God’s Benevolent Love in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: Articulations and Experiences of Select Filipino Youth
Current studies show that the Christian faith is still robust in Philippine society and culture despite the global health crisis. This study investigates how select Filipino Christian youths intuited God’s benevolent love in the time of “social distancing” and how their experience of God’s benevolen...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/2/162 |
| _version_ | 1827652946427379712 |
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| author | Rebecca Cacho Fides del Castillo |
| author_facet | Rebecca Cacho Fides del Castillo |
| author_sort | Rebecca Cacho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Current studies show that the Christian faith is still robust in Philippine society and culture despite the global health crisis. This study investigates how select Filipino Christian youths intuited God’s benevolent love in the time of “social distancing” and how their experience of God’s benevolence helped them to carry on despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors administered open-ended survey questions about God’s love to select Filipino Christian youths. The responses were analyzed using thematic analysis and categorizations. Using contextual analysis, the researchers critically reflected upon the respondents’ notions of God’s love and religious experiences from the two poles of Filipino culture and Judeo-Christian tradition. According to select Filipino Christian youths, God is present and faithful. God’s “kagandahang-loob” (benevolent love) for human persons is evinced in the care and kindness of family members and neighbors. God also enables human persons to prevail over challenges in life, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, God is the ultimate source of Christian hope. This hope is firmly anchored in Jesus Christ and the Church. Furthermore, God is forgiving and merciful. He continues to bless and give graces to human persons despite their sinfulness. These contemporary conceptualizations of God’s perfect interior goodness helped the select Filipino Christian youths cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:10:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-77798965c8c1471289ed8d0f71f0bb92 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:10:09Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-77798965c8c1471289ed8d0f71f0bb922023-11-23T21:52:06ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442022-02-0113216210.3390/rel13020162God’s Benevolent Love in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: Articulations and Experiences of Select Filipino YouthRebecca Cacho0Fides del Castillo1Department of Theology and Religious Education, De La Salle University, Manila 1004, PhilippinesDepartment of Theology and Religious Education, De La Salle University, Manila 1004, PhilippinesCurrent studies show that the Christian faith is still robust in Philippine society and culture despite the global health crisis. This study investigates how select Filipino Christian youths intuited God’s benevolent love in the time of “social distancing” and how their experience of God’s benevolence helped them to carry on despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors administered open-ended survey questions about God’s love to select Filipino Christian youths. The responses were analyzed using thematic analysis and categorizations. Using contextual analysis, the researchers critically reflected upon the respondents’ notions of God’s love and religious experiences from the two poles of Filipino culture and Judeo-Christian tradition. According to select Filipino Christian youths, God is present and faithful. God’s “kagandahang-loob” (benevolent love) for human persons is evinced in the care and kindness of family members and neighbors. God also enables human persons to prevail over challenges in life, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, God is the ultimate source of Christian hope. This hope is firmly anchored in Jesus Christ and the Church. Furthermore, God is forgiving and merciful. He continues to bless and give graces to human persons despite their sinfulness. These contemporary conceptualizations of God’s perfect interior goodness helped the select Filipino Christian youths cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/2/162faithreligionyouth studycultural analysisbenevolent love or <i>kagandahang-loob</i>religious coping |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca Cacho Fides del Castillo God’s Benevolent Love in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: Articulations and Experiences of Select Filipino Youth Religions faith religion youth study cultural analysis benevolent love or <i>kagandahang-loob</i> religious coping |
| title | God’s Benevolent Love in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: Articulations and Experiences of Select Filipino Youth |
| title_full | God’s Benevolent Love in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: Articulations and Experiences of Select Filipino Youth |
| title_fullStr | God’s Benevolent Love in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: Articulations and Experiences of Select Filipino Youth |
| title_full_unstemmed | God’s Benevolent Love in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: Articulations and Experiences of Select Filipino Youth |
| title_short | God’s Benevolent Love in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: Articulations and Experiences of Select Filipino Youth |
| title_sort | god s benevolent love in the time of covid 19 pandemic articulations and experiences of select filipino youth |
| topic | faith religion youth study cultural analysis benevolent love or <i>kagandahang-loob</i> religious coping |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/2/162 |
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