Abstract
ABSTRACT The article explores in detail the popular theological beliefs of Roman Catholic Filipino seafarers. It argues that they organise their beliefs and practices to ensure they enjoy God‘s protection in their dangerous work place. The keeping of religious artefacts, the practice of rituals such as signing the sign of the cross before work shifts, visiting important churches before voyages and asking priests to say mass after accidents or tragic events are all explained as means by which to guarantee God’s protection. The question is then asked whether these beliefs and practices might be called a theology. It is argued that what makes them a theology is not any critical or evaluative reflective task but instead the capacity of the theologian describing the beliefs and practices as theology to convince others that the categories utilised can and should be called theology.
Highlights
The idea of a ‘Working Theology’ deliberately contains a double meaning
The project was concerned with two major questions: (i) how do seafarers of different religious affiliations manage their life together onboard ship?; and (ii) how is the work of port chaplains appreciated by seafarers? As part of the research, a team member spent a total of six weeks onboard two ships interviewing all the crew members; 20 personnel on ship 1 (S1) and 31 personnel on ship 2 (S2)
In the first part of the article we described the beliefs and practices of Filipino seafarers
Summary
It captures the idea that the seafarers’ theology being described and evaluated here is contextual, that is, it emerges from the working environment of life on board large container ships. The purpose of this article is to describe the working theology of Filipino seafarers, to map out its main features, and to offer an evaluation of it under the rubrics of practical theology. The ship is a dangerous place in which the useful function performed by God is to be a guarantor of safety. This working theology is in part parasitic upon the Roman Catholic faith
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