Pagbabalik-Loob Sa Diyos: Reexamining Repentance and Conversion in the Philippine Context

Abstract

This article reexamines Christian repentance and conversion through the Filipino concept of pagbabalik‑loob sa Diyos, arguing that the Western term “conversion,” shaped by colonial and English theological discourse, fails to reflect Filipino biblical and cultural understandings of salvation. Drawing on Scripture, Filipino theology, and anthropology, the study highlights loob as the center of personhood and spirituality. Pagbabalik‑loob sa Diyos is understood not as a change of religious affiliation but as a relational return and reconciliation with God that transforms the inner self. The article proposes pagbabalik-loob sa Diyos as a culturally grounded and pastorally faithful framework for salvation in the Philippine context.