A Mainline Protestant Church’s Engagement in Socio-Political Issues in Mindanao
Melanio L. Aoanan, Th. D. Abstract The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) is the largest mainline Protestant church in Mindanao. This article focuses on its engagement in socio-political issues in recent decades. It describes the church’s historical context inclusive of the missionaries’ contribution in the birthing of the UCCP as a merger of five Protestant denominations in 1948. The main focus of the article is the UCCP’s engagement in socio-political issues particularly its wholistic witness to the wider society inclusive of the Moro and Lumad or indigenous peoples in Mindanao. The article employs a multi-disciplinary approach in expounding the UCCP’s ecumenical and prophetic witness. Key words Mainline Protestantism. Lumad or Indigenous People, Multi-disciplinary Approach, Solidarity, Wholistic Witness. Introductory Statement This paper focuses on a mainline Protestant Church in Mindanao--the...