Conservation of Culture Based on Local Community Perception

Amidst the Pandemic: The Case of Church Services of Iglesia Ni

Cristo in Calumpang, Calumpit, Bulacan

The conservation of culture or culture conservation is kind of a thinking which includes the

understanding of the difference between change and progress and new and improved. Culture is

the knowledge in characteristic of a particular group of people who encompasses language,

tradition, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. The word culture derives from a French

term, which is turn derives from the Latin ‘colere’, that means ‘to tend to the earth and grow, or

cultivation and nurture.’ It contributes to policies, strategies and programs that targets social and

economical development, environmental sustainability, harmony, peace and security. It is both

and enabler and a driver of sustainable development. On the other hand, conservation is defined

as the care and protection of resources to persist for the future generations, and in simple words,

according to Merriam Webster dictionary, conservation is a careful preservation and protection

of something especially land management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation and

destruction. Culture conservation is important to preserve our cultural heritage because it keeps

our integrity as a people. But can we still continue to conserve our culture when there were

unpredictable challenges that may change the flow of our daily life? We were leaving normally

when the Corona virus disease (COVID-19) came and shocked us. It is an infectious disease

caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Most people that are infected with the virus will

experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.

According to Center for Disease Control and prevention or CDC it was first identified in Wuhan
China in December 2019. And spread all over the world including our country, Philippines. And

that’s when a lot of things changed. We were quarantined for a couple of months to lessen the

cases of the people being infected by the virus and as long as the world has not a cure or a

vaccine for a COVID-19, we may have to adjust to a new normal, that means a new way of

living and going about our lives, work, studies and interactions with other people. Hence, these

changes include the changes on how we perform some of our traditions. A lot of churches all

over the world closed due to coronavirus crisis. It hinders church services up until now.

However, the members of Iglesia Ni Cristo, did not make the virus stop them by praising God

while following the safety regulations and protocols. As a short information about Iglesia Ni

Cristo, according to iglsianicristo.net, the Iglesia Ni Cristo or Church of Christ is a Christian

religion whose primary purpose is to worship the Almighty God in a manner taught by the

Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles as recorded in the Bible. The Church of Christ is a church

for all peoples. It is for everyone who will embrace the true faith regardless of race,

nationality, cultural background, social standing, economic status, and educational attainment.

Thus far, the Iglesia Ni Cristo has an international membership comprising 147 racial and

ethnic backgrounds. It maintains nearly 7,000 congregations and missions grouped into more

than 160 ecclesiastical districts in 158 countries and territories in the six inhabited continents

of the world. With the love and concern of the management of their church, they made it

possible to continue and conserve their faith and culture by doing household worship services by

families. During this pandemic, our faith must be strengthened as well. This kind of act doesn’t

only show their faith, but this shows how are they going to serve their culture while fulfilling

their duties to God. Religion is a social cultural system of designated behaviors and practices,
morals, worldviews, prophecies, ethics or organizations that relates humanity to spiritual

element. Hence, conserving a ritual, prayers, and traditions is a part of culture conservation.