This week an article that offers a seemingly deep analysis of the massive governmental corruption we are “discovering” now is going viral. In essence, it says that the root-cause of the said problem is the shallow Christian faith in our predominantly Christian nation. The author asserts that Christianity here is all about rituals and nothing else. It is “loud in prayer, corrupt in practice.” It does not translate to transformative moral action in politics and society. And that is why despite being the only Christian nation in Asia, the Philippines is one of the most corrupt in the region.
This is not the first time, of course, that an analysis of this kind has been put forward. One version for example was the topic of a conference at the Ateneo de Manila University several years ago: “Are we poor because we are Catholics?” The problem with these analyses however is that they tend to be simplistic, facile, and therefore fraught with errors. Here are some points to consider if we are to have a deeper conversation on the issue of corruption.
First, the facts. We like to claim that the Philippines is the only Christian nation in Asia. But East Timor or Timor-Leste, a neighboring country, is ninety-seven percent Catholic. They are certainly poor but only because they just got their independence in 2002 and are therefore still struggling with putting in place the necessary democratic institutions.
Second, the correlation between religion and corruption. In the 2024 Transparency International’s corruption index, yes, the Philippines ranks the third most corrupt in Southeast Asia, next only to Myanmar (first) and Cambodia (second). On the other hand, in the wider Asian region, the most corrupt country is Syria, while the Philippines is ranked at 18. Notably, Myanmar and Syria are not Christian countries. The first is predominantly a Buddhist country with 88 percent identifying as Buddhist, while the latter is predominantly a Muslim country with 74 percent claiming to be Sunni Muslims. These data alone refute the all-too-easy causative relationship being presumed between religion and corruption. It appears from the foregoing that corruption transcends religion. Or put differently, corruption permeates all religions. Or more correctly, all of humanity, independent of religion. Which brings us to the third point which is theological.
Third, the theological aspect. In most religions, corruption falls under the discussion of sin and evil. And at least in the Judaic-Christian faith, sin and evil are part of the great mysteries of life. We do not fully understand where they originated and why God allowed them in the first place. The story of Eden of course is our attempt to grapple over these mysteries and are not meant to be literal. By and large, what the bible teaches us in its first book (Genesis) is that corruption is already with us from the very start, almost sine-qua-non of being human; it also teaches or rather prophesies in its last book (Revelations) that it will be with us till the end of time. In between these books, however, what comes out as primordial or foundational is human freedom. We sin because of this God-given gift of freedom. The alternative of course is untenable. God desires our love but there is no genuine love if he had created us as robots or automatons. Admittedly though, in her long history, the Church has been tempted to become like the totalitarian or autocratic governments today. At the height of Christendom or Christian “theocracy,” the Church went beyond preaching the Word of God and her rituals and traditions and demanded servile obedience. In the name of virtue and sanctity, she waged war against the “infidels” in her bloody crusades and notorious inquisitions. She has long repented over these crimes and abandoned temporal power and abided to what we now call the principle of the separation of Church and State. All that is left is her moral influence and her rituals and traditions.
Apologies for this long theological discourse, and this long initial piece on this subject. But in brief, the issue of corruption is complex. It is historical, cultural, political as well as personal. And not just a matter of religion. In philosophy, we commit the fallacy of reductionism when we reduce our analyses to just one simplistic point. Corruption is a multi-headed dragon. Indeed, it is harrowing and overwhelming. It has crucified even the almighty and all-powerful God. And yet as John writes: “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
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