Re-Reading Luke 10:25-37 in the Digital Age:  Postcolonial Exegesis and Filipino Perspectives on Cyber-Neighborliness

Rico Jacoba

doi:10.53396/media.v6i2.644

Authors

Rico Jacoba Saint Louis University, Baguio City

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53396/media.v6i2.644

Keywords:

Good Samaritan, postcolonial biblical exegesis, Filipino cultural perspectives, cyber-neighborliness.

Abstract

This article reinterprets the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) through a triadic approach integrating postcolonial exegesis, Filipino cultural hermeneutics, and digital theology. It revisits the question “Who is my neighbor?” within the context of cyberspace, employing the Filipino concepts of kapwa and pakikipagkapwa-tao as ethical foundations for solidarity that transcends geographical and social boundaries. Through postcolonial analysis, the study exposes the power dynamics embedded in traditional interpretations and demonstrates how digital theology enables new expressions of compassion in online spaces. The findings reveal that digital platforms can function as modern “roads to Jericho,” where inclusion, exclusion, and advocacy unfold. By integrating theological and cultural insights, the study asserts that neighborliness is not merely a moral gesture but a theological vocation to embody mercy and justice within digital networks. It concludes that kapwa offers a humanistic and contextually grounded framework for digital ethics, calling the Church and society to cultivate genuine fraternity in cyberspace as an extension of Christian compassion and mission.

Author Biography

Rico Jacoba, Saint Louis University, Baguio City

A renowned academician and theologian with a deep-rooted background in Philosophy and Theology. He obtained his AB in Philosophy from Mary Help of Christian Seminary in 1995 and completed his Spiritual Formation at Immaculate Conception School of Theology from 1995 to 1996. Since then, he has been a dedicated faculty member at Saint Louis University, Philippines. Professor Jacoba holds multiple advanced degrees from Saint Louis University, including an MA in Religious Studies (Cum Laude), an MA in Special Education (Cum Laude), and a PhD in Educational Management (Cum Laude). He also earned an MA in Philosophy (with completed units) at SLU and a PhD in Applied Theology from De La Salle University, Manila (with honors).

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