wfn.org | AACC - WCC CALLS ON AFRICA TO ARISE WITH VIGOUR

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Communiction and Advocacy Team
All Africa Conference of Churches
Information and Communication Desk
P. O. Box 14205
00800 Westlands
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254 - 020 - 4441483 / 4441338/9
Fax: 254 - 020 - 4443241, 4445835
E-mail: infodesk@aacc-ceta.org
Website: www.aacc-ceta.org

WCC CALLS ON AFRICA TO ARISE WITH VIGOUR
By Mitch Odero

Africa must arise with renewed vigour to reclaim her place in the world, 
the President for Africa of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Dr. Agnes 
Abuom said at a public lecture in Nairobi, Kenya.

Representing the WCC Moderator, His Holiness Aram I (April 13), Dr. Abuom 
noted that for Africa to move on, the ecumenical movement would be an 
invaluable instrument particularly in the endeavour "to provide space for 
moral replinshment and recovery from contemporary social and political 
traumas" which "have invaded" Africa and its Institutions.  His Holiness 
Aram I could not travel to Nairobi having been taken ill.

Dr. Abuom noted that the ecumenical movement would also need to be 
transformed to effectively provide space of reflective dialogue among 
leaders and policy makers in Africa.

She expressed her appreciation that the visibility of the African 
continental ecumenical movement was being mirrored and articulated through 
the programmatic vision of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) 
which should "reflect the intrinsic value of African theologies of Africa".

Calling for ecumenical unity, Dr.Abuom advised that it will be necessary 
for the various languages and cultures of African people to be in dialogue 
beyond the "colonial identity motifs which they tend to represent".

The ecumenical movement should also be engaged in discernment, moral 
formation and peace building in its work in social and political transition 
in Africa, Dr. Abuom went on.

Dr. Abuom pointed out that the current challenge of the ecumenical movement 
"is to develop alternative measures and methodologies for comprehensive 
understanding of the prevailing conditions that lead to conflicts in the 
continent".

Referring to the church's role in healing, forgiveness and reconciliation, 
she stressed "we at the WCC do not believe in cheap forgiveness and 
reconciliation.  The truth must be told and accepted and then and only then 
memory shall be respected.  The church has a very unique role in creating 
space for restorative justice where the oppressors and the oppressed come 
together in a dialogue".

Dr. Abuom added "the ultimate aim of restorative justice is healing and 
reconciliation.  The churches should promote the kind of juridical legal 
system where preventive, primitive and restorative justice are taken 
together for transformation of the whole society."

Earlier the WCC General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Sam Kobia told the audience at 
the public lecture that the 21st century will be dominated by politics of 
identity from two sources being the religious and ethnic identity.

In attempting to protect their identities, people tend to build walls 
around them leading to conflicts on the boundaries of the walls.  The 21st 
century will also experience a clash of civilisation and a clash over 
faith, he added.

For this reason, dialogue between different faiths and civilisations should 
be encouraged so that people would regard their differences as positive 
resources.  "Religions should not be the source o f conflicts but platforms 
for forgiveness and reconciliation", he added.

Dr. Kobia challenged the so called prosperity gospel "where Christianity 
has been turned into a commodity for quick money-making enterprise".

He noted that Africa had been "invaded" by commercialisation of 
Christianity urging that such "commodification" of Christianity should be 
discouraged.

WCC, he went on "affirms that the soul of Africa is part of the soul of the 
world."

For further information, contact:

Mitch Odero
Communiction and Advocacy Team
All Africa Conference of Churches
Information and Communication Desk
P. O. Box 14205
00800 Westlands
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254 - 020 - 4441483 / 4441338/9
Fax: 254 - 020 - 4443241, 4445835
E-mail: infodesk@aacc-ceta.org
Website: www.aacc-ceta.org