This June, Dr. Thia Cooper published “Method and Themes for a Philippine Theology of Development” in MST Review.
As she writes in her abstract, A theology of development for the Philippines should emerge from the Philippines. In this article, I articulate a method and
starting points for a Philippine theology of development, focusing on
communities often marginalized: the poorest, indigenous, Muslims,
women, and LGBTQ. Building on local concepts, such as kapwa, I
argue that this theology of development should emerge from walking
alongside the marginalized communities, listening to them, and
empowering their voices, as they call for development as the holistic
wellbeing of the earth and its peoples.
This article continues these Dr. Cooper has been working on for many years. Last October, in St. Mark’s Review, in a Special issue on Christianity, Development and Global Aid, she published “Christianity threatens, promises, and challenges development practice: Analyses from the global south,” in which she argues that the decision-making both within the Christian tradition and within the field of development should sit in the Global South, among those most affected.
For more, you can find Dr. Cooper’s most recent books here.