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SOM-110 Theology of Money

SOM-110-03 WorkThis class will examine the biblical concept of “work.”

Trabaho / Work

Why Do People Work?

• To make a living• To be recognized for abilities • To attain a certain status in society • To attain a certain lifestyle• To save enough for retirement• To meet old-age medical costs• To finance children’s education

Hanapbuhay para Mabuhay

Towards a Filipino Theology of WorkGeorge N. Capaque, Ph.D.

• How does a Filipino understand work?• What meaning does he/she give to it?• This is an attempt to develop a contextual

understanding of work; a people’s theology of work using local materials (culture) mutually interacting with biblical faith

A Filipino Concept of Work

Hanapbuhay = hanap + buhay hanap - “search,” “quest” buhay - “life”Literally, hanapbuhay means “search or quest for

life”Usual English translation, “means of living” or “earn

a living”

Culture Language

Filipino Concept of Work

• Hanapbuhay means more than just economic survival

• Synonyms kabuhayan = ka + buhay +an ka-an joined to a noun indicate the qualification or nature of a thing; lit., “the means by which one lives”

Filipino Concept of Work

ikinabubuhay = ika + in + rep. of first syllable ika – the cause or reason for what the root word says literally, “to cause or to be the cause of life”

Filipino Concept of Work

• Work in Filipino thought deals with, or relates to, life. Work and life are intimately connected

• Work affirms and sustains life• To work is to live• Work is part of human life; it is life-giving

Filipino Concept of Work

The quality of and the attitude to one’s work determine the kind of person I am

Work in the Bible• “image of God” – relationship; tells us what human

beings are like (God-like) or what is human life.• Work is an essential expression of God-likeness.

Through work we realize who we are.

Work in the Bible

• Human work – to exercise dominion; to take care of creation. As we do so we preserve & enhance both the life of human beings & of created beings.

• In the NT, to work is to provide for ourselves, family & to help the needy (2Th 3:10-13; 1Ti 5:8; Eph 4:28)

• Both testaments affirm that work affirms who we are & sustains human life

The Filipino Concept of Buhay

Loob – the Filipino true or whole self; literally, “inside”

Kalooban(inner self)

The Filipino Concept of Buhay • Kaluluwa is associated with ginhawa (relief, well-

being, but in other languages, “breath”)• Essentially, kaluluwa is diwa (= “essence” or “spirit”)• Diwa holds together the different elements (physical

& spiritual) of existence & integrates them into one functioning whole called buhay or life

• Diwa is what “endows spiritual status to our earthly existence,” the “divine in us,” “God within men”

The Filipino Concept of Buhay • Buhay presupposes connection with the divine• Buhay is used in two ways: life as existence (buhay) & animating spirit (buháy =“alive”). Cf. walang

kabuhay-buhay (no life, no vitality or power)• Buhay is both a natural phenomenon & a spiritual

event• Work as hanapbuhay has a spiritual dimension or

meaning.

Life in the Bible

• nephesh (soul= “living being”) is the whole person formed by God from the earth with the divine breath breathed into him (Ge 2:7)

• “eternal life” = life in the kingdom (rule of God in the world). Kingdom is both personal salvation and social transformation

• Hebrew shalom – the whole human being dwelling at peace in all his/her relationships

What Makes a Filipino Alive (Buháy)

• Core values = the heart & soul of the Filipino• Loob is the Filipino whole self experienced as

kalooban (inner self – heart, spirit, but also relational, ka + loob + an), kaluluwa (vitality, power), & katawan (embodied, relates with the material world)

Core Values• The Filipino loob is relationally- oriented• Kapwa (other, neighbor) is in the loob• Pakikipagkapwa (personalism) characterizes all

Filipino relationships and emphasizes belongingness to a social collectivity. It also implies no separation between task and emotional involvement

• Dama or damdamin (feeling) connects one loob with another. Accounts for Filipino sensitivity.

• Dangal (honor, dignity) – synthesizes personalism and sensitivity

Contrasts between Western & Filipino value orientations (F. Landa Jocano)

Personalistic“emphasis on subjective

& euphemestic orientation”

Collectiveness“group gain”

Good behavior as the basis of rewards

Individualistic“emphasis on

objective & concrete orientation”

Distinctiveness“personal gain”

Accomplishments as basis of rewards

contrasts

Western Filipino

Some Implications

1. From hanapbuhay to mabuhay (lit., “to live,” the Filipino greeting). Work affirms & sustains life.

MABUHAY“May you live”

Implications2. Being & doing flow from each other. The Filipino worker

brings his/her whole self to the workplace. E.g., bayanihan (lit., “to be a hero to each other”)= spirit of cooperation and collaboration.

cooperation/collaboration makes the Filipino work better

Implications

3. From value formation to value transformation = virtue formation

Issues to Consider in Developing a Biblical Work Ethic

From An Asian Work Ethic: The Malaysian Perspective

by Wong Siew Li

Issues to Consider in Developing a Biblical Work Ethic

• How do I love my neighbor when their ‘right’ infringes upon my right to fair treatment & justice?

• How do I inspire an ethic of excellence in the workplace in the absence of meritocracy?

• Even if I were willing to join the civil service, can a minority voice change the prevailing culture of inefficiency?

Issues to Consider in Developing a Biblical Work Ethic

• What can I do about bribery & corruption which have become systematic problems?

• Can we change our lifestyle & live on less so that my spouse can quit his/her job to stay home to parent our children instead of the maid?

Issues to Consider in Developing a Biblical Work Ethic

• Given the high cost of college education, how many children can I afford to have?

• If I stay, will I be able to provide a good education for my children?

Issues to Consider in Developing a Biblical Work Ethic

• How do I maintain a healthy family life with all the travelling for work?

• How do I balance the competing demands of work, family and church?

Towards a Contextualized Theology of Work

Called to do my best (Col 3:22-25) • Look to God our ultimate master• Called to do our best (‘work at it with all

your heart as working for the Lord’) • Even if no earthly recognition/reward• Real boss is God; sure reward

Towards a Contextualized Theology of Work

Called to be salt & light (Mt 5:13-14)• Choose to stay in country: join civil service

or not-so-lucrative professions• Commit to bring kingdom values to

transform workplace, community and society

Towards a Contextualized Theology of Work

Called to love my neighbor (Mt 22:39)• Look beyond personal concerns (trust God

with them) to the needs of neighbor, society & nation

• What about those who have fallen through the cracks?

• In a restrictive environment, how else will the majority people know Christ?

The Way Forward

Multi-pronged approach• Commitment of individual Christians• Church to show concern for national

issues (Mic 6:8): pray, speak up, support and act

• More Christians to participate in ‘political process’ for change (as politicians; members of NGOs and media)