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AfricanSynodIwouldliketospeaktodayfromthepersonalblessingofhavinglivedandservedformanyyears
withinthe
African
Church.
In
Africa
Ihave
recognized
the
holiness
of
the
land
and
the
presence
ofGodinthepeople. Thereisgreatgiftednesspresentinthemanypeoplesandnations a
richnessoffaithandtheblessingsofavastdiversityofexpressionsofthatfaithwhichisaliving
hymnandadanceofpraisetoGod. Africaisasacredsoilandourbrothersandsistersofthe
AfricanChurchknowwelltheloveofourGod.
Butfromthatsamesacredsoilwealsohearthecryoftheblood. Bloodshedthroughwars
amongnations,oldandnewcolonialism,ethnicandtribalconflicts, throughdiscriminations
becauseofraceandreligion,thebloodoftheyoungorphaninfectedwithHIVandmalariacells;
thebloodpouredoutinviolenceagainstwomen especiallyintheirownhomes;thebloodof
theterminallypoor,whosedignitycriesout,seekingtobeheardandrecognized;theblood
shedin
the
abuse
of
ruthless
power,
the
lack
of
shared
democracy,
the
unjust
distribution
and
useofearthrichness; thebloodofmartyrswhohavesowntheseedsoffaithforthefuture
ChurchofAfrica. LikethebloodofAbel(Gen4:10),thebloodsoakssoilofAfrica,too,callsouttoGodandtous.
ItisthisrealitywhichrightlyrequiresthattheAfricanChurch,thefamilyofGodinAfrica,be
firstofall,achurchofinserviceofreconciliation(42). TheChurchmusthearthecriesofthe
bloodofourAfricansistersandbrothers abloodthatcallsoutfromsacredsoilandwhichflows
andfillshercupofsufferingtooverflowing. TheChurchmustbeaplacewherethecryofthe
bloodisnotsilencedorignored,butaplacewherethecupofsufferingcanbetransformedby
thegoodnewsofthePreciousBloodofChrist,givenfortheredemptionofthewholeworld(Col1:20).TheAfricanChurchcontinuesthereconcilingmissionofChrist,thebasisfortheChurchs
mission(42),whenitgivesvoicetothebloodwhichcriesoutfromthesoilanddemands
justice. AndtheAfricanChurchcontinuesthereconcilingmissionofChristwhenitgivesvoice
tothebloodofChristwhichannouncesthegiftofmercyandforgiveness;fortherecanbeno
reconciliationwithoutforgiveness.
WereadintheInstrumentumlaboris(87)ofthepowerofthewatersofbaptismtouniteandcreateareconciledcommunityoffaith. Itisourprayerthat thebondcreatedbythewatersof
Baptismisstrongerthanbloodties.Thesebloodties,whileofgreatvalueintheAfrican
culture,oftenleadtodivisionandseparation. Thewatersofbaptismspeakpowerfullyfor
unity,butevenstronger,Iwouldsay,istheimageofthePreciousBloodofChrist which
destroysallhostilitiesthatseparateGodspeople(Eph2:14). ItisthebloodofChrist,poured
outinthesufferingofthecross, thatmakesallpeoplesmembersofthehouseholdofGod
(Eph2:19).TheBloodofChrististhebloodofanewcovenant(Mt26:28)whichbringsusintoa
newandeternalrelationshipwithGodandwithoneanother. Likethewaterandbloodwhich
flowedfromhisside(Jn19:34),Christcontinuestousethewaterofbaptismandthebloodof
theEucharisttoreconcilethepeopleofhisfamilyandthewholeworld.
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JustasGod,whoheardthecriesofhispeopleandtheirpleasforliberationfromslaveryunder
Pharaoh,usedbloodtosignthedoorsandlintelsthroughwhichHispeoplewouldpassthrough
tofreedom(Ex12:7,theAfricanchurchwhichhearsthecryoftheblood,thecriesofthe
Africanpeople,mustliftupthechaliceofthebloodofChristandboldlyproclaimthatAfricas
cupofsufferingcanbecomeablessingcup(1Cor10:16)throughthetransformingpowerof
Christ. Christisthepeacefulliberatorwhotouchestheheartsofhispeople.TheAfricanChurch
realizesthatreconciliationisfirstlyGodsworkinChrist.Inthissensereconciliationismorea
spiritualitythanastrategy,butitmustbeaspiritualitythatleadstheFamilyofGodinAfricato
becomesambassadorsofChrist(2Cor5:20)whocreateaspacefortruth,justice,healingand
theemergenceofanewcreation(2Cor5:17). ItisthisspiritualitythatalsoleadstheChurch,as
Christsambassadors,toengageindialoguewiththespiritualityofthepeopleofIslamandof
thetraditionalAfricanreligions.
Thecup
of
suffering
becomes
acup
of
blessing
in
the
celebration
of
Eucharist
and
in
the
lived
witnessofcommunionwiththosethatsufferawitnessthatfindsauthenticexpressioninall
thatwedotoembodytheloveofGodthroughthepromotionofpeaceandjustice. TheAfrican
ChurchmustbeaboldlivingproclamationoftheGoodNewsofsalvationandreconciliation
giventhroughthePreciousBloodofChrist,aproclamationthatisauthenticatedbyour
committedactionsofsolidaritythatliberatesthepoorandthedowntrodden,allthosewhoare
embracedintheinnersanctuaryoftheheartofGod. TheChurchinAfricamustalsobe
courageousindenouncingthoserealtiesofexploitation,ofpeoplesandtheearth,whichare
thespoiledfruitofcorruptgovernments.
ButAfricaisnotonlyaplaceofsufferingandexploitation;itisalsoacontinentwheremanyof
itscountries
are
experiencing
rapid
social
and
economic
development.
The
Church
has
an
importantopportunitytoencourageandguidethisdevelopmentthroughtheformationof
goodandhonestleadershipwhichworksforthehappinessandsocialgrowthofthewhole
populationoftheircountrywithoutdistinctionofrace,religionandsocialstatus.Wemust
encouragetheAfricanpeopletorecognizeandacceptthattheyhave,withthehelpofGod,the
abilitytocreatetheirowndestiny. HeretheChurchhastheopportunitytobeavocaladvocate
forthecontinuingrelevanceandimportanceofthespiritualdimensionsofculture,whichhas
longheldacentralplaceinAfricanculture.
TheAfricanChurchmustgivewitnessthatwehavebeenreconciledbyChristandgivenhis
ministryofreconciliation.Wedothisfirstbythewitnessoflivingasareconciledcommunityof
faith.There
can
be
no
authentic
proclamation
of
reconciliation
without
this
first
step
(53).
The
roadtoreconciliationinAfricabeginswithouracknowledgmentofourownneedtobe
reconciledasaChurch. TheBodyofChrist,whichisthe AfricanChurch,mustbeunitedinthe
loveofChrist.Wemustbethemodelofunityinwhichallmembersofthebodyarewillingto
shareinthesufferingofone,justasweshareineachothersjoy(1Cor14:26).Inthisway,we
demonstratetheunifyingpowerofthewatersofbaptismandthePreciousBloodofChristand
weareabletoinvitealltoparticipateintheredemptivemysteryofChrist.
ThepeopleofAfrica,theverysoilofourcontinent,cryoutandaskustobefaithfultothe
ministrythathasbeenentrustedtous.TheAfricanChurchisanambassadorofChrist;aChurch
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ofincarnatedloveandlivedsolidarity;adiakoniachurchofreconciliationthatisfaithfullyrootedinacommitmenttojusticeandpeace. Inthisway,Africabecomesanewcreation(2Cor
5:17)andwefulfillourmissionofbringingaboutabetter,moreauthentic,morejust,more
peaceful,morereconciled,morefraternalandmorehappyworld(47).