wfn.org | Church must be active in times of conflict, experts say

[ENS.parti@ecunet.org (ENS)]

by Mi
December 4, 1997
Episcopal News Service
Jim Solheim, Director
212-922-5385
ens@ecunet.org

97-2035
Church must be active in times of conflict, experts say

by Michael Barwell
     (ENS) Surviving on the front lines of Christianity includes praying
while bombs explode in Panama, protesting racism, mopping up blood
after police attacks in Kenya, and working quietly behind the scenes in
the Middle East, a panel of Anglican Church leaders told supporters of
the Office of the Anglican Observer at the United Nations.
     In a series of stories described by ABC news anchor Peter
Jennings as "brave, meaningful and very personal," Archbishop David
Gitari of Kenya, Bishop Coadjutor Riah Abu el-Assal of Jerusalem,
former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, and Dr. John Kater of the
Church Divinity School of the Pacific, shared their sometimes harrowing
experiences at a benefit evening for the U.N. Anglican Office on
November 13 at St. Bartholemew's Church in New York.
     The church exists on the edge of crisis in many places, Bishop
James Ottley said in opening remarks. Reporting briefly on a recent trip
to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and other troubled areas, he said, "I saw the
resilience and faith of people in the face of destruction." Ottley, former
bishop of Panama, is director of the U.N. office.
     The panel discussion moderated by Jennings, who grew up in the
Anglican Church of Canada, attempted to illuminate several questions:
what is the role of the church in crisis situations, should the church be
more active in political situations, and "has the church stood up to be
counted when it counts to be counted?" 
     "The church cannot avoid conflicts" in the world, said Bishop
Riah. "The church is under obligation to be involved, in sharing the
truth, in telling the facts. Ultimately, peace and reconciliation will
come."
     Riah, who described himself as a four-time minority as
"Palestinian, Christian, Arab and Anglican living in Israel"-- told about
his behind-the-scenes work with Yasser Arafat, then leader of the
Palestinian Liberation Organization, during the Israeli-PLO peace
process. "The church must be striving for justice and working for
reconciliation--and the work for reconciliation does not set aside the need
for justice," Riah said
     When the Israeli government banned his travel for proposing
peaceful efforts with Arafat, Riah said he continued in prayer and in
meetings with Palestinian leaders. "God does answer prayer," Riah said.
"I told Arafat I would pray for him daily if he chose peace."

Outspoken in Kenya
     Reciting a chilling history of Kenya's post-colonial attempts to
move toward democracy, Archbishop Gitari recalled his role in
ecumenical efforts to correct a corrupt regime.
     "Some of them (protesters) paid with their lives for striking out
against the evils of the government," Gitari said, recalling that "the
police beat people in All Saints Anglican Cathedral in Nairobi" this
summer for protesting government abuses by Kenya's President Daniel
arap Moi. After a public cleansing service of the cathedral, Gitari said,
"Moi decided to make some changes. He knows we are not alone in this
world. He will never attack the Anglican Church or cathedral again."
     Being part of a global support network was a theme repeated
throughout the evening. "Sometimes we feel we are all alone," Riah said.
"But we know we follow in the footsteps of the prophets."
     Gitari also shared an exhaustive list of times he had criticized the
government for enacting legislation without debate, and expressed his
fears that upcoming elections will be another one-party steamroller by
Moi over democratic efforts.
     "Politeness would tell us to stay away," Gitari said. But "the
gospel must speak to spiritual, economic, and political things." Adding
that humanitarian care is not enough, he said that "governments are very
happy when you feed the hungry. But we must go beyond that. We must
ask: why is there hunger? Why are there refugees? We have to go to the
vision of a society, go beyond the humanitarian and go for justice."

Pastoring the leaders
     Ambassador Young said the role of the church should be
"prophecy, ministry, resurrection and reconciliation" in a world besieged
by crisis. "The church has been involved in all sides of these conflicts."
     But Young, who was deeply involved in the Civil Rights
movement in the U.S. as an aide to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,  also
said the church has a special obligation to "pastor the people in power."
We must remind them they "are still a child of God in need of help. Our
people in congress are desperately in need of pastoring," he said. "Where
are we? Can you see the presence of God in your work?" he asked. 
     "Our failure in Panama was our failure of ministry to George
Bush," Young said to a smattering of applause from the audience of
several hundred Anglican Office supporters. "The church cannot go too
far in making peace in the world."
     Young added that when the church is clear about its mission--such
as its anti-apartheid policies in South Africa--it is very strong and
effective. "We have not been that clear in other areas," he said.

Existing in context
     "The church exists in context," Kater added. "And that context
shapes the way ministry happens." The church in Panama played a
moderating role in the days before 1989 U.S. invasion, preaching to the
Panamanian government and pleading for moderation with the U.S.
government.
     Recalling the "long dark nights" of the Panama invasion, Kater
said that as the bombs fell and neighbors gathered for comfort in a
desolate city "the only thing to do was to celebrate the Eucharist. It
brings hope where there is no hope, with the smoke of the bombs still in
the air. In those times, labels mean very little when all else fails."
     "The church is countless faithful people when violence is on the
loose" who are more powerful than all the bombs, he asserted. "We are
a voice for the silent."  The church can be a powerful participant in
world affairs because "the gospel speaks to the whole of the human
condition," Kater said.
     Young agreed, but added, "Where there is intentional suffering,
we must be crucified with those who are suffering."

--Michael Barwell is deputy director of news and information for the
Episcopal Church