Filipino resiliency and neoliberal Christianity

AMID natural and human-made catastrophes, sage suggestions from the scientific community are often diluted by the clichéd claim on Filipino resiliency. Such a claim does not come out of a vacuum independent of ideology vis-à-vis the mode of governance and neoliberal policies. Advocates of neoliberal governance bank on arguments of prosperity ethics as a source of economic growth. This neoliberal offensive inflicts injury on Christianity devoid of progressive theology. While it is religious in character, it has neoliberal ethos sticking to self-help literature and corporate social responsibility, turning academicians and Christians alike into prophets of capital with religious and entrepreneurial character. While it may seem sound, the burden of the government is now on the individual.

The Ayn Rand Institute rationalizes this self-interest virtue vis-à-vis laissez-faire capitalism. While it is true that every individual has corresponding duties and responsibilities to oneself, family, community and country, many miss the right to participate with the socio-politico-economic dynamics in demanding social justice to uphold the community and the common good without setting aside the role of government. As such, it is different from militant Christianity with materialist philosophy grasping the capitalist-generated crises. One cannot just aim for prosperity and preach Christianity without scientific scrutiny of the society’s material condition. Studies cite the bankruptcy of prosperity ethics claiming it is not oriented towards social justice. But the Scriptures, with the aid of progressive theology, may fertilize the society’s material condition provided that certain provisions of the Constitution may fit the 10 key principles of the social teachings of the Church.