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REPORT FROM ASIA-Raymond Lawrence, CPSP General Secretary


I just left Iloilo in the Philippines where I was guest of the School of Theology, Central Philippine University (CPU). The university was the first school and hospital established in the Philippines by the American Baptists a century ago. It is a very large and impressive complex. The university invited me to be a sort of visiting consultant with special attention to its clinical pastoral training program. Its program is accredited by CPSP.


The dean, Dr. Limuel Equina, was very hospitable and attempted to meet my every need. I was astonished at my departure, when I rushed to an early flight at 5:30 in the morning, to find the dean and his wife at the airport to wish me a safe journey. His action relays something of who the dean is and something about the hospitality of the Philippine people.


The person I most related to at the university was the Rev Daisy Basiliano who is the director of clinical pastoral education. She is conducting several training groups, and having observed them first hand, it was clear that the process is working quite well. The training program has a wide and positive reputation. I was surprised to discover that she has had trainees coming from North America and Europe to take training there. I had never imagined that traffic was going the other way in this fashion. That too speaks for the quality of the program at CPU.


CPU Public Relations set up a TV interview with me, asking me to comment on clinical training and also on my recently published book. Even though most of my time there was focused on clinical work, I also made several presentations on my book. The reception was surprisingly friendly, more so than I would anticipate in the U.S. Philipino people seem to me much more congruent with and comfortable with their sexuality than the typical American. To be sure I got some open resistance, and undoubtedly other not-so-open resistance, but it was relatively meager.


My plans were to go from Iloilo to Hong Kong and pay a brief visit to the CPSP community there. However, Dean Equina contacted the dean of the Episcopal Seminary in Manila who immediately insisted I stop off there and address the clergy and seminarians. I am now in Manila and will speak tomorrow morning at the seminary.They are treating me here in the Philippines so much better than


I am treated at home that I perhaps should emigrate, or become an ex-patriot in these islands.
Raymond Lawrence

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