Victor R. Aguilan
6. opposition to militarization and a total war approach in resolving armed conflicts
5. the campaign to observe international humanitarian law in the conduct of the war; and
6. opposition to militarization and a total war approach in resolving armed conflicts.
The peacemaking ministry of the UCCP could be categorized as a citizen-approach to peacemaking. Several practitioners and scholars have called this approach by various names: conflict transformation,16 third side,17 and just peace. 18 Church and religious groups are viewed as “third side” or “third party”
to the ongoing conflict between the state and the non-state armed groups. They are in a better position to engage in intermediary peace building basically due to their established neutrality, credibility and non-antagonistic relationship with the state and non-state armed agents. A citizen approach is a strategy that places an emphasis on the role of the community members with regard to steering conflicts away from violence and towards a just and lasting peace.It focuses on what congregations, local churches and individual Christians can do to prevent war or de-escalate conflict. To give three examples from the UCCP experience:
In 1990 the Executive Committee adopted the statement “A Declaration Against Violence,” issued by the Council of Bishops.19 The Bishops became concerned about the alarming increase of violence and senseless killings in society. To address the escalating violence the church recommended concrete actions. To the government, the Bishops recommended the abolition of the para-military units. They also recommended the immediate termination of the U.S. Bases agreement. To the rebels and soldiers, they called to stop all strafing, bombing and ambushes, to respect the rights of civilians and other non-combatants; and to return to the negotiating table to deal with a comprehensive settlement of insurgency. The Bishops admonished the weapons
16 John Paul Lederach, Building Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies, Washington DC: United States Institute of Peace Press 1997, p.24.
17 William Ury, Getting to Peace: Transforming Conflict at Home, at Work, and in the World, New York: Viking 1999.
18 Glen H. Stassen, Just Peacemaking: Transforming Initiatives for Justice and Peace, 1st ed., Louisville Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press 1992.
19 Executive Committee, “A Declaration against Violence, 23 February 1990,” in UCCP Statements and Resolutions (1948-1990), Lydia N. Niguidula (ed.), Quezon City: United Church of Christ in the Philippines 1990, pp.194-198.
manufacturers to stop making weapons. The Bishops also requested all Christians and people of other faiths to “be true instruments of peace.”
Another example is the UCCP statement declaring the “Churches as Sanctuaries and Zones of Peace.”20 The total war strategy of the government had resulted in the displacement of people and communities in conflict-torn areas. The churches saw the influx of internal refugees or internally displaced people (IDP) caught in the crossfire between the government forces and rebels.
The UCCP offered its buildings and premises as sanctuaries for the internal refugees. “As sanctuaries, these places and premises are open to all people – regardless of color and creed, sex and status, and of political and religious affiliation – at all times in all circumstances of need.” The UCCP welcomed all those needing sanctuary “to use these places for protection, study, reflection, retreat, prayers and meditation, or simply for rest and quiet.” As zones of peace, the churches “are to be used for activities that build community and contribute to a deeper understanding of and commitment to peace and justice.” Weapons should not be brought to the places and premises designated as zones of peace.
The UCCP also asked government soldiers and armed rebels “to respect and support this decision for the sake of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.”
During the 8th Quadrennial General Assembly on May 27, 2006 the Assembly adopted a “Resolution and Statement of Great Concern Regarding the Current Explosive Breakout in Human Rights Violations.” It was a response to “the increasing number of militants who had been liquidated under circumstances that seemingly point to the military as responsible,” which included some church members and leaders of the UCCP. Appealing to the church’s prophetic role, the UCCP is called “to strongly decry and denounce the ongoing unmitigated killings of militants and activists in our society, and hereby call upon the military leadership, especially the Commander-in-Chief, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, to immediately cause the stopping of these extra-judicial executions, and to employ all means to bring to justice, without delay, all those responsible in the commission of the crimes.” The UCCP also urges all local churches “to organize and mobilize so as to address effectively this particular upsurge in human rights violations.” And finally the Church encourages and supports “lawyer-members of the Church, in all the jurisdictions” to organize for the purpose of defending those who are victims of human rights violations.
Issues connected with the peacemaking ministry
As seen above, there are three issues which are intertwined in the peacemaking of the church. These are human rights, militarization and church-state relations.
20 Executive Committee, “A Declaration of UCCP Churches as Sanctuaries and Zones of Peace, 23 February 1990,” in UCCP Statements and Resolutions (1948-1990), ed. Lydia Niguidula, Quezon City: United Church of Christ in the Philippines 1990, pp.199-200.
Human rights
The church has consistently emphasized that the protection of human rights is integral to its peacemaking ministry. There is no lasting peace without human rights. The UCCP has made human rights advocacy part of its ministry. The 1993 Constitution and By-Laws incorporated human rights as one of the UCCP’s declared principles. The UCCP is the only church in the Philippines to have incorporated human rights instrumentalities and UN declarations as part of its ecclesiology.
Nevertheless, human rights advocacy is controversial in the UCCP. There are those who say that the Bible is silent about human rights; others argue that the church should be concerned with saving souls for heaven rather than protecting and empowering humans for life on earth; a third group insists that Christians should be mediators of reconciliation, rather than conscientizing and agitating people to “fight and claim their human rights,” which runs counter to the command of Jesus to love your neighbours and even your enemies; and the fourth criticism is that human rights are “communist propaganda”.21
The most controversial issue besetting the human rights ministry of the UCCP is the perception that it supports “communist propaganda.” It was said that the UCCP statements and resolutions on the alleged human rights violations tend to be biased against the soldiers and police.
These views are mistaken and should be corrected. In fact the UCCP has criticized not only the military but also the rebels. In 1989, the UCCP issued a statement holding the National Democratic Front and the New People’s Army accountable for having committed gross human rights violations against civilians who were members of the UCCP in the infamous Rano massacre where more than 40 people, including women and children, were killed by the New People’s Army. The UCCP wrote in an open letter:
We condemn this heinous act, and in the name of the victims, demand justice…As a church committed to a just and lasting peace, we call on the National Democratic Front to acknowledge full responsibility for the massacre and to ensure that such a tragedy will never again occur.22
21 Erme Camba, “Interview by Author, Dumaguete City,” 5 December 2006. See also
“Military Names 25 Red Front Groups,” Pahayagang Malaya, November 25, 1987.;
Christian V. Esguerra, “Government Links Electoral Watchdog to Reds,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 21 2004.
22 Erme Camba and others, “Justice Not Vengeance: An Open Letter to the National Democratic Front and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, 3 July 1989,”
in UCCP Statements and Resolutions (1948-1990), Lydia N. Niguidula (ed.), Quezon City: United Church of Christ in the Philippines 1990.
Militarization
Another issue is the role of the military in society and the danger of militarization or militarism. The UCCP rejects militarization because it will not bring about a just and lasting peace. Militarization has been described as “the process whereby military values, ideology and patterns of behavior achieve a dominating influence on the political, social and economic, and external affairs of the State and as a consequence the structural ideological and behavioral patterns of both society and government are militarized.”23 Militarization is a political process whereby the military plays a dominating role in the formulation and implementation of national policies which undermine civilian society.24 The church considers this as a major threat to peace. Militarization destroys democracy, civilian rule and violates human rights. It siphons off resources which are needed for social services. It prevents genuine peace talks with rebels and insurgent groups. Militarization thrives on fear, thus it perpetuates wars and conflicts. The militarist solution has in fact fuelled the insurgency. Human rights violations, not ideology, recruit more people to support the armed rebel groups.
Although the Church is critical of militarization it recognizes the legitimacy of the military. The UCCP was the first Protestant church to assign chaplains to the military.25 For the UCCP, the armed forces exist to protect the people from criminals and the country against aggression. But militarization is a threat to both law enforcement and defence because it undermines the civilian supremacy which is the basis of democratic societies. There can never be peace without upholding human rights. But to protect human rights the people need security.
Church and state relations
The church affirms the necessity and legitimacy of the government in peacemaking. The state is to deter evil and lawlessness in society. Peacemaking theology acknowledges the need for someone, somewhere, sometime to use
23 Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace, Iron Hand, Velvet Glove: Studies on Militarization in Five Critical Areas in the Philippines, Geneva: Commission of the Churches on International Affairs World Council of Churches 1980, p.1.
24 See Mathews George Chunakara, The Militarisation of Politics and Society: Southeast Asian Experiences, Hong Kong SAR: DAGA Press Documentation for Action Groups in Asia (DAGA) 1994; Carolina Hernandez, The Role of the Military in Contemporary Philippine Society, Diliman Review 32, no. 1 (1984), pp.1-24; Viberto Selochan, Could the Military Govern the Philippines, Quezon City: New Day Publishers. 1989.
25 General Assembly, Resolution Recommending the Assignment of a Protestant Chaplain to Every Major Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, GA 21-27 May 1962,” in UCCP Statements and Resolutions (1948-1990), Lydia N. Niguidula (ed.), Quezon City: United Church of Christ in the Philippines 1990.
force and coercion to preserve order, maintain public safety and ensure security in a fallen world. In exercising its powers, the state can become dangerous and lethal, thus it should be restrained and regulated. The power of the state is primarily to protect human rights, guarantee human security and execute justice for all people at all times.26
For this reason the UCCP asserts that Christians have a twofold duty towards the state, namely 1) the duty to cooperate with lawful authority, and 2) the duty to be prophetic. The notion of cooperation with the state entails a proper understanding of the working of the political system. Before engaging the government, church leaders and members need to be fully informed about social and political issues and how government functions at all levels, what services are available, and how they may best become involved individually and collectively. Intertwined with the Christians’ cooperation with the government is the church’s prophetic duty.27 The church must expose human rights violations, lies and deception, cheating and corruption in government.
The prophetic witness of Christians can provide the critical dimension which is necessary for the preservation of the state as God’s instrument of earthly justice.28
The UCCP has recognized that it is essential to maintain a church-state distinction. The church’s loyalty belongs only to God. The church must concern itself with the Gospel. The church is not entrusted to wield political power. The church should be suspicious of worldly power because powers are fallen. Thus, the church should be critical of all groups engaged in partisan power struggles, state and non-state agents. This implies that the church should avoid any unqualified form of alignment with political authorities.
But when a government habitually violates human rights and oppresses its people, it loses its legitimacy. Thus the church is no longer morally obliged to obey the government. But the UCCP rejects violent resistance against the government. It rejects “any and all forms of violence and subversion as means of seeking reforms.”29 The church also discourages members’, especially church workers’ “membership, participation, and involvement in armed groups”
because this is contrary to the nonviolent teaching of the gospel and Jesus’
26 Victor Aguilan, Political Authority and the Church: The Challenge of the Reformed Political Tradition, in: Silliman Journal Vol 41., no. 1 January-June (2000).
27 See Hilario Gomez Jr., Appendix 5: Open Letter to the President, 16 December 1994, in State of the Mission of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, ed. Council of Bishops, UCCP Ellinwood Malate, Manila: United Church of Christ in the Philippines 1998, pp.88-89.
28 Aguilan, op.cit..
29 General Assembly, A Statement of Social Concern, 1970, in UCCP Statements and Resolutions (1948-1990), Lydia N. Niguidula (ed.), Quezon City: United Church of Christ in the Philippines 1990.
commandment that his disciples are called to be peace-makers.30 The church should neither legitimize the violence of armed opposition nor endorse state militarism. It is the duty of the Christian to work for justice and for the elimination of all forms of violence.
Theological authorizations of the peacemaking ministry of the UCCP Furthermore, the UCCP perspective on peace and peacemaking is justified by five theological themes. These are Christology, the nature of the church, doctrine of creation, imago Dei, and the kingdom of God.
The foundation for the peacemaking ministry of the UCCP is Christological.
Faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord of the church, of life and of history is the ground of peacemaking. He is the Prince of Peace who compels the church to be a peacemaker.31 The Christological basis of the UCCP peacemaking is rooted in the Gospel that God loves all humanity, including humanity’s world, and is concerned about human life in society. The Christological foundation permeates all other theological themes. This is what Bishop Erme Camba was referring to in a speech delivered during the 16th General Synod of the United Church of Christ in the United States in 1987. He asserted that “commitment to the persistent struggle for justice and relentless quest for peace is rooted in this character of the Gospel.”32 Reiterated by Bishop Hilario Gomez, “the Christian mission, being the mission of God in Jesus Christ, is to concretize the euangelion, the Gospel of God in the world that God loves so much.”33
Another theological theme used to authorize the UCCP peacemaking ministry is its understanding of the nature of the church. Ecclesiology is closely intertwined with Christology. Jürgen Moltmann describes this relationship between the church and Christ: “Every statement about the church will be a statement about Christ. Every statement about Christ also implies a statement about the church.”34 It is appropriate for the UCCP to make peacemaking part of the UCCP ecclesial identity.
The UCCP affirms the biblical image of the church as the body of Christ and acknowledges Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church.35 The image of the
30 Executive Committee, Minutes of the Meeting September 19-21,1989 Action 89-178.
31 Council of Bishops, “Neither Shall They Learn War No More, 22 September 2002,”
The United Church Letter, September 2002.
32 Erme R. Camba, Struggle for Justice: Quest for Peace, in: Alice G. Guillermo (ed.), Religion and Society: Towards a Theology of Struggle, Philippines: Forum for Interdisciplinary Endeavors and Studies 1988, pp.147-156.
33 Hilario Gomez Jr. , Christian Mission: Church’s Timeless Task for God’s World, The United Church Letter, January-March 1995, p.3.
34 Jürgen Moltmann, The Church in the Power of the Spirit, London: SCM Press, Ltd.
1977, p.6.
35 Rom 12:1-21; I Cor 12:1-31; 2Cor 5:16-21; Eph 4:1-16.
church as one body of Christ signifies unity and faithfulness to Christ. As head, Christ governs, commands, and directs his body. Thus, the church as Christ’s body is commissioned to continue Christ’s ministry until his return.
Hence, when the UCCP Bishops declare that peacemaking is a ministry of the church, the Bishops are announcing that it is Christ’s own ministry; and this ministry is entrusted to the church. “As a church, we should actively work for understanding, reconciliation, and unity. We should join hands with peoples of the world in the common quest for peace based on justice. Above all, we should follow Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.”36 As Bishop Gomez puts it, “If the church is the church, then the church should follow faithfully the demands of God in Jesus Christ.”37
The UCCP perspective on peacemaking also finds authorization in the doctrine of creation. God is the Creator and creation is good. This doctrine is based on the biblical creation story. In Article II Section 11 of the Church Constitution, the UCCP declares that “as steward of God’s creation, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines shall protect, promote and enhance the ecological balance and the integrity of creation.”38 The church is called “upon to be vigilant to defend God’s creation,” against mining and logging activities.39 The UCCP understands that the mandate placed upon humans to assume responsibility for helping to preserve God’s creation is a fundamental Christian theme. Since creation which is created good is threatened by violence and abuses, the church is mandated to preserve creation. Peacemaking is a concrete expression of this divine mandate. Thus, it is not surprising for the UCCP to question the policy of allowing the presence of nuclear weapons and foreign (US) military bases or troops in the country.40
Another theme that authorizes the UCCP peacemaking is the doctrine of imago Dei. The Statement of Faith of the UCCP declares that “persons are created in the image of God, sinful but destined to live in community with God.
Entrusted with God’s creation and called to participate in the establishment of a meaningful and just social order.” The UCCP has made this biblical
36 Council of Bishops, Peacemaking: Our Ministry, 21 August 1986.
37 Faith, Human Rights and the Shalom of God, May 11, 1997, UCCP-UEM Fact-Finding Workshop and Consultation, Baguio City, published in The United Church Letter, Vol XL No. 1 January-June 1997, p.25
38 UCCP, Constitution and Bylaws, Quezon City 1996 revised.
39 General Assembly, “Resolution on Environmental Concerns, 21-26 May 1990,” in UCCP Statements and Resolutions (1948-1990), Lydia N. Niguidula (ed.),Quezon City:
United Church of Christ in the Philippines 1990.
40 General Assembly, “Resolution Urging the Implementation of the Constitutional Declaration of a Nuclear-Free Philippines and the Withdrawal of All Military Bases and Facilities in the Country, 21-26 May 1990,” in UCCP Statements and Resolutions (1948-1990), Lydia N. Niguidula (ed.), Quezon City: United Church of Christ in the Philippines 1990.
understanding of human beings one of the bases for its peacemaking ministry.
The church declares that the root of human rights must be sought in the creation of human beings in the image of God. Human rights are gifts from God.41
Hence any violation of human rights is a denial of human dignity and a form of violence. This is emphasized in another document, “A Declaration against Violence,” in which the church “affirms that persons are created in the image of God. There is no distinction. All persons have equal worth in the sight of God.”42 The image of God creates value in the human person. And each human being has the same or equal worth. This image of God makes humanity fully human. The church further declares that human life is “a divine gift.” Human life is to be regarded not only with dignity but also with sanctity. The concept of human dignity and of the sacredness of human life can be best described as the value of human beings above the market, the state, and ideologies. Hence no human being can rightly take another human life, for human life belongs solely to God.
The image of God in human beings also leads to a creation of a community.
The Statement of Faith says “destined to live in community with God.” This implies that human beings are created in the image of God for community and not simply as isolated individuals; they are to enjoy and fulfil their human rights in community with other people. Community makes humanity responsible for the welfare of others. In addition this community is an inclusive community. An inclusive community includes Christians and people of other faiths. The UCCP acknowledges that human rights are for everybody. And as God’s creatures, Christians are called to live and to serve God in the world, in community.
The final theological theme used by the UCCP in authorizing its peacemaking ministry is the kingdom of God. This signifies the presence of God’s rule in the lives of people. This theme is connected with the goal of peacemaking, which is not merely to end deadly conflict but to transform society. The coming of God’s kingdom ushers in the transformation of humanity in personal and social, individual and societal ways. “God is at work to make each person a new being in Christ.” 43 Although it is God who brings the kingdom, the UCCP believes that human beings are invited to participate in the process. Christians are called to participate in the establishment of a meaningful and just social order.
41 General Assembly, Resolution for the Creation of the Human Rights Desk, 21-26 May 1978, in UCCP Statements and Resolutions (1948-1990), Lydia N. Niguidula (ed.), Quezon City: United Church of Christ in the Philippines 1990.
42 UCCP Executive Committee, A Declaration against Violence, 23 February 1990, in UCCP Statements and Resolutions (1948-1990), Lydia N. Niguidula (ed.), Quezon City:
United Church of Christ in the Philippines 1990.
43 Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, op. cit.