Between Celebration and Critique: Snapshots from 500 Years of Philippine Christianity

“As Christianity in the Philippines celebrates its quincentennial anniversary, we are delighted that José Mario C. Francisco’s Between Celebration and Critique: Snapshots from 500 Years of Philippine Christianity, a selection of his essays published over the last thirty years in various (but not all easily accessible) venues, is coming out in print as a convenient single volume. . . . It is a required reading as the Philippines celebrates the quincentennial anniversary of Christianity’s arrival on its shores and as the country enters a new era of ecumenical, globalized, and postcolonial Christianity.”

— Peter C. Phan, The Ignacio Ellacuria, SJ, Chair of Catholic Social Thought, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Georgetown University, and José Casanova, Professor Emeritus, Department of Sociology, Georgetown University

“I consider this volume a very significant and timely contribution to Asian theology. More precisely, it is an excellent introduction to fundamental theology in the Philippines and in Asia. As readers would have surmised, the approach of and issues in fundamental theology in the global south are different from those in the North, which mostly touch upon questions of bridging reason and faith. In contrast, the concern of fundamental theology in the South is how to reconcile culture, history, and agency with the Christian faith. With this volume, I believe that Professor Francisco, one of the leading theologians in Asia, will inspire other Asian theologians to do Asian fundamental theology in new and creative ways in consideration of their respective contexts.”

— Felix Wilfred, Former Member, International Theological Commission, and Former Secretary, Office of Theological Concerns, Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences

Published in 2021.