By-Laws Study Series 8, (Quezon City, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, 1992).

statements of the Church came from the General Assembly and its

Executive Committee.

A local church, on the other hand, "is governed by a church

council composed of the pastor, church workers, officers, stewards, and

heads of the various organizations of the church."27 Each local church is

autonomous and has the prerogative of calling a pastor.

The polity of the UCCP, as Bishop Sobrepeña described it, "is

one with strands drawn from the various church organizations that have

entered the union. To our mind it retains, in satisfactory measure, the

distinctive features of its forebears: the local autonomy so zealously

guarded by...the Congregationalists and Disciples of Christ; the

representative democracy, so carefully practiced by the Presbyterians;

and a degree of centralization of executive and administrative functions

as it is exemplified in the Evangelical United Brethren and Methodist

Churches"28

27 Minutes, 1st UCCP General Assemby, 1948 p. pp. 7-8

28 Enrique Sobrepeña, That They May be One, (United Church of

Christ in the Philippines: Manila, 1964) 81-82.

The UCCP before Martial Law

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines continues to

mature as a Church becoming more indigenous in its ministry and

worship. However the energy of the Church was devoted to

organization concerns. This was not surprising considering that the

United Church of Christ in the Philippines has managed to bring

together the highly hierarchical Episcopal polity in the Methodist and

United Brethren, the synod or Presbyterian and collegial polity of the

Presbyterian, and the polity of local church autonomy of the Christian

Church (Disciples), Congregational and Baptist. An observer has noted

that this preoccupation with its own organization was particularly evident

during the first decade of the UCCP, 1948-1957. Donald McGavaran

explains some of the reasons behind this circumstance:

This church has been attending to matters other than church growth. In ten short post-war years it has turned over entirely from foreign to national leadership; has welded five churches into one – a task which has required an enormous amount of conference, expense, and adjustment; and . . . has done away with mission subsidy to all church workers, from deaconesses through moderators . . . These organizational matters have consumed its entire interest.29

Another interesting development in the nature of the UCCP has

reference to its evolving theological tradition. In the sixties Protestant

churches especially the evangelical group have split into two important

29 McGavran, Donald A., Multiplying Churches in the Philippines

(Manila, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, 1958) p. 60

traditions namely, the fundamentalist-evangelical tradition and the

ecumenical-evangelical tradition.

The fundamentalist-evangelical group affirmed the nine

fundamentals in the Statement of Faith, namely:30

1. The Bible, the Word of God, in its divine, verbal, plenary inspiration and its inerrancy and infallibility as originally written; and in its supreme and final authority on faith and life (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet.1:20, 21);

2. One God eternally existing in three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cur. 13:14)

3. The Lord Jesus Christ. His essential, absolute and eternal deity (Phil. 2:6; John 1:1,14; Heb. 1:8. His true and sinless humanity (1 Pet. 2:22; 1 John 3:5). His Virgin Birth (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:20). His substitutionary, propitiatory death (Matt. 20;28;Mark 10:45; 1 Tim 2:16). His bodily Resurrection (Acts 1:11). His Ascension to the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19; Acts 1:20). His coming again with power and great glory (Titus 2:13; Rev. 10:11—16);

4. The Holy Spirit who shows the redeeming purpose of God to the world by convicting the world of sin, of righteousness and judgment; and by regenerating, uniting to Christ, indwelling, sanctifying illuminating and empowering for service all who exercise complete faith in the Lord Jesus Christ;

5. The total depravity of man because of the Fall (Gen. 3:10— 24);

6. Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ apart from works (Eph. 2:8);

7. The everlasting bliss of the saved and the eternal suffering of the lost (Dan.12:2; John 5:24; Rev. 20:14; Luke 16: 24—26);

8. The real spiritual unity in Christ of all redeemed by his precious blood (1 Cor 12:13; Eph. 1:4—6, 4:11—15, 5:25—26);

30 Jun Vencer, “The Evangelicals in the Philippines: A brief hisotry of

the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches” Evangelical Today, August 1994

9. The necessity of maintaining, according to the Word of God, the purity of the Church in doctrine and life (1 Cor. 6:19—20; 1 Thess. 4:3).

These fundamental-evangelical churches disputed the

evangelical identity of the UCCP. Many of these fundamentalist-

evangelical churches were organized in the 1950s. The missionaries

who established most of these churches came from Fundamentalist and

Pentecostal groups originating from North America. To mention some of

them, the Assemblies of God (1940) the Foursquare Church of the

Philippines (1945), Conservative Baptist of the Philippines (1948), the

Baptist General Conference (1950) and the Evangelical Free Church

(1952). Interdenominational Evangelical ministries also came, such as

FEGC (which gave birth to FEBIAS, the Marinduque Gospel Fellowship,

ABCOP and FIFCOP, the OMF (partly due to the closure of the China

Mission in 1949), and the New Tribes Mission.31 Since many of these

new evangelical mission groups and para-church organizations were

not related to the old mainline churches, nor were they members of the

Philippine Federation of Evangelical Churches, they were not bound by

the Comity Agreement of 1901. Most of these newcomers started

evangelistic and church-planting work independently of other churches,

31 James Montgomery, and Donald McGavran. The Discipling of A

Nation. (California: Global Church Growth., 1984). Cf. Leonard Tuggy, and Ralph Toliver, Seeing the Church in the Philippines. (Philippines: O.M.F. Publishers, 1972) pp. 87-115

wherever they saw fit. To them the Philippines were, and still is, a

mission field.32

The UCCP has aligned itself with the ecumenical-evangelical

group. The ecumenical-evangelical group shared some of beliefs with

fundamental-evangelical foremost of which is belief in Jesus Christ as

Lord and Redeemer. However the ecumenical-evangelical groups are

more ecumenical, i.e., they can relate with Roman Catholics and

Orthodox Christians. .33 They are more open and tolerant of other

denominations. Furthermore they have a more liberal or modern

theological orientation. The ecumenical-evangelical group affirms the

authority of the Scripture. Nonetheless accepts the principle of biblical

criticism.34

The UCCP was active in the formation of the National Council of

Churches in the Philippines (NCCP).35 This ecumenical-evangelical

tradition led the UCCP to be involved in social concern ministry. This

32 A. Leonard Tuggy, (1972) pp. 87-115

33 See the 1972 UCCP Constitution Article II and the Basis of Union of

1948 both documents emphasizing close relations with other Chistian churchs or denomination expressing the same faith.

34 UCCP Statement of Faith especially on the Bible.

35 T.Valentino Sitoy 1989. See also Sobrepeña, That They May be

One

type of ministry would include an impressive list of social welfare

institutions: hospitals, clinics, social service centers, and church-related

schools. Furthermore the UCCP pioneered new programs such as the

Rural Life Mission Project and the Industrial Evangelism Program.36

The involvement of the UCCP in social concern issues would

make it sensitive to some of the State policies. The UCCP would be in

the forefront in safeguarding the principles of religious freedom and the

separation of Church and State. Bishop Enrique Sobrepeña of the

UCCP organized and became the chairman of a national movement the

Religious Liberty Union of the Philippines, the aim of which was

… to call upon our countrymen, regardless of political affiliation or religious creed, who love the independence and value the sovereignty of the Philippines and who know the frightful and tragic history of church domination over civil power, to rally to this movement to warn the Filipino people against the ever-increasing danger of ecclesiastical meddling with state affairs, and so to lift nigh the torch of liberty and pass it on undimmed to other hands that this country shall remain forever free.37

And during the 1954 General Assembly, the delegates and

officers endorsed and encouraged the members to join and support this

movement. The Assembly voted:

36 Sitoy, 1997 pp. 975-1024.

37 Quoted from Sitoy 1997. p. 1015

That we as a Church give our endorsement to the movement to bring together all the elements in this country that believe in the principle of religious liberty and the separation of the Church and the State, for the purpose of uniting all their strength and resources to safeguard the maintenance of these principles in the Philippines against the insidious acts and policies of the hierarchy of a powerful religious element to undermine it. That we give expression to such endorsement in participating in definite and tangible steps to implement the movement38

The Church shared also its views on selected national issues

affecting the wider Philippine society. The General Assembly of 1960

took a definite stand on economic development, agricultural

development, population trends, modern technology, industrialization,

urbanization, unemployment, trade union movement and management

relation and responsible laity.39

The Statement on Social Concern was a significant document of

the Church for it defined the theological basis of the Church social

engagement. The Statement also defined the nature and mission of the

Church in society. It said the Church

... cannot hold itself aloof from the world in. which it lives. Even as the Lord of the church came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, so He calls His disciples to be His servant-people. (John 13:14-17). They are called to witness and to serve Christ in the world. (Acts 1:8; Matthew 20:26-28). It is through its members

38 Quoted from Sitoy p. 1015

39 “A Statement of Social Concern” Minutes of the Seventh Biennial

General Assembly of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, May 19-24, 1960. Legaspi City, Appendix pp. 222-227.

that the church confronts the world at all points of daily life. (II Cor. 5:17-20). Even as Christ came that men might have life and have it abundantly, (John 10:10), so Christians are to bear witness to this and have been called from the world into a fellowship of unity and peace with forgiving love by their concern and compassion for the world. (Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 10:23-27).

As one who has been sent forth to live in the world, the Christian needs to know the world in which he lives. He is to be in the world, but not of the world. Being in the world, the Christian soon recognizes that there are often no clear cut answers to the issues he must face. He is dwarfed by the enormity of social evils and confused by the complexity of the issues of life. But as a Christian he knows he can neither abdicate his responsibility to face the social evils, nor can he comfort himself with easy answers to difficult social, economic, and political problems. (Phil. 2:12-13).

As he seeks to live in this world, the Christian realizes the necessity of thinking and acting together with other Christians as well as persons and groups other than his own. The Christian does not face the world alone. But he grows in strength through the Christian community into which he has been called. (Phil. 1:27). Within this community he is bound together in the unity of the Spirit with others who belong to Jesus Christ. (Eph. 4:15-16). The Church is composed of men and women from all walks of life and with a variety of experience. It is within this community that fellow Christians share their knowledge and their experience in the world. Within this community also God calls his people to listen to what the world is saving to the church. In this act of the church there is a need for this continual sharing and reflection upon the issues confronting Christians in the world. As the church does this in faithfulness to the mind of Christ, it can provide its people with a Christian understanding of the issues, a guide for living their faith, and strength for action in the present world.

It is in answer to this call to live and to serve God in the world that this statement of social concern is made. It is provided as a guide for Christian thinking and action in meeting the present problems of Philippine society.40

40 A Statement of Social Concerns, Minutes of the Seventh Biennial

Later statements of the General Assembly would provide

concrete suggestions on how the Church could be more effective in its

involvement in society. In 1964 the General Assembly adopted a

statement on Responsibility Concerning Economic Development and a

statement on Responsible Citizenship.41 The Statement on Responsible

Citizenship contained concrete guidance to local churches and

members in connection with their political involvement. It could be

considered that the statement on Responsible Citizenship was an

expression the emerging UCCP’s political ethics. In that document the

UCCP reaffirmed the biblical truth that “God, as revealed in Jesus

Christ, is the ruler of all human affairs — families, towns, nations,

economic systems, social orders. To him belong our souls and bodies,

our possessions and cultures, our communities and churches.” It

reminded the Church that the “Government makes many fateful

decisions concerning the life and welfare of the people; yet it also is

under the judgment of God.” Hence the Assembly called the churches

to “study, pray and work” for the following: 42

General Assembly May 19-24, 1960.

41 “Statement of Responsibility Concerning Economic Development”

and “Statement on Responsible Citizenship” Minutes of the Nineth Biennial General Assembly of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, May 31-June 5, 1964. pp. 21-22.

42 Statement on Responsible Citizenship, Minutes of the Nineth

Biennial General Assembly, May 31-June 5, 1964.

1. For effective, representative, responsible government from the smallest sitio to Congress and the Presidency. To this end we encourage church workers to study Republic Act 3590, commonly known as the Barrio Charter, and to call it to the attention of the members.

2. For the development of a deep concern for the affairs of gov-ernment, including the election of responsible and dedicated citizens to public office. Toward this end, it is suggested that a program of non-partisan political education be conducted by the United Church Men, the National Christian Women's Association, the Christian Youth Fellowship and other groups within the Church.

3. For the effective endorsement and implementation of the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines and all of the laws and legal orders of the duly constituted authorities, including those separating church and state.

4. For understanding of the financial structures of the Govern-ment and for the payment of taxes and other financial obligations as an expression of Christian and civic responsibility for the common good.

5. For critical evaluation, within the fellowship of the church and in the perspective of the Christian faith, of policies, political issues and practices of candidates, of office holders and of government agencies and institutions.

6. For increasingly effective social welfare agencies (govern-mental community, and private); for more specific information about their services; for fuller understanding of their functions and for more voluntary services to them. To this end, we request the Department of Public Welfare, hi cooperation with the Moderators, to prepare a list of the social welfare agencies which are available for referral, consultation and cooperation.

During the 1970 General Assembly, ten years after 1960

Statement of Social Concern, the Church expressed the same

statement.43 Furthermore the Church has taken a more proactive stance

on issues affecting the nations during this period. According to General

43 UCCP 1970 General Assemby, Statement of Social Concern

Assembly the “church must actively engage itself in the task of bringing

about social justice.”44 The Church had even welcome the “emergence

of protest movements of students and working class youth” for

prophesying against social structures that perpetuate poverty, injustice

and violence. The Church also “…declared full support to all peaceful

means of pursuing demands and expressing and seeking redress of

grievance.” But the Assemble rejected “any and all forms of violence

and subversion as means of seeking reforms.” Hence the Assembly

endorsed a non-partisan constitutional convention to amend the 1938

Constitution.45 The Assembly also reaffirmed its belief on the supremacy

of civilian authority over that of the military in the resolution of country’s

socio-economic and political problems. 46

In addition to the statement on Social Concern, the General

Assembly adopted the statement on Missionary Concern, Law, Order

and National Unity47 The Church expressed its concern on the

44 “A Statement of Social Concern” Minutes of the Executive

Committee of the General Assembly of the UCCP, July 31-August 1, 1970, Appendix II 275-291b. Cf. Workbook Twelfth Biennial General Assembly, May 24-28, 1970. Baguio City

45 A Statement of Social Concern. p. 280

46 Workbook Twelfth Biennial General Assembly, (General Assembly

Proceedings), Voted 70-116, p. 30

47 “Statement on Missionary Concern – Law, Order and National Unity”,

Workbook Twelfth Biennial General Assembly, May 24-28, 1970. Baguio City

“outbursts of lawlessness and the rampant disregard of order which

disrupt national unity and solidarity.” Lawlessness has become an

obstacle to progress and national development. The Church as an

“agent(s) of reconciliation to bring peace, harmony and love to all

people and in all places” should initiate “dialogue or series of dialogue”

to promote unity and understanding. However in places where “violence

and armed elements frustrate the efforts for peaceful and productive

way of life”, the State should intervene to “…ease these problems and

to bring justice to all.”48

The significance of these General Assembly actions could not be

over-emphasized. It showed that the Church understood its relationship

with the State in term of enlightened cooperation. It encouraged

members to develop a deeper and more comprehensive social

awareness through social and political analysis in engaging the State.

The UCCP has rejected blind submission to political authority.

The Church was gearing to meet the challenges of the 70’s. This

attitude of the Church was articulated in a keynote address delivered by

the late Bishop Abainza who later became the General Secretary in

1972.

voted: 70-136 pp. 37-38,

48 “Statement on Missionary Concern – Law, Order and National Unity”

We want a Christ-like world. We believe the Church has a significant role to play in bringing it into being. There are many forces in the world which challenge the church and threatens its very existence. The church cannot meet these issues unless it is given the tools with which to respond to them. A better world cannot come into being through wishful thinking. Those who believe in the Church must be prepared to spend and be spent.

The church can go out to live the life of the Gospel in the world, only if the people who have seen the Great Light of life are willing to promote, extend and support the ministry of the Gospel. We must do this if we are to help the United Church of Christ in the Philippines directly confront the crisis it faces. All must be involved — meaningfully involved — in the task of giving, in spending and being spent for God’s sake.

The years in the seventies in a sense are unknown pathways. Known or unknown, however, it is good for us to know it is not history that makes a man. God and man, God primarily, makes history. With God, the history that the United Church of Christ in the Philippines shall make in the seventies should be God’s story. The United Church of Christ in the Philippines will yet see wonders in the seventies if she resolutely and faithfully uses the rod she has in her hands to fulfill God’s will for her. The best years are yet to come.49

49 Estanislao Abainza, Imperatives for the United Church of Christ in

the Philippines in the 70’s, (Keynote Address) Workbook Twelfth Biennial General Assembly, (General Assembly Proceedings)