Mission is about Justice and Peacemaking, Says Mideast Church Leader
Episcopal News Service. February 28, 2003 [2003-045]
James Solheim
(ENS) According to the head of the Middle East Council of Churches, mission "needs to practice justice by doing justice, reconciling people with each other and with God."
Speaking at the Anglican Communion Mission Organizations Conference in Cyprus February 12-18, the Rev. Riaj Jarjour spoke of "two broken communities" in his region--the people of Iraq and the Palestinians. He argued that the Iraqis had been suffering under international sanctions for 12 years and "a war will make matters worse."
"We need a mission to Muslims, not to bring people to Christ but to proclaim Christ, Jesus the peacemaker, Jesus who came with justice and Jesus the reconciler," he said in switching his focus to the Holy Land.
As delegates from around the world shared chilling stories of conflict in their regions, they asked how the Christian community could assist in peacemaking by opposing the misuse of religious symbolism in many situations. They also explored ways to use advocacy to focus more attention on the plight of ordinary people caught up in war and civil conflicts--and how the church could be a mediator and an agent for healing memories.
Freedom from scourge of AIDS
In a statement released at the end of the conference, delegates challenged Anglicans throughout the world to "raise up a new generation of children free from the scourge of HIV/AIDS--and heard that the church is one of the greatest resources in that struggle, but also a hindrance because of its reluctance to address issues of human sexuality openly.
Anglican churches are playing an active and vital role in areas where the AIDS pandemic is at its worst, especially in Africa, where most churches are establishing special desks to coordinate the campaign. In Rwanda, for example, the Anglican archbishop chairs the national committee on AIDS. In Ghana, the Council of Churches has joined with Roman Catholics and Muslims in a campaign that emphasizes compassion for those infected as well as programs aimed at prevention.
A delegate from Uganda described how the campaign was affecting issues of confidentiality. Arguing in favor of a shared confidentiality rather than a strict confidentiality, the delegate said, "If I want to tell my wife I have tested positive I need my pastor to be there and the Mothers' Union to be on hand to support her."
Final statement lists challenges
In a final statement issued at the conclusion of the conference, the 110 participants from 40 countries reaffirmed that "the incarnation is the supreme model for our mission engagement" and that Christians are "called to live out our faith on the fault lines of a divided world." They also pledged themselves to "ongoing transformation and renewal of our mission structures" as well as "closer sharing between mission organizations" in seeking ways to work cooperatively.
At the same time, in their statement the delegates challenged the churches of the Anglican Communion to "appreciate the diverse cultures and contexts in which we live, work and witness and find new ways to use these positively in our mission." They also asked the communion to seek "greater understanding of how mission and evangelism is to be conducted in a post-colonial communion" and to take seriously "the communication needs of non-English speaking contexts."
The statement pleaded for "new models for mission engagement with the world of Faiths," fresh approaches to "fostering international chains of prayer and intercession," more efforts for "justice, peace and reconciliation in places torn apart by war, violence, poverty and human misery," as well as more attention to the plight of refugees and displaced persons.