Philippines perfect place to study faith, globalization

The Philippines is in many ways the perfect place to explore the complexities  surrounding the relationship between faith and globalization, both past and present. As a society deeply influenced historically by Spanish, Indonesian,  Malaysian and indigenous cultures, it finds itself in the 21st century occupying a delicate and profoundly important role in both Asian and Western trade and  foreign affairs. I am therefore pleased to announce that the Tony Blair Faith Foundation (TBFF) has just established a deep and extensive partnership in the Philippines: A schools initiative to make inter-faith dialogue a part of social education, a program presently in 17 other nations; and a consortium of universities that will join the global Faith and Globalization course that was begun at Yale in the USA and is now in eight countries around the world.

Enormous possibility

The Philippines is a great place to have such ideas. It is a fascinating country on the move, facing big challenges but with enormous possibility which it is starting to fulfill. It has a new president with a strong mandate and the  determination and capability to succeed and a people behind him willing him  on. It is a nation of 100 million, situated in the middle of the rising East, with  resources, culture and beauty to exploit. Its people are hard-working and  smart. Its poverty remains real, but so does its potential.

Faith is also a big part of the country. It is predominantly Christian and  Catholic; but it has a significant Muslim population. In the past years the  Philippines has witnessed a tragic dispute in its Mindanao region, where the  majority of the Muslim people live. Largely ignored by the outside world, this  conflict has resulted in the death, in recent decades of 150,000 people,  displaced two million and inhibited what could be huge investment in the southern  part of the islands which is rich in deposits of oil, gas and minerals. It is actually  the second oldest conflict on earth after North/South Sudan.

Faith-based programs

Hence the need for, and the importance of faith-based programs that  promote peaceful coexistence. Of course, here, as in all such situations there  are a myriad of political and territorial issues that complicate. However, here  also, we cannot hope to establish peace without accepting that religion is part  of the problem and therefore must become part of the solution. To its great  credit the government is prepared to recognize this and help make it happen.

The TBFF will be working closely with the government on two levels. In the  first place, we will be working with the Department of Education to bring our “Face  to Faith” program into Filipino public schools. This program will provide  the next generation of Filipino leaders with the opportunity to learn essential  communication skills while also gaining greater understanding of inter-faith dialogue and the role of religion in the world. Second, we will work with the  Commission for Higher Education, the Office of the Peace Process and a  consortium of universities in our “Faith & Globalization Initiative,” which gives  university students from around the world the opportunity to learn more  about religion’s complex relationship with the forces of globalization.

Pervasive and complex

From this example, we can see a wider truth about the way we live and work  today. The role of religion in today’s world can be described in two words:  Pervasive and complex. Religion extends its influence over a myriad of aspects  of our daily lives in the globalized 21st century, whether or not we have  religious faith ourselves. Religion can claim responsibility for some of the most  profoundly positive and important events and movements the world has ever  known. Yet it has also been associated with some of the most heinous and  horrible crimes against humanity.

Unstoppable force

Globalization is an unstoppable force, driven  partly by technology and partly by people. Its impact is to thrust people online  and physically together through mass travel and migration. So today people  are aware of, mix with and compete with those of a different faith. There are  then two responses. One is to make sense of this interaction by establishing  ways and means of living together, learning from each other and coexisting in  mutual respect.

The other is to react against the changes such a process brings  and use religious faith as a badge of identity in opposition to those of another faith. The world over, this struggle is being played out.   There is a risk that extremism grows unchecked except by security methods  whereas what is needed is a combination of hard and soft power. But the  other side effect is that faith itself is discredited, seen as the cause of the  world’s problems not a vital civilizing force for its future.

This would be sad; because the single most compelling fact about faith and the  reason those of faith are still growing in numbers not diminishing, is that  amongst all the potential for conflict, it still does immense good for the people  of this world, in caring for them, supporting them when weak and counseling  them when strong. This, not the extremism is the true Face of Faith.

Tony Blair is the founder and patron of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation (www.tonyblairfaithfoundation.org).