Category: PEACE WITH THE CREATION
Economic-Ecological Transformation
The identity of the Jewish people and their connection to the ancient Israelites has long been debated across theology, history, and science. Recent genetic research reveals a striking truth: Palestinians embody continuity with the ancient Israelites. Their genomes carry the deepest and most direct ancestral roots in the land. This reality stands as a prophetic indictment against Israel’s colonial project, which continues to displace Palestinians through ethnic cleansing in the West Bank and genocide in Gaza. As a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, I see this not only as a political crisis but as a moral and theological catastrophe. For the very people who claim to inherit the promises of ancient Israel are now committing violence against those who most directly embody the continuity of that heritage. This is not simply a matter of human rights—it is a betrayal of divine justice and covenant.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/07/25/palestinians-as-heirs-of-the-ancient-israelites-genetics-prophecy-and-the-betrayal-of-shared-ancestry/
On 04 July 2025, during the Mennonite Church Canada Gathering held in Kitchener, Ontario, I had the privilege of presenting a reflection entitled Creating Spaces as Companions: Redeeming Koinonia in the Life of Mennonite Church Canada. This presentation was part of MCCanada Priority in the Gathering 2025 theme—deepening our commitment to relationships across congregations, cultures, and communities. I shared how koinonia, as envisioned in Scripture and global theological discourse, calls us beyond transactional partnerships and institutional habits inherited from colonial and industrial legacies. Instead, I invited our church to reimagine partnership as covenantal, relational, and Spirit-led companionship—a sacred journey of walking together in justice, mutuality, and love.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/07/07/creating-spaces-as-companions-redeeming-koinonia-in-the-life-of-mennonite-church-canada/
On 21–22 June 2025, while I’m enjoying the presence of my daughters and their families here in the Greater Vancouver Area, Canada, the world witnessed a historic and deeply alarming event: the United States launched a direct military attack on Iranian soil, striking three of its most fortified nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. For the first time in modern history, the U.S. did not just target Iranian proxies or operatives abroad; it attacked the core of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure within its borders. As a Filipino peace builder, this moment compels deep reflection. Such an escalation raises urgent questions about the fragility of international diplomacy and the thresholds that major powers are now willing to cross. It brings into sharp focus the immense human cost that could follow if global leaders abandon dialogue in favor of force. This act not only threatens regional stability in the Middle East but also reverberates globally, challenging all of us who work for peace and justice to redouble our efforts.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/06/25/reflecting-on-the-june-2025-u-s-strikes-against-iran-while-with-my-family-in-canada/
Bibliology, the theological study of the nature, function, and interpretation of the Bible, has historically occupied a central place in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Within traditional Christian theology, the Bible has often been viewed as the sole and authoritative revelation of God, particularly within Protestant contexts shaped by the Reformation principle of sola scriptura (McGrath, 2017). However, a growing body of scholarship in theology of religions and comparative theology invites us to approach the Bible not as the exclusive word of God, but as one sacred text among the many scripturized worldviews of humanity (Smith, 1993; Clooney, 2010).
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/06/09/bibliology-in-a-pluralist-world-a-reflective-theological-perspective/
Christology, the theological reflection on the identity and significance of Jesus of Nazareth, has been central to Christianity since its beginnings. Yet, as many scholars emphasize, the first three centuries of the Jesus movement—when believers were known simply as followers of The Way—were characterized by a plurality of Christologies rather than a single, authoritative doctrine (Casey, 2010; Ehrman, 2014). It was only with the rise of imperial Christianity under Constantine that a particular Christology, codified at the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, came to dominate the theological landscape. From my perspective, I love Jesus of Nazareth as the historical teacher, prophet, and embodiment of divine love. I also respect the Christian tradition that identifies him as the Second Person of the Eternal Trinity.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/05/15/christology-in-context-a-panentheist-and-peacebuilding-perspective/
The National Social Entrepreneurship Conference (NSEC) 2025, held on 29-30 April 2025 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, was a transformative gathering of over 500 changemakers—social entrepreneurs, government leaders, academics, grassroots advocates, and impact investors—committed to building a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future through social enterprise. It was spearheaded by four remarkable institutions—the Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship (ACSEnt), the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), the University of the Philippines Institute for Small Scale Industries (UP ISSI), and the Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship (PReSEnt) Coalition. The conference highlighted both the urgency of our nation’s social and ecological challenges and the powerful role that over 164,000 social enterprises across the country are playing in response. With its theme, “Scaling Change: Advances of Social Enterprises in Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development,” the event served not only as a platform for sharing solutions and innovations, but also as a celebration of resilience, collaboration, and our shared responsibility to center people, planet, and purpose in economic life.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/05/05/scaling-change-from-the-heart-my-reflections-on-the-national-entrepreneurship-conference-2025/
What began as a joyful day at the Lapu Lapu Day Festival quickly turned into a nightmare I’ll never forget. After packing up our Tahanan Studio booth, I stayed behind to enjoy the evening—only to be pulled into chaos minutes later by desperate calls for medics. I found myself moving into crisis mode, helping where I could, then caring for a young boy who had been separated from his injured mother. I stayed with him through the fear, the questions no child should ever have to ask, and the long hours at the hospital. Since that night, I’ve felt like I’m moving through water—trying to show up for my community while struggling to feel grounded in my own body. Yet even in the midst of pain and trauma, I’ve witnessed deep love, courage, and collective care. We can’t unsee what we’ve seen—but I believe healing is possible when we walk through it together.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2025/04/30/holding-community-in-the-wake-of-violence-my-daughters-account-of-the-vancouver-lapu-lapu-festival-tragedy/
