the moderator generals intervention at the synod on africa

8/9/2019 The Moderator Generals Intervention at the Synod on Africa

1/3

1

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.


2/3

2

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


3/3

3

ofincarnatedloveandlivedsolidarity;adiakoniachurchofreconciliationthatisfaithfullyrootedinacommitmenttojusticeandpeace. Inthisway,Africabecomesanewcreation(2Cor

5:17)andwefulfillourmissionofbringingaboutabetter,moreauthentic,morejust,more

peaceful,morereconciled,morefraternalandmorehappyworld(47).

the moderator generals intervention at the synod on africa

Documents