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Church Must Be Active in Times of Conflict, Experts Say

Episcopal News Service. December 4, 1997 [97-2035]

(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."