Thu, 29 Jun 2017 13:31:48 +0000
WE ARE pleased to learn that the body of Christ in Zambia has agreed to speak with one voice over the political challenges the country is facing. Unity of purpose is the hallmark of Christianity whose calling is anchored on unselfish love and self-denial.
The past two weeks were the most traumatic in the life of the Church in Zambia during which the clergy savaged each other through unchristian condemnation of one another, scheming and jostling for attention from the political leadership.
These manoeuvres left the ordinary church member wondering what was happening to the followers of Christ. They abandoned their biblical principles and Christian morality to play divisive, partisan politics to please their political masters.
Some of them even trampled upon the principle of collective responsibility which is so critical in the cohesion of the church to pursue personal agendas which were soon disowned by their fellow church leaders. What happened to the Christian brotherhood and unity that Jesus Christ personified?
One of the lessons to learn from the events of the last few weeks in the Zambian church is that politics and religion are not necessarily Siamese twins. They may serve the same people but have different roles and the means to achieve their goals. Until church leaders realise this they will always be caught off-guard and in the process embarrass themselves.
It had to take a seasoned politician, Vice President Inonge Wina, to pluck the Church out of its dilemma. Yesterday, church leaders of different denominations finally agreed to work together on matters facing the nation to promote peace and reconciliation. This followed the one-sided condemnation of the Government by the two church mother bodies which triggered the avalanche of criticism against Catholic archbishop Telesphore Mpundu and his two colleagues.
Following the closed-door meeting chaired by the Vice President, the church leaders have agreed to set up a task force to analyse the issues facing the country and come up with a united, well-balanced position before meeting the Government within a month.
President Edgar Lungu did not mince his words in Ndola on Sunday when he criticised the church for misleading the political leadership and their followers over its mishandling of the country’s political challenges. If the church can be so divided, the President wondered to whom the political leadership can turn for advice.
The church must also heed the advice of Paramount Chief Chitimukulu that the power of unity must be stronger than personal interest. Now that the church has finally come together and speak with one authoritative voice, it is our expectation that a solution to the present political tension is in sight.
What is important is that the meeting of church leaders in Lusaka involved ALL the religious denominations in the country, all of whom have a stake in the governance of the country. Zambia does not belong to two or three powerful church mother bodies who may begin to think that only they know better what the people of Zambia want or think. This is wrong. Being vocal does not mean wisdom or influence. Even the so-called small denominations in the country have a major stake in the governance of Zambia.
This is why we commend Government for inviting them to participate in the church Indaba on Tuesday. We are certain that their calm voice and better understanding of the issues helped to ease the tension among the prominent churches that wanted to speak for themselves and not for all Zambians.
Zambians must be thrilled that the church has at last agreed to agree. There is nothing more discomforting than a divided church. As President Lungu asked, if the church is divided where will the people go to seek spiritual solace?
