The changing politicization of the Philippine Roman Catholic church, 1972-1988

This paper discusses theories developed to explain the experiences of the Roman Catholic church in Latin America, focusing on the tension between the church's Vatican II ideology and its hierarchical organization. Only when the balance within the institution shifts from organization to ideology does the church as a whole actively oppose an authoritarian regime. To discuss these points, this paper applies these Latin American theories to the Philippine case. It shows that the experiences of the church in Latin America are similar to those in the Philippines. Tension between ideology and organization divided the institution between central authorities and local members. As more members defected, the balance within the institution shifted towards open and active opposition to the Marcos regime. However, the creation of the Aquino government has not united the church. Rather, the church has shifted away from activism, increasing the tensions and division within the institution. -from Author