Philippines Table of Contents
The coming of Protestant missionaries was not welcomed by Catholic
clergy, and, for several years, representatives of Catholic and
Protestant churches engaged in mutual recrimination. Catholics were
warned against involvement in Protestant activities, even in groups like
the Young Men's Christian Association and the Young Women's Christian
Association. Since the 1970s, hostility between Catholics and many
Protestant churches had lessened; churches emphasized the virtues rather
than the alleged defects of other churches; and priests and pastors
occasionally cooperated. Although the ecumenical emphasis did not
eliminate competition and gained far more hold among older Protestant
churches than among groups that had entered the Philippines more
recently, the trend had significantly moderated religious tensions.
Some tentative efforts toward ecumenical understanding also were made
in relations between Christians and Muslims, delineating common ground
in the mutual acceptance of much of the Old Testament and New Testament
of the Bible. Occasional conferences were held in an attempt to expand
understanding. Their success by the early 1990s was limited but might
indicate that, even in this tense area, improvement was possible.
Source:
U.S. Library of Congress
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