Kabiyak ng Puso: An Inculturated Approach to Genesis’ Creation of the Woman

Abstract

Kabiyak ng Puso is a popular Filipino term for spouse. It is literally translated as half of the heart with a strong reference to the whole or the other half (of the heart). Its relevance to marriage attempts a modest investigation on the creation of the woman from the ribs of the man. The paper analyzes the creation of the woman from the rib of Adam and assesses the cultural and anthropological natures involved in the traditions of Genesis as described in both the Hebrew and Greek origins. After establishing contextual analysis in the biblical approaches from the Hebrew to the Septuagint translations, there is a need to utilize these seemingly effective means to deliver a valid exposition of doctrinal teachings. The approach called Inculturation, however, limits the presentation from dissecting further into the anthropological nature of the human being but rather focuses on affecting the human conditions of marriage with the use of an already existing Filipino concept Kabiyak ng Puso. The biblical “Rib of Adam” can be approached by deriving the Kabiyak ng Puso as a literary substitute to the biblical text in the pastoral ministries and catechesis towards a more meaningful and culturally appropriate understanding of marriage.