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Citation: Ko, Grace. “Review of Ascension Theology and Habakkuk: A Reformed Ecclesiology in
Filipino American Perspective, by Neal D. Presa.” ChristianityNext issue 3 (Winter
2019): 100-103.

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Ko, Grace. “Review of Ascension Theology and Habakkuk: A Reformed Ecclesiology in
Filipino American Perspective, by Neal D. Presa.” ChristianityNext issue 3 (Winter
2019): 100-103.

[ Citation Page ] 



BOOK REVIEW

Neal D. Presa, Ascension Theology and
Habakkuk: A Reformed Ecclesiology in Filipino
American Perspective.

New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018. xv + 99 pp.

Reviewed by Grace Ko,
Associate Professor of Biblical Studies,
Canadian School of Theology

   Presa’s book is an attempt to interpret the biblical text through the lens
of the Reformed ascension theology with the purpose of addressing issues
facing the Filipino American Christian Community. The book is divided
into five chapters, each prefaced with an abstract. It is part of the Palgrave
series, “Asian Christianity in the Diaspora,” edited by Grace Ji-Sun Kim
and Joseph Cheah.

   In Chapter 1, “Reformed Contextual Ecclesiology,” Presa argues that
the challenges facing the overseas Filipino are different from that of the
indigenous Filipino in the Philippines Thus, there is a need to contextualize
the theology of struggle to address their needs as they strive to live out
their faith in a different culture as a minority group. Presa proposes reading
Habakkuk from a Filipino American perspective. He believes reading it
from “a cultural autobiography” would reflect ones “self-identity” and
“location,” which would affect ones interpretation and engagement with
the text (pp. 6-7). He incorporates the Reformed ascension theology with
a Filipino diaspora lens to exegete the text of Habakkuk and to use it for
theological, homiletical and pastoral purposes.

   With Chapter 2, “Ascension Theology and Habakkuk,” Presa laments
that ascension theology “has not been fully mined for its ecclesiological
ramifications,” yet this period of Christs ascension is the time and space
that the church lives. He explains the ascension theology as understood
by Calvin and Barth, and that both saw this as the church participation

[ Page ] 100



and communion in the history and the ongoing life of Christ through
the work of the Holy Spirit (p. 17). He then relates this to the Filipino
Americans experience of suffering and hope, as well as their connectedness
to the homeland and their contribution to the flourishing of the American
society and their Philippine homeland. He sees Habakkuk as a perfect
example to express the experience of Filipino in diaspora.

   In Chapter 3, “Ascension Homiletic and Habakkuk,” Presa uses his
three-part sermon on Habakkuk to demonstrate the Filipino American
homiletic framed within ascension theology. The first sermon, “Silent
Absence,” explores Habakkuks initial complaint to God because of the
apparent divine silence facing the violence and injustice in the society.
He uses Hebrew meanings of Habakkuks name (embrace) and the oracle
(burden) to suggest that “Habakkuk was desiring God to embrace the
burden of Israel” (p. 32). He relates it to ascension theology by showing
that God may seem absent, but he has already acted by sending his Son to
take on the violence and inhumanity and won the victory by raising Christ
from death (p. 33). In the second sermon, “A Life that Waits,” he exhorts
the church to wait for the Lord just as Habakkuk did in the midst of havoc
caused by human sins. He contends that Christ’s death by violence is the
counter-violence for the redemption of humanity to end all violence and
concludes by calling the congregation to follow God in the waiting. In the
third sermon, “Selah. Behold,” he asks whether we can pause and praise
the Lord amidst the dissonance caused by human evil. He finds solace in
knowing that we can because of Jesus’ example and his work (p. 36).

   Presa proposes in Chapter 4, “Ascension Hermeneutic and Habakkuk,”
the use of “sacramental hermeneutic” to exegete the Bible. This chapter
explains this methodology and convinces the reader that “sacramentality
is an approach to exegete texts of Scripture, the contexts of life, and the
subtexts of heart” (p. 39).

   Chapter 5, “Ascension and the Diaspora in Action: A Pastoral Word,”
further explains how ascension theology shapes and affirms three key areas
of Filipino culture: prayer in community, communal feasting and food,
and water (baptism). Presa is adamant about struggle as hopeful risk,
encouraging fellowship among Filipino American Christians, and keeping
their cultural heritage.

[ Page ] 101



   Presa is to be commended for his effort to merge Filipino culture
with ascension theology in the reading of Habakkuk. He brings to the
foreground the role of culture and experience in the interpretation and
application of the biblical text. His insistence in reading the Scripture
through the cultural lens with a theological framework is an attempt to
make the biblical text relevant to his audience. His vivid descriptions of
Filipino life in American society, particularly their communal life in the
church, give the outsider a good introduction to Filipino culture.

   Presas weakest link is in his exegesis and exposition of Habakkuk. He
calls Habakkuk a “minority prophet” and a “prophetic minority within
the exilic community” (p. 21), which is incorrect or at best unclear on
both counts. Firstly, the so-called “Minor Prophets” refers to the length
of the books, not their significance or status. Secondly, Habakkuk was a
pre-exilic prophet during the reign of Jehoiakim (609-598 BCE), and the
setting of his book is before the invasion of the Babylon (1:5-6; 3:16). In
his first sermon, he mentions that Habakkuk “communicated the oracle,
or burden, to the Lord” (p. 44), but in the biblical text, Habakkuk is the
recipient of the oracle from the Lord (1:1). The problem is that he is too
eager to use the etymology of Habakkuk’s name and the word “burden”
as a springboard for his sermon. (Not to mention, no modern translation
renders the Hebrew word massa as “burden.”) Also, Presas explanation of
the chiasm in Habakkuk 3 (p. 46) seems arbitrary and forced.

   Despite this weakness, Habakkuk’s message is applicable to all
generations and to all people, for suffering, injustice, and evil pervade
human society. Presas reading through the lens of ascension theology
brings another welcome aspect to the ongoing discussion of the relevance
of theology to daily life struggles.

[ Page ] 102




Grace Ko

Grace Ko is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at
Canadian School of Theology and Adjunct Professor
of Biblical Studies at Tyndale University College and
Seminary.

[ Page ] 103


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