Religious Resilience And Community Adaptation In Guimaras Island, Philippines: A Historical Analysis Of Faith Continuity

Abstract

This study investigates Christian communities’ resilience and adaptive strategies in Guimaras Island, Philippines, during periods of religious disruption. Using a qualitative historical research design, the study draws on oral histories from elderly informants and archival sources to analyze how local communities sustained religious practices despite institutional challenges. The findings reveal that periods of clergy absence, colonial transitions, and wartime destruction significantly disrupted formal religious structures. However, communities demonstrated resilience
through lay leadership, informal worship practices, and the emergence of alternative religious groups such as the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, Seventh-day Adventists, and Baptist churches.  The study further highlights that religious continuity was maintained through community-driven 
initiatives, such as bayanihan in church reconstruction and the use of temporary worship spaces. These adaptive responses underscore the role of faith as social capital and cohesion mechanism. The findings contribute to the understanding of lived religion and religious resilience in localized contexts.