Basic Ecclesial Communities Research Articles

Listening across the Américas: Base Ecclesial Communities and Relational Organizing as Listening Practices for a Synodal Church

Catholicism can draw on existing practices of listening to build a more participative church. This paper analyzes listening practices in Catholic and Catholic-engaged interfaith settings, drawing on the author’s long-term ethnographic research: i) four years of weekly participation in meetings of comunidades eclesiales de base in Mexico and Central America; ii) two decades of participant-observation in multiracial faith-based community organizing work in low-income communities of the United States; iii) participant observation at the US expression of the World Meetings of Popular Movements initiative; and iv) participant-observation at the “Prophetic Communities” gathering of organizers, scholars, and church leaders, focused on synodality and community organizing (San Francisco, CA, in 2023). The essay frames its discussion of listening practices around contemporary ideas regarding acompañamiento, solidarity, encounter, and the role of civil society and “public religion” as cultural and institutional underpinnings of democracy. A restructured, more synodal church can enable “ethical democracy” in the future, in part through its practices of liturgy and encounter.

Basic Ecclesial Communities in the Philippines: Histories and Stories of a Pilgrim Church, edited by Fides Antonio del Castillo and Raymund B. Habaradas

Basic Ecclesial Communities in the Philippines: Histories and Stories of a Pilgrim Church, edited by Fides Antonio del Castillo and Raymund B. Habaradas

The People Who Do All Things Together: Living Base Ecclesial Communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

This article analyzes the pastoral practice and ecclesiological vision of living base ecclesial communities (CEVBs) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through a case study in the Diocese of Tshumbe. Contextualizing this within the broader history of Global South base communities, the author argues that CEVBs exemplify Vatican II’s people of God ecclesiology and Africa’s image of the church as the family of God. They also embody Pope Francis’s calls for a more synodal and dialogical church that empowers laity, provides opportunities for women’s leadership, and integrates faith and social concern.

Basic Ecclesial Communities

Religious intolerance and blatant polarization along the lines of caste, colour, and racial differences are on the rise in India, a trend that has been compounded by the explicit religious nationalism of the incumbent ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the face of this rising intolerance and polarization, a substantial number of Indians from different demographics have begun to envision and participate in people-centred initiatives to nurture religious and social harmony. The present article proposes that Basic Ecclesial Communities – a practical, resourceful, and sustainable means of fostering community and religious harmony through interfaith sharing, hospitality, and a welcoming mindset – represent an impactful contribution to this effort.

Synodality in the Reception of the Second Vatican Council and Development of the Pastoral Orientations of the Chilean Bishops’ Conference, 1965–1985

After the Second Vatican Council, the Chilean bishops met in a plenary assembly during May 1968. As a result, the Episcopal Conference of Chile developed its first Pastoral Orientations (POs). Between 1968 and 1985, the Chilean Bishops produced eight different iterations of the POs. The ongoing development of the POs during this period reflected an emerging consensus across the various dioceses of the county. Five aspects of the POs in particular helped develop a synodal culture: (1) to reform the Church, (2) to establish the Church as an evangelizer and servant of humanity, (3) to opt for the base ecclesial communities as the local realization of the People of God, (4), to carry out the liturgical reform and diocesan synods, and (5) to develop intermediate forms of collegiality among the bishops.

Entrevista a Frei Betto

Frei Betto (Carlos Alberto Libânio Christo) was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 1944. He is a Dominican friar and theologian, being among the most relevant and internationally recognised exponents of «liberation theology». This militant in pastoral and social movements resisted the Brazilian military dictatorship, under which he was imprisoned and endured torture: he related this experience in Baptism of Blood (Jabuti Prize, 1982) and in Letters from prison (1977). He was active in the construction of Base Ecclesial Communities and, during the first Lula Government, was adviser to the Presidency of Brazil for the Zero Hunger programme. He politically sympathized the socialist experiences in South America, and he has advised various governments, especially the Cuban government, on relations between the Catholic Church and the State. Among the dozens of works he has written, the following are worth mention (our translation): Fidel and Religion (1985), The Work of the Artist (1995), Hotel Brasil (1999), The Art of Sowing Stars (2007), A Man Called Jesus (2009), Mysticism and Spirituality (with L. Boff, 2010), Hunger for God (2014), Reinventing Life (2014), Paradise Lost (2015), A Very Human God (2015), Faith and Affection (2019), and Militant Jesus (2022).

Teologi Inkulturasi dalam Sejarah Gereja dan Dewasa Ini di Flores, Indonesia

<p>This article is based on a book by Emanuel Martasudjita on Inculturation Theology. The author of this article supports the<br />statement of E. Martasudjita that inculturation of theology is not a new reality, but has been known and practiced<br />throughout the history of the Church. By expanding on the description given by Martasudjita regarding the stages in the<br />development of history, the author of the article draws on the basic insight from that history that inculturated theology is not<br />constructed, but must grow in the reflections made by the faithful about their Christian faith, where they use the way of<br />thinking, they have according to the culture they live in.<br />From the research on history, it is learned that changes in form in theology often occur based on different favorite ideas<br />held by different cultures, besides that there has also been the formation of new theology, where people with certain cultural<br />backgrounds learn theology from other cultures. In this case it is easy to misunderstand which can trigger a long discussion<br />that results in a new form of expression of the Christian faith.<br />By taking the results of this historical research, the author highlights the situation of practice of faith and reflection of faith<br />in the Flores island in South East Indonesia.</p><p><br /><strong>Keywords:</strong> Inculturation, history of theology, local culture in Flores, Basic Ecclesial Communities</p>

Catechesis on the Sustainable Economic Pastoral Program for the People of Mocok Station in Saint Arnold Janssen Parish, Ponggeok

Ruteng Diocese has launched 2023 as a sustainable economic pastoral year. As part of the Ruteng Diocese, the Saint Arnold Janssen Ponggeok Parish has the obligation to socialize sustainable economic pastoral programs to the people through catechesis in each Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) in March and April 2023. This obligation is rather difficult to carry out because the number of catechesis facilitators is limited. The number of BECs is more than the number of facilitators. To overcome this problem, the Community Service Team (Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat, PkM) of the Theological Education Study Program of the Indonesian Catholic University of Santu Paulus Ruteng offered assistance. The selected location is Mocok Station. This station has 14 BECs. The PkM team functions as facilitators in each BEC. The activity was carried out twice in March 2023. This community service aims to inform the Ruteng Diocese's sustainable economic pastoral programs to the people of Mocok Station and stimulate their commitment to the success of the programs. The method used was 3M, namely, to look at (Melihat) the social reality of the people, to evaluate (Menilai) the reality in the light of the Word of God, and to plan actions (Merencanakan) to respond to the reality that the Word of God has enlightened. As a result, people understood the importance of utilizing the natural resources they have and the need to build work ethics in order to have a better quality of life. In addition, the people expressed their intention to be involved in the Ruteng Diocese's sustainable economic pastoral program. They succeeded in formulating and deciding on a concrete action plan that was in line with the aim to increase the people’s wellbeing in each BEC.

Gift of faith: Tracing the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines through the transformative experiences of the BEC lay leaders.

The Philippine Church commemorates in a year-long (April 2021 – April 2022) celebration the 500 years of Christianity in the country. The Filipino Catholics and communities gathered to joyfully celebrate the event which marks the first hearing of the good news about Christ some hundred years ago by the foreign Catholic missionaries. Alongside the colonization of the Spaniards, which comes with complex issues and controversies, one remains significant and meaningful on the other side of their arrival- the Christian Faith! Today, this same mission of evangelization of the first Catholic missionaries in the country had been continued specifically in the local activities of the Church through the Basic Ecclesial Communities or the BEC movements all over the country. This is a case of qualitative study exploring the concept of faith of the lay leaders of Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) in Francisco de Borja Chapel, in Barangay Sta. Fe Caraga Davao Oriental. The study was conducted through an in-depth interview and dissemination of research questionnaire to the selected BEC lay leaders who were able to respond actively. In the end, the result of our thematic analysis, which was used to utilize in discovering the different emerging and significant themes of the gathered data, narrates for us the core meaning of the gift of faith for the BEC lay leaders: (1) faith that centers on Christ, (2) it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, (3) faith makes a person open to salvation, (4) faith as a gift means a blessing from God, and (5) faith makes them victorious over the trials of life. Moreover, the transforming effect of faith in the utterance of the BEC lay leaders reflects in the consciousness of the researchers the vision and objectives of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (1991): (1) participation, (2) responsive, (3) service, and (4) becoming truly Christian. These core themes of the transforming effect of faith on the BEC lay leaders reflect the reason for the Philippines to continue cultivating and nourishing the Christian mission in realizing the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Basic Ecclesial Community: Home of Synodality

This research paper explores the significance of the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) as a foundational pillar of synodality within the Roman Catholic Church. Synodality, understood as a participatory and consultative decision-making process, has garnered increasing attention in recent ecclesiastical discourse. The paper delves into the historical roots and theological framework of the BEC, tracing its origins to Vatican II and its subsequent development. It highlights how BECs, with their small-scale and communal nature, foster active engagement and inclusivity among members, providing an ideal environment for synodal practices to thrive. This paper illustrates the practical implementation of synodality within BECs and its potential implications on ecclesial governance and pastoral ministry.

Toward Synodality and Social Transformation: Lived Religion of Select Catholic Women Servant Leaders

Basic ecclesial communities (BECs) are flourishing in the Philippines. While many Filipina Catholics are leading the “new way of being Church,” little research has been conducted on their lived religion. Investigating the servant leadership of women in BECs provides us with a better understanding of the indispensable contributions of grassroots women to the Church and society toward synodality and transformation. As a response to this research gap, this study explores the concepts of faith and praxis among Filipina Catholic servant leaders (bai) of BECs in Mindanao. In this article, laylayan theology is used as a framework, and empirical phenomenology as a method of analysis to draw attention to BECs as a locus theologicus and privilege the marginalized voices of the bai. The study reveals that the select bai conceptualize the Catholic faith as personal yet ecclesial. The Church can participate in the missio Dei by fostering the communion of communities and engaging in social transformation. In addition, the bai maintain that the Church can remain relevant to the signs of the times by fostering fraternal collaboration of communities, evangelizing the youths, and promoting sacramental attitudes. The study affirms that women have the genuine freedom to realize their Christian identity and vocations, and one way to achieve this is through active participation in BECs.

An Economic Alternative from the Base: The Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) in the Diocese of Boac, Philippines

Roughly dialogical in approach, this paper attempts to converse the ideation of Jesus’ narrative of compassion as embodied in biblical literature with the praxis of compassion as exemplified in the socio-economic dynamics of selected Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) in the Diocese of Boac, Marinduque, Philippines, namely the communities of Panag Kalangkang, Bahi, and Dolores. Its purpose is to propose a compassion-based economic alternative that incorporates the salient features of Jesus’ compassion as its thematic anima (soul) and the praxeological attributes of BECs, particularly their integration of community stores, as its ideal corpus (body). This paper argues that as an ecclesial unit, often and traditionally constrained to liturgical and spiritual performances of faith, the BEC can be a suitable base to host and embody an economic dimension that features ethical and moral dynamics responsive to the call of Pope Francis for a new economic model.

Laylayan Theology: Listening to the Voices from the Margins

This paper aims to introduce and argue the need for laylayan theology. It theologizes a Filipino cultural concept that has been appropriated that privileges and brings to the fore the voices of the people from the margins. In this study, the invaluable contributions of indigenous Christian youths, the basic ecclesial communities, and bai (Filipina Christian leaders) to the Christian faith and mission are articulated. Laylayan theology hopes to promote further reflections and discourse towards prophetic dialogue between Christians from the margins and other members of society.

Cristianismo de libertação, teologia da prosperidade e as perspectivas da luta de classes no Brasil

ABSTRACT This text synthesizes the onset, development, and collapse of Christianity of Liberation in its relationship with the working class. When the Vatican qualified the liberation theology as heresy in 1984, the space occupied by the Christian Base Communities (Comunidades Eclesiais de Base) became dominated by a new segment, attracting more underprivileged people to their religious business ventures. For this reason, this paper will analyze the educational role played by the Christian Base Communities in setting up and organizing the working masses and as a consequence of their reflux, which is concomitant with the processes of pentecostalization in Brazilian Christianity. Since then, the masses have been faced with a crossroads posed by the growth of (neo) pentecostal religions in a consortium with the prosperity theology as popular and union movements are refluxing.

The ‘common good’ spirituality of Louis-Joseph Lebret and his influence in the Constitution and development thinking in Brazil

ABSTRACT This article presents how the Dominican friar Louis-Joseph Lebret had influence in Brazilian social thought and development policies throughout the country, influencing even a pro-democracy constitutionalist movement in the 1980s. His spirituality of the common good influenced the Brazilian Catholic Action movement, the emergence of various other social movements and the basic ecclesial communities (CEBs). Further, by offering new analytical tools and forming research groups focused on social impact and social development Lebret influenced an emerging social thinking that produced empirical research for human development on various subjects. This was through his Economy and Humanism movement that Lebret brought to Brazil in the 1940s and through the creation of SAGMACS (Association for Graphic and Mechanic-Graphic Analysis Applied to Social Complexes). The combination of technical and empirical knowledge about human development with a mystique of the common good linked to the Catholic Action movement was inspiring for the Catholic intellectuals who joined Lebret's group and later became important political figures in Brazil. Lebret brought an original perspective that influenced the very notion of what development is, based on the understanding of economy as an instrument for human development, which was to some extent incorporated in the current Brazilian Constitution.

As comunidades eclesiais de base e a recomposição das formas de militância católica no Maranhão (1970-1980)

The article addresses contemporary reconfigurations of forms of Catholic militancy through an analysis of the creation and evolution of basic ecclesial communities in the Maranhão region. Using a variety of methodological expedients, the analysis seeks to highlight two interdependent dimensions: on the one hand, it explores the CEBs as a laboratory of observation on the effects of the promotion of the laity for the emergence of a new ecclesiastical configuration in the region and, on the other, it investigates how concretely the networks of Catholic support for social movements and causes in the countryside functioned, within which, inadvertently, a consubstantially religious and militant ethic was being constituted that is disseminated across a variety of instances and activities in Maranhão's time and space.

La formación de capacidades en las comunidades eclesiales de base en una colonia de la zona metropolitana de Guadalajara

Con el apoyo de la hermenéutica analógica, este artículo recupera los diferenciales pedagógicos de las prácticas que, con un enfoque pastoral, se realizaron en las comunidades eclesiales de base en una colonia de la zona metropolitana de Guadalajara en los años 1973-1995, periodo en el que surgieron diversas luchas reivindicativas tanto por el reclamo de servicios básicos del lugar como por cobros injustos derivados de la venta de los predios habitados por familias provenientes del entorno rural. De estas luchas, así como de diversas acciones de estas comunidades, se derivaron algunos diferenciales pedagógicos que tienen como significación la formación de capacidades.

Comunidades Eclesiais de Base (CEBs): de Medellín-Puebla aos nossos dias

Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) became a milestone in the life of Latin American Church during the second half of the last century both for the evangelizing mission (salvation-liberation-option for the poor) and social structure (charismatic communities and ministries), as can be evidenced in the documents of the Episcopal Conferences of Latin America in Medellin (1968) and Puebla (1979). In the documents, these communities are deemed as a pastoral project or, at least, an essential aspect of the pastoral project suggested for the entire Church of the region. However, this began to change drastically at the end of the eighties, especially since the Santo Domingo Conference (1992). From being a pastoral project or essential aspect of a pastoral project, BECs became one group among others (even one that had to be tolerated). The latter has not changed, not even after the Aparecida Conference (2007). Bearing this in mind, the article deals with the relevance and place of BECs within different ecclesial contexts. First, it deals with BECs within the conferences of Medellin and Puebla, and, then, it considers some of the challenges and perspectives for BECs within the current ecclesial context. Thus, the first part of the article is of analytic nature in which an analysis of the documents is carried out, and the second one is reflective and presents some thoughts regarding the current ecclesial context.

Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) Involvement and the Spiritual Growth of the Youth and Adults in Selected Areas of Iloilo, Philippines

Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) Involvement and the Spiritual Growth of the Youth and Adults in Selected Areas of Iloilo, Philippines

A CONFERÊNCIA DE MEDELLÍN COMO RECEPÇÃO DO VATICANO II

O estudo parte do conceito de “recepção”, a acolhida por parte do sensus fidelium de um texto do magistério. O Vaticano II, seguindo a inspiração do Papa João XXIII, desenvolveu um novo estilo de texto conciliar e introduziu um novo método na Constituição Gaudium et spes, um método indutivo de fazer teologia a partir dos “sinais dos tempos”. A partir daí se pergunta como a Conferência Episcopal de Medellín “recebeu” o Vaticano II. São quatro características: o método indutivo de fazer teologia, o recurso aos sinais dos tempos latino-americanos, a libertação dos pobres e oprimidos, a valorização da Igreja local. Por outro lado, Medellín traz três novas questões pastorais: o pluralismo eclesial, as Comunidades Eclesiais de Base (CEBs), o catolicismo popular.