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Christians gathered for the VIII Assembly of the World Council of Churches in
Harare, Zimbabwe (Dec. 98), took on themselves the task of promoting peace and
reconciliation among the peoples of Africa, to work for the transformation of
the social, political, and economic systems today strangling the continent, and
to fight for the elimination of the plague of the virus of Aids.
“Colonization robbed Africa of its soul,” said the Rev. Barny Pituana, an Anglican priest, during a plenary session on the African continent. He noted that in sub-Saharan Africa 220 millions of people earn less than a dollar a day, 122 millions are practically illiterates, and 205 millions do not have access to clean water nor do they have any health assistance.
“This would change – the priest added – if we did away with corruption in the handling of public goods, and if the poor were relieved of the paralyzing burden of the external debt.” According to Rev. Pituana, Africa faces three challenges: to uproot poverty; to implant democracy, human rights and efficient systems of government; and thirdly, to establish ethical norms to be respected by all.
Mercy Amba Oduyoye, professor at the University of Ghana, decried the manner Africa is left out of the great world topics, “except as a source of riches for others and in discussions on faith.”
Africa is the continent of Christian hope. The 21st century is seen as the century of Christianity in Africa, but it does not mean that this has changed much of anything. Because, according to Ms. Oduyoye, echoing Rev. Pituana’s affirmation, “Western Christianity has had a powerful ‘de-africanization’ effect.” The cry against ‘de-africanization’ and camouflaged westernizing of Christianity received the support of Christians from all parts of the world, represented at the Assembly, which was closed with the signing of Africa’s Hymn, the Nkosi Sikelel I Afrika (God Save Africa), while 53 children waved the flags of that continent’s nations.
Whatever the meaning of such assertions, for the Church, and especially for the Church’s missionaries, this alert calls for a soul-searching attitude, and is an invitation to ask once again, “How does the Church, in this 21st century, in this continent of Africa, heed and carry out respectfully, the task given her by Jesus himself, ‘God in the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all nations’?” (Mk 16:16)
(From Xaverian Mission Newsletter)