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December 10, 2008

Rolling away the stones

‘Conventional piety’ not enough, Cameroonian pastor tells AACC

by Theodore Gill
WCC Communications

MAPUTO, Mozambique ― “Let a new voice of prophesy ring out from our churches across the continent of Africa!” exhorted the Rev. Nyansako-ni-Nku in his sermon at the opening worship service of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) 9th General Assembly here Dec. 7.

The Cameroonian pastor and current president of the All Africa Conference of Churches encouraged Christians to echo the confident voice of Jesus as he called, “Lazarus, come forth!”  (John 11:43). That passage is the theme of the Assembly, which  is meeting in this Mozambique capital city Dec. 7-12.

“In Jesus Christ, the power of death is defeated,” continued Nyansako-ni-Nku. He commended the expectation of life’s triumph, rather than expecting tragedy, even amidst discouraging signs of the times.

Surveying news of corruption, oppression, economic injustices and spreading epidemics, he observed that “humanity buries itself every day.” As in the gospel account, Jesus bids us to roll away the stone and calls for Lazarus to be unbound.

“Conventional piety” will not answer the challenges of our time, nor will merely “going through the motions of religion.” Young people lose faith in the future “given the poor performance of some of our politicians”.

It is left to churches to expose the excesses of global capitalism, the spread of disease through ignorance, the destruction of nature in the service of greed. Governments are to be warned that “young people must not be treated as animals when they raise their cries for justice”, and “women must not be denied their rights and dignity in the name of African culture”.

Taking a stand for life may be as simple as churches teaching their communities to boil water in a time of cholera. In other circumstances churches will be called to confront violent regimes, as the All Africa Conference of Churches and its partners have done more than once in the post-colonial era.

“Don’t give up,” Nyansako-ni-Nka concluded, for “all will be well” through the life-giving Spirit of Christ.

Editor’s note: The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is represented at the AACC 9th General Assembly by official visitors Linda Valentine, General Assembly Council Executive Director; Doug Welch, World Mission Africa coordinator; Robina Winbush, ecumenical officer for the Office of the General Assembly; and Katharine Reeves, associate for mission for Presbyterian Women.― Jerry L. Van Marter