March 16, 2021 marks the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Spanish and Christianity in the Philippines. This auspicious event was the result of many historical factors which were all providentially directed by the hand of God. In "My Country's Godly Heritage" author and Pastor Ferdinand Melendres offers an insightful history of the Philippines as seen from a "Biblical perspective" which analyses these factors and shows God's hand in the shaping of this nation.
In discussing the Philippines before the conquest of the Spanish Melendres begins by charting the missionary work of both the Nestorian church and Manichaeans. Both of these sects reached China and both of them were eventually banished from China. During their stay in China missionaries from both groups had spread out to the Philippines by the tenth century.
Indeed, the religious factor cannot be separated from the history of this land. Five centuries before the Spaniards arrived, Nestorians and Manichaeans came to this land, to pursue religious expansion and to avoid Christian persecution in the tenth century. Consequently, this land became the epicenter of syncretized heretic and Gnostic Christianity for the next 500 years.
pg. 249
This is proved by pottery which was found in Manila.
Archaeological finds in Manila, such as Chinese porcelain dating tenth to fifteenth centuries, and religious documents testify to the early influx of Chinese heretics and Gnostic Christians in this land.
pg. 77
This influx of syncretic and heretical Nestorianism and Gnosticism primed the pump, so to speak, and prepared Filipinos to accept Catholicism when the Spanish arrived. The Spanish arrived due to seven favors God bestowed on this nation. These favors are summed up on pages 93-95.
1.The fall of Byzantium.
The Ottoman Turks conquered Byzantium in 1458. This led to:
2. The closing of the silk road
This meant there was no more land route to the East which forced Europeans to seek alternate routes through the ocean.
3. The abundance of spices in the Maluku Islands which are abundant in spices. This opened the door to the Philippines. Melendres says the Philippines did not have these spices.
The third favor was the location of the best quality spice merchandise. Finding the islands of the Moluccas opened the door for Portuguese and Spanish monarchs to consider the Philippines as one of its colonies. The Moluccan Islands was the focal point, the center stage; and Indonesian historians claims that in history, 'the Philippines and New Guinea was the eastern archipelago integrated into Indonesian history.' The Philippines lacked the spices abundant in the Moluccas and did not have silk products similar to those found in China, so Spain's interest in the Philippines was diverted into a godly enterprise, Christian missionary enterprise.
p. 94
The Moluccan Islands were the only source of significant spices, including clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and mace.
p. 84
This claim might seem shocking to those who claim the Philippines is a land of spices. But it is the Moluccas and not the Philippines which are known as the Spice Islands.
4. The quest for Prester John
For hundreds of years there had been legends of a Christian king and empire in the East. Marco Polo's travels only fueled this speculation and Europeans were eager to seek him out in China.
5. The hunt for the gold of Ophir.
During the 15th and 16th centuries many European ships sailed East looking for Ophir. Melendres does not claim that the Philippines is Ophir but only says that some thought it might be and that the search put it on the map. He notes that even after Magellan arrived in the Philippines the Spanish continued to search for Ophir. Specifically they thought Masaua was Ophir.
The emperor was also interested in the supposed 'treasure of King Solomon in the land of Ophir' because when Elcano and the survivors of the first expedition returned to Spain in 1522, they remembered and reported the gold, the golden daggers, pieces of jewelry worn by Rajah Culambo and his men, including the golden vessels, and the display of gold in his palace. They concluded that Masaua was the land of Ophir.
p. 122
The Spanish were never able to relocate this place and it's exact location remains lost to history. Many think it is Limasawa in Southern Leyte. That is the officially recognized location though Butuan has also lodged a claim as being Masaua.
6. Religious reform in Europe
According to Melendres the Reformation in Europe caused the Spanish to be more humane towards their subjects.
By the time after Columbus's exploits in 1492, the people of the Caribbean , including the Aztecs, Mayas, and Indians in Mexico and Peru, were already under the Spanish crown. But the Spanish conquerors treated the natives like slaves. And because of religious reformation in Europe that began in 1517, slavery and inhuman treatment of newly conquered territories resulted in a new emphasis on man rights. The Spaniards started thinking that using violence against the natives is contrary to the "sweetness of the name of Jesus Christ" thus making the God of the Catholics the "most cruel, unjust, pitiless God of all."One outstanding advocate of human rights in the Mexican and Caribbean conquest was Father Bartolome de Casa. His strong influence to reform the kingdom of Spain ignited the hearts of the Spanish people to think appropriately and spiritually, By the time Legaspi conquered Filipinos in 1565, the Spaniards who came with him were somehow tame and revived.
p.89
As many scholars declared, The Spanish way of handling their colonies, particularly the Philippines, was still the most humane and fair in comparison with how other European powers in Asia ruled over their conquests during the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries.
p. 130
This is most important regarding Philip II whom Melendres depicts as a very pious king whose heart's desire was to spread the Gospel and convert the world to the Catholic faith.
At the beginning of his reign in 1558 King Philip prompted Legaspi, a man of humble birth. In 1564 his very important reminder to Legaspi before sailing to Filipinas was, "If possible, not to harm the natives but treat them with kindness and convert them to the Christian faith." He believed that his authority derived from his commission to preach the Gospel to the natives.
p. 128
On page 125 Melendres relates the significance of the King of Spain being named Philip. There are two Philips in the Bible. One in the Gospels and another in Acts. Both men were zealous to spread the Gospel. Likewise so was King Philip II.
One thousand five hundred years later, another famous person with the name Philip, whose passion was to propagate the eternal gospel of Jesus Christ, rose to power to be the greatest king of Spain in its entire history! This Philip became the Lord's instrument to reinforce the Christianization of the natives of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao which began from he time of Legaspi in 1565.
p. 125
Melendres paints a very different portrait of the Spanish conquerers than usual. Rather then being bloodthirsty, demonic, evil men bent on enslaving the people and raping the land for resources we are presented with a Magellan who had been dubbed the "preaching captain." A man who kept a tight ship and checked the immorality of the sailors. A man whose only purpose was to spread the Gospel. Likewise we are treated to a King Philip II who is likened to David or Solomon and whose greatest desire was to spread the Gospel.
According to Melendres Filipinos accepted the Gospel very readily and not by force. This was because they recognized the God of the Spaniards due to remnants of heretic Nestorian Christians.
Nestorian Mongols believed that the 'Heavenly Father' existed beyond the sky and looked down from the heavens. Nestorian missionaries, on the other hand, carried the name of God Abba or Heavenly Father wherever they proclaimed their doctrines and faith. And as the people of Masaua called their God Abba, it was unlikely that Abba was just an idol or a pagan god. We can therefore draw the conclusion that Rajah Culambo, his brother Rajah Siagu, and Rajah Humabon and their respective kingdoms were remnants of the heretic Nestorian Christians. This was why the Culambo brothers paid full attention and with reverence to the Cross during the First Mass in Masaua. And in Cebu, Rajah Human did not resist Magellan's preaching, and even his people showed their hunger for the Word as the listed to Magellan teach the basic doctrines of Christianity. Then, without hesitation, the Cebuano king immediately submitted to Magellan's baptism.
p. 161
It was Magellan and not the priests who converted Rajah Humabon in Cebu. After he and his retinue were baptized Magellan gave them the Sto. Niño. Years later when the Spanish attacked Cebu they found this Sto. Niño in a house hidden in a chest. The Spanish rejoiced at what they considered to be a sign from God blessing their endeavors. When asked about this statue the natives said it had worked miracles for them. Melendres' source for this story is Antonio Morga and this is what he says about the discovery of the Sto. Niño.
The first of our Spanish settlements was made in that port, which they named the city of the most holy name of Jesus, because they found there, in one of the houses of the natives when they conquered them, a carved image of Jesus; and it was believed that it had remained there from the fleet of Magellan, and the natives held it in great reverence, and it worked for them in their needs miraculous effects. This image they put in the monastery of St. Augustine, which was built in that city.
Though Melendres paints a glowing portrait of the Spaniards as missionaries sent from God he does not gloss over abuses under Spanish rule. At first Filipinos willingly submitted to Spanish rule and became their vassals and adopted their religion. But as time went on abuses grew and a nationalist fervor arose in the middle 19th century. This led to the revolution led by Aguinaldo. Eventually the Spanish were defeated by the Americans who took over. This brought about the blessing of Protestantism.
Even though there was a lot of infighting between Protestant groups Protestant Biblical Christianty spread. Protestants brought the Bible and for the first time Filipinos heard the true Gospel message of faith in Christ.
When the Americans came, the introduced another type of Christian faith to the Filipinos, called Protestant Christianity. For the first time, the Filipinos saw and read the Word of God, the Bible. From the Protestant missionaries, the natives heard and learned that salvation is a gift from God through faith in Christ Jesus, and whosoever believed in His name shall not perish but have everlasting life. The arrival of the Americans was not only a liberation from Spain's three-and-a-half centuries rules but also the liberation of Filipino souls from slavery and bondage to sins.
p. 223
Now Filipinos are spread all over the world. The OFW's are not only workers but also missionaries who herald the end of the world as they spread the Gospel abroad. They do this passively through their works.
God told Abraham that someday "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when He built His Church. In these last days, He continued to fulfill it by sending Filipino Christians to "all the families of the earth" as servants, nannies, caregivers, and nurses God's plan for them is to become living witnesses of HIs love and salvation to Jews and Gentiles alike. hey were not 'active' missionaries in the traditional way that missions are done, but they are 'passive' witnesses of God's love and compassion. They have been sent forth that they world may 'actively' search the truth about the Gospel through their lives.
p. 261
As St. Francis so famously, or not, said:
Preach the Gospel always and if necessary use words.
Overall this is a very compelling and thought provoking book that offers, not a totally radical, but a very different take on the history of the Philippines. What we learn is that God has a definite plan for this nation and her people which has gradually unfolded over time through historical events. We also learn interesting facts like Filipinos would take their fighting cocks to church to drink holy water!
One missionary condemned the Catholic Church's approval of gambling, and it seemed to encourage it. Each game had its patron saint to which the gambler prayed for success. On some occasions, the gambler took their fighting cocks to the church to ear wafers and drink holy water assuming that the rooster would become strong and win the fight miraculously.
p. 226-227
The real strength of this book is the author's viewpoint that God is in control of all things and has brought the Philippines through her trials and to her current place for a reason. Nothing happens outside of God's will. Each chapter ends with a prayer for the Philippines. I highly recommend this book as it will give the reader a new perspective on this nation and an appreciation of all that has happened here both good and bad. The book is a refreshing break from the modern tirades against colonialism as being fundamentally evil. I found my copy at National Bookstore but it can be ordered from New Day Publishers or at Shopee. Reading this book is a great way to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Christianity arriving in the Philippines.
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