Role of religions in development: A blind spot for many?

REUTERS/Khalid Al-Mousily

Religions take part in development.This statement was unpacked in a two-day meeting organized last week by the Ateneo Policy Center, with Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities, and World Faiths Development Dialogue. In attendance were faith-based groups and development actors from various religions and sects, some of whom have spent their entire life in humanitarian work out of love of mission and dedication to faith.

There has been a vast range of debates and literature on this topic. Some have dealt with the separation of church and state, especially with recent discussions on the divorce bill. There are those who argue that religions play a part in holding back or advancing development.

Religion is also often regarded as the opium of the masses in sociology and recognized as part of the voluntary sector in public administration, while the social dimension of faiths is acknowledged in theology. In the interest of space, please allow me to delve into the role of faith-based groups in development, and in doing so, help shed light on the central question of the meeting: What does “strategic” religious engagement in development mean in the Philippines?

The role of religions in development, while obvious for some, may be a blind spot for many who continue to perceive them only as an arena for spiritual development and salvation in the afterlife. To note a few contributions of religions through faith-based groups and actors, we need not look far every time we suffer from disasters. We can instantly name Catholic Relief Services, Islamic Relief Worldwide, and the Tzu Chi Foundation, among others. Their services are wide-ranging—from quick response at the onslaught of disasters to providing shelters. There are other religions that work around education in formal and informal settings—from directly running schools and providing alternative learning avenues, to sponsoring children in scholarship programs. Some actors here are member-schools of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, World Vision, and International Care Ministries.

In more repressive situations, there are those that muster the courage to speak out and exercise their prophetic voice to counter blatant injustice and provide aid to its victims. Such a role comes in the form of releasing public statements and organizing mobilizations, which however make them targets of Red-tagging. Among them are Nassa-Caritas Philippines, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, and the Bishops-Ulama Conference.

These religious engagements in development make them partners, and at times critical collaborators, of the government and international development agencies.

While trust in and the influence of some faith-based groups and actors are said to be diminishing today, the fact remains that they occupy a significant space in the realm of development. It is in this context that the question of “strategic” religious engagement in the Philippines is raised. Understanding whether collaboration among the three—faith-based groups, government, development funders—is systematic, sustainable, inclusive, ethical, in other words “strategic,” ought to be critically examined.

Despite the underlying donor-driven tone in this exercise, it presents opportunities for religious engagements to be more efficient and effective vehicles of development. For instance, mapping religious engagements in the country can offer opportunities for development organizations engaged in similar initiatives to work together and combine resources, fill in gaps in the development sector where there are no or few actors, and enhance linkages that may still be weak but have potential for greater impact in serving the marginalized.