A TRUE MODEL
ABSTRACT
Many politicians during the United Democratic Front rule clearly pointed out that Church leaders in Malawi should not involve themselves in politics. They wanted to see a clear demarcation and distinction between the Church and State. They wanted to see the Church to confine itself in preaching the gospel and not to involving itself in politics. The position taken by the UDF leaves a lot to be desired when one look into the history of the nation because it is clear and stipulates that the Church through the Rev. John Chilembwe led the first war of freedom. Chilembwe fought the colonialist as a Church leader and as a citizen of the land. Currently we have the John Chilembwe day where we as a nation commemorate and remember the pain and suffering this great son of the land went through in trying to give us this freedom we enjoy today. In other words, the freedom we enjoy today is because of what the Church through this man did. Thus the Rev John Chilembwe is one such great model of what the church need to do in any social, political and economic disaster in a country.
1.0 Introduction
The issue of Church involvement in Politics in Malawi has been one of the most crucial and debatable one for a long time now. Many People have shared their views to either agree or disagree on this subject. Politicians have also publicly either argued that the Church in Malawi should not involve itself in Politics while others have agreed to the notion so raised. Some Church leaders have tried to check what the bible says on the issue and have come up with mixed interpretation of the word of God to suit their agendas. Due to this issue, the entire body of the church looks divided on the issue.
We however support the notion that the Church under whatever circumstances, the Church need to involved in the social, political and economic life of a nation even if it means getting involved in direct politics. The notion so raised in this article is not knew in Malawi’s politics because this is not the first time when the Church has seen itself fully participate in politics. The entire precolonial and postcolonial history of Malawi is full of Church’s involvement in social, political and economic lives of the people. As far as we are concern, there is nothing knew to this whole issue because the Church of Christ in Malawi in the right footing in its political and social mission.
2.0 Chilembwe and Malawi’s Politics
However the issue of Church involvement in politics in Malawi is apparently well connected the whole history of the Rev. John Chilembwe of the Providence Industrial Mission. Each time this issue is debated in the Malawi, John Chilembwe’s name rings a big bell in the minds of those who are aware of the origin of Malawi’s politics. The Rev. John Chilembwe remains the one and only son of Malawi who faced the cruel and brutal British imperialism. But now this son of Africa was not just an ordinary one. He was unique and an ordained Church minister. We realise that Malawians know very well what we mean when we talk of an ordained Church minister since we have many of these men of God around us. It is important however to emphasis here that Malawians could not pretend not to know that this son of Malawi who fought the British imperialism from chiradzulu was the ordained church minister from PIM. Malawi history is full of the activities of this PIM Church minister who fought the British head-on. Since it is him who opened this chapter of liberation, the nation of Malawi remembers him. Actually we even have a national holiday remembering the activities of this man of God. All political leaders in Malawi many times make it to this Chilembwe’s memorial day at the PIM because they would want to associate themselves with this courageous Church minister who shade his blood to bring about freedom, which we have today.
Now while we all are witnesses of the fact that it was a Church minister who shades his blood for the nation, it is pathetic and horrifying to hear these days Malawians asking Church ministers to stay away from politics. People claim that Church minister should do pulpit work and leave politics to those so-called politicians (though majority of them are not qualified politicians). Now this scenario is horrible and shows the huge level of intellectual poverty to the part of our politician and Christians who are against the church and also opposes the origin idea of the Rev. John Chilembwe. At the same time, these people have no tangible basis be it academic or biblical. They simply do not know Malawi’s church history. They argue and make a lot of noise without real knowledge of what they are arguing about which we feel is dangerous. Just for their information, this nation of Malawi was born out of Christian values and principles. The church laid foundation and all physical structures of this nation we have today in all the three regions. Politics originated from the Church through the native associations. During that time, right from the north, central and south, the Church helped in shaping the political destiny of this nation. By the way, church leaders like Dr. Robert Laws, William Murray and others, directly participated in Parliamentary deliberation. What we mean is that the church was right in parliament. Also almost all freedom fighters of that day were dedicated elders and deacons and committed Christians of the various Christian Churches. During the fight for independence, the church worked hand in hand with the freedom fighters hence this nation got independence in 1964. Just for your information, 8 cabinet ministers in the first cabinet of 1964 were Church elders.
Suppose Chilembwe concentrated his work in the Church alone, where could we have been by now? Where could we have been as a nation if it was not for this Church minister’s effort to fight the British head-on? What kind of History could we have been having? Now if Rev. Chilembwe did it, then what is it that could stop the Church from participating in Politics? Why the today’s Politicians are accuse the today church while at the same time they attend the Chilembwe day in Chiradzulu at PIM? Do they really realise that this son of Malawi was an ordained Church minister
Also some politicians have the nerve to speak ill against the Church’s participation in politics. Do these people really understand where we come from as a nation? Sometimes one wonders when we look back to 1992-94 and actually see what happened. During this time, we all saw the direct political role of the church. We saw how some clergy got arrested and stay in jail for many months because of trying to denounce the autocratic rule of Dr. Banda. Those who are in political leadership now are all witnesses of all what took place in 1992-94. At that time, they all looked at the Church as their only hope. Now how come that politician forgets this clear history before them? I mean how come that now they want the church out of politicking? Have they forgotten where they come from as a nation? We believe that a real politician is the one who remembers his history and sees where he is going. Any politician who pretends to forget his history (for whatever person gains) creates his or her own grave because it is the truth of this history, which is the judge.
Having said this, we however want to point out that what the Church is doing now is just a continuation of the noble task that Rev. John Chilembwe started some many decades ago when he physically fought the British colonialist. He was directly involved in this struggle which led to the freedom which we enjoy and even abuse now. Thus the Rev. John Chilembwe is what we could call a good model of what the Church and its leadership should be. The Rev. Chilembwe set up a good workable model as regard the role of the Church and its leadership in social political mission not only in Malawi but the whole world, that the Church need to get involved in the political welfare and lives the people because the same people whom the state govern are also members of the Church in the first place. Thus the Church needs to voice its prophetic message when both politics and economy is sick. As Church leaders we need to make sure that citizens are happy. In the same line of thought, there is just no way we could pretend that issues affecting our people do not at the same time affect us. We are part and parcel of the daily life of our nation politically, economically and socially. Rev. John Chilembwe physically got involved in politics of that time, just as the today’s Christian leaders do.
3.0 The Church and political mission in Malawi
At this moment in time, we strongly support the notion that the church needs to participate in politics and make sure that democracy, justice and all human rights are properly followed and done. The church has the God given duty to make sure that Malawians are happy. The church get affected when the political environment is bad, when the economy is collapsing, when corruption is high and when the few rich get more richer while the majority poor become poorer. The Church leadership stays with the people at grassroots and they are at a better position to exactly know the social, political and economic situation of their people. Thus the one best thing the Malawi church needs to continue doing is to continue with the noble task of assisting in shaping the social, political and economic destiny of this nation.
4.0 Biblical backing to the issue.
When we read in the Old Testament, we see how God saved the Children of Israel from undemocratic regime of Pharaoh. The Bible clearly says that God heard the cry of his people (the poor Israelites) in their slavery and He remembered the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the bible further says that God was concerned about them (Ex 2:23-25). When we read further we hear God saying;
“I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good spacious land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex 3:7-8a).
What we have is the history of oppression by the Egyptians. This was oppression, which has social, economic and political implications to the daily lives of the Israelites. But in such times of deep oppression (social, economic or political), there is God in heaven who sees all what takes place such that when the poor who are oppressed cries to Him, He listens and hears them. He not only sees or hears their cries but he also get concern with their welfare. Thus in the history of the Israelites in Egypt, God came down to rescue them. This is the God we serve, the action God who is able to redeem his people suffering from the social, political and economic oppression.
Now God hears the cry of the poor because He is the God of the poor. He gets concerned and comes down to redeem them from any form of oppression. Just as God was involved, we see in the whole history of Malawi as a nation the church involvement in rescuing the perishing and caring for the dying socially, economically and politically. For instance, we have REV. John Chilembwe whom we consider a great paradigm of the church involvement in Malawi’s political, social and economic life.
5.0 The way forward.
What we need to know is that every leadership that we have is sinful just as all of humanity. We cannot trust too much power in few individuals this time and we cannot even leave then unchecked because they are sinful. In the Old Testament God put in place prophets to check Kings from abusing God’s people. That is why even when we read the whole account of Elijah and many of the Old Testament Prophets, their common stand was to protect God’s people from various forms of abuse and injustices.
In Malawi, it is the irrefutable fact that the church has been such a great prophetic voice against regimes that have come by since the 1800’s (i.e., colonial regimes since 1907, Dr. Banda up to 1992/4 and the Muluzi’s third term). Though some individuals are against the church now, its just because they are ignorant of what the church has done in the entire history of this country. The church is the longest serving institution in Malawi and it cannot just be there Phwiii!!!. The church has its own history
For instance, the church led the head-on struggle against the Banda regime. We mean to say that the church directly was involved in this and many church ministers were arrested. In the same line of thought, we don’t have to forget that revolutionary pastoral letter of 1992! Who on earth could imagine such thing to take place? Where were all those who are accusing the church that time? Why could we not see or hear them making this noise then? Imagine that time it was tough and it was not a joke or a game. Ask the remnant of Church leaders who directly fought Dr. Banda that time and you will hear for yourself and perhaps come to your senses.
Also the Church kept on watching the Muluzi regime soon after the 1994 election. The church is a prophet voice and it does not care who is there in leadership, whether one is tall, small, big, fat or even disabled. Its main goal is to see to it that God’s people are protected and not abused and that government abide by what the constitution says.
We all were witnesses during the long debate of trying to change the constitution just to suit the needs of few individuals. We wish those who were fighting for this constitution change had known that Malawi has got prophets who watches day in and day out any kind of abuse by any one who is holding public office. Actually we need to be reminded that during the last day of voting in parliament on the third term bill, the atmosphere was tense and it was like something horrible was about to befall that entire nation since majority of Malawians did not want the constitution to change. But thank God that He heard prayers and crying of His People nationwide as evidenced in the victory that we saw coming from parliament building. This time, we still believe that it is the role of the church to make sure that they help in shaping the future destiny of this nation by helping those who want to be helped even if it means Political parties. Thus as far as Malawi Church history is concerned, the church has a role to play in shaping the social, political and economic destiny of the nation. We therefore in conclusion encourage the church to continue forging ahead with hope and trust in this noble call and fight this battle in making sure that God’s people are protected. It has to be known that Christians in Malawi pay their obey God’s word in the first place and all these others comes later. Thus they are Christians belonging to God in the first place and they have God’s given duty to play, which include rescuing the perishing, and caring for the dying politically, economically and socially the same concern our great son of Malawi did, the Rev. John Chilembwe.
Many politicians during the United Democratic Front rule clearly pointed out that Church leaders in Malawi should not involve themselves in politics. They wanted to see a clear demarcation and distinction between the Church and State. They wanted to see the Church to confine itself in preaching the gospel and not to involving itself in politics. The position taken by the UDF leaves a lot to be desired when one look into the history of the nation because it is clear and stipulates that the Church through the Rev. John Chilembwe led the first war of freedom. Chilembwe fought the colonialist as a Church leader and as a citizen of the land. Currently we have the John Chilembwe day where we as a nation commemorate and remember the pain and suffering this great son of the land went through in trying to give us this freedom we enjoy today. In other words, the freedom we enjoy today is because of what the Church through this man did. Thus the Rev John Chilembwe is one such great model of what the church need to do in any social, political and economic disaster in a country.
1.0 Introduction
The issue of Church involvement in Politics in Malawi has been one of the most crucial and debatable one for a long time now. Many People have shared their views to either agree or disagree on this subject. Politicians have also publicly either argued that the Church in Malawi should not involve itself in Politics while others have agreed to the notion so raised. Some Church leaders have tried to check what the bible says on the issue and have come up with mixed interpretation of the word of God to suit their agendas. Due to this issue, the entire body of the church looks divided on the issue.
We however support the notion that the Church under whatever circumstances, the Church need to involved in the social, political and economic life of a nation even if it means getting involved in direct politics. The notion so raised in this article is not knew in Malawi’s politics because this is not the first time when the Church has seen itself fully participate in politics. The entire precolonial and postcolonial history of Malawi is full of Church’s involvement in social, political and economic lives of the people. As far as we are concern, there is nothing knew to this whole issue because the Church of Christ in Malawi in the right footing in its political and social mission.
2.0 Chilembwe and Malawi’s Politics
However the issue of Church involvement in politics in Malawi is apparently well connected the whole history of the Rev. John Chilembwe of the Providence Industrial Mission. Each time this issue is debated in the Malawi, John Chilembwe’s name rings a big bell in the minds of those who are aware of the origin of Malawi’s politics. The Rev. John Chilembwe remains the one and only son of Malawi who faced the cruel and brutal British imperialism. But now this son of Africa was not just an ordinary one. He was unique and an ordained Church minister. We realise that Malawians know very well what we mean when we talk of an ordained Church minister since we have many of these men of God around us. It is important however to emphasis here that Malawians could not pretend not to know that this son of Malawi who fought the British imperialism from chiradzulu was the ordained church minister from PIM. Malawi history is full of the activities of this PIM Church minister who fought the British head-on. Since it is him who opened this chapter of liberation, the nation of Malawi remembers him. Actually we even have a national holiday remembering the activities of this man of God. All political leaders in Malawi many times make it to this Chilembwe’s memorial day at the PIM because they would want to associate themselves with this courageous Church minister who shade his blood to bring about freedom, which we have today.
Now while we all are witnesses of the fact that it was a Church minister who shades his blood for the nation, it is pathetic and horrifying to hear these days Malawians asking Church ministers to stay away from politics. People claim that Church minister should do pulpit work and leave politics to those so-called politicians (though majority of them are not qualified politicians). Now this scenario is horrible and shows the huge level of intellectual poverty to the part of our politician and Christians who are against the church and also opposes the origin idea of the Rev. John Chilembwe. At the same time, these people have no tangible basis be it academic or biblical. They simply do not know Malawi’s church history. They argue and make a lot of noise without real knowledge of what they are arguing about which we feel is dangerous. Just for their information, this nation of Malawi was born out of Christian values and principles. The church laid foundation and all physical structures of this nation we have today in all the three regions. Politics originated from the Church through the native associations. During that time, right from the north, central and south, the Church helped in shaping the political destiny of this nation. By the way, church leaders like Dr. Robert Laws, William Murray and others, directly participated in Parliamentary deliberation. What we mean is that the church was right in parliament. Also almost all freedom fighters of that day were dedicated elders and deacons and committed Christians of the various Christian Churches. During the fight for independence, the church worked hand in hand with the freedom fighters hence this nation got independence in 1964. Just for your information, 8 cabinet ministers in the first cabinet of 1964 were Church elders.
Suppose Chilembwe concentrated his work in the Church alone, where could we have been by now? Where could we have been as a nation if it was not for this Church minister’s effort to fight the British head-on? What kind of History could we have been having? Now if Rev. Chilembwe did it, then what is it that could stop the Church from participating in Politics? Why the today’s Politicians are accuse the today church while at the same time they attend the Chilembwe day in Chiradzulu at PIM? Do they really realise that this son of Malawi was an ordained Church minister
Also some politicians have the nerve to speak ill against the Church’s participation in politics. Do these people really understand where we come from as a nation? Sometimes one wonders when we look back to 1992-94 and actually see what happened. During this time, we all saw the direct political role of the church. We saw how some clergy got arrested and stay in jail for many months because of trying to denounce the autocratic rule of Dr. Banda. Those who are in political leadership now are all witnesses of all what took place in 1992-94. At that time, they all looked at the Church as their only hope. Now how come that politician forgets this clear history before them? I mean how come that now they want the church out of politicking? Have they forgotten where they come from as a nation? We believe that a real politician is the one who remembers his history and sees where he is going. Any politician who pretends to forget his history (for whatever person gains) creates his or her own grave because it is the truth of this history, which is the judge.
Having said this, we however want to point out that what the Church is doing now is just a continuation of the noble task that Rev. John Chilembwe started some many decades ago when he physically fought the British colonialist. He was directly involved in this struggle which led to the freedom which we enjoy and even abuse now. Thus the Rev. John Chilembwe is what we could call a good model of what the Church and its leadership should be. The Rev. Chilembwe set up a good workable model as regard the role of the Church and its leadership in social political mission not only in Malawi but the whole world, that the Church need to get involved in the political welfare and lives the people because the same people whom the state govern are also members of the Church in the first place. Thus the Church needs to voice its prophetic message when both politics and economy is sick. As Church leaders we need to make sure that citizens are happy. In the same line of thought, there is just no way we could pretend that issues affecting our people do not at the same time affect us. We are part and parcel of the daily life of our nation politically, economically and socially. Rev. John Chilembwe physically got involved in politics of that time, just as the today’s Christian leaders do.
3.0 The Church and political mission in Malawi
At this moment in time, we strongly support the notion that the church needs to participate in politics and make sure that democracy, justice and all human rights are properly followed and done. The church has the God given duty to make sure that Malawians are happy. The church get affected when the political environment is bad, when the economy is collapsing, when corruption is high and when the few rich get more richer while the majority poor become poorer. The Church leadership stays with the people at grassroots and they are at a better position to exactly know the social, political and economic situation of their people. Thus the one best thing the Malawi church needs to continue doing is to continue with the noble task of assisting in shaping the social, political and economic destiny of this nation.
4.0 Biblical backing to the issue.
When we read in the Old Testament, we see how God saved the Children of Israel from undemocratic regime of Pharaoh. The Bible clearly says that God heard the cry of his people (the poor Israelites) in their slavery and He remembered the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the bible further says that God was concerned about them (Ex 2:23-25). When we read further we hear God saying;
“I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good spacious land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex 3:7-8a).
What we have is the history of oppression by the Egyptians. This was oppression, which has social, economic and political implications to the daily lives of the Israelites. But in such times of deep oppression (social, economic or political), there is God in heaven who sees all what takes place such that when the poor who are oppressed cries to Him, He listens and hears them. He not only sees or hears their cries but he also get concern with their welfare. Thus in the history of the Israelites in Egypt, God came down to rescue them. This is the God we serve, the action God who is able to redeem his people suffering from the social, political and economic oppression.
Now God hears the cry of the poor because He is the God of the poor. He gets concerned and comes down to redeem them from any form of oppression. Just as God was involved, we see in the whole history of Malawi as a nation the church involvement in rescuing the perishing and caring for the dying socially, economically and politically. For instance, we have REV. John Chilembwe whom we consider a great paradigm of the church involvement in Malawi’s political, social and economic life.
5.0 The way forward.
What we need to know is that every leadership that we have is sinful just as all of humanity. We cannot trust too much power in few individuals this time and we cannot even leave then unchecked because they are sinful. In the Old Testament God put in place prophets to check Kings from abusing God’s people. That is why even when we read the whole account of Elijah and many of the Old Testament Prophets, their common stand was to protect God’s people from various forms of abuse and injustices.
In Malawi, it is the irrefutable fact that the church has been such a great prophetic voice against regimes that have come by since the 1800’s (i.e., colonial regimes since 1907, Dr. Banda up to 1992/4 and the Muluzi’s third term). Though some individuals are against the church now, its just because they are ignorant of what the church has done in the entire history of this country. The church is the longest serving institution in Malawi and it cannot just be there Phwiii!!!. The church has its own history
For instance, the church led the head-on struggle against the Banda regime. We mean to say that the church directly was involved in this and many church ministers were arrested. In the same line of thought, we don’t have to forget that revolutionary pastoral letter of 1992! Who on earth could imagine such thing to take place? Where were all those who are accusing the church that time? Why could we not see or hear them making this noise then? Imagine that time it was tough and it was not a joke or a game. Ask the remnant of Church leaders who directly fought Dr. Banda that time and you will hear for yourself and perhaps come to your senses.
Also the Church kept on watching the Muluzi regime soon after the 1994 election. The church is a prophet voice and it does not care who is there in leadership, whether one is tall, small, big, fat or even disabled. Its main goal is to see to it that God’s people are protected and not abused and that government abide by what the constitution says.
We all were witnesses during the long debate of trying to change the constitution just to suit the needs of few individuals. We wish those who were fighting for this constitution change had known that Malawi has got prophets who watches day in and day out any kind of abuse by any one who is holding public office. Actually we need to be reminded that during the last day of voting in parliament on the third term bill, the atmosphere was tense and it was like something horrible was about to befall that entire nation since majority of Malawians did not want the constitution to change. But thank God that He heard prayers and crying of His People nationwide as evidenced in the victory that we saw coming from parliament building. This time, we still believe that it is the role of the church to make sure that they help in shaping the future destiny of this nation by helping those who want to be helped even if it means Political parties. Thus as far as Malawi Church history is concerned, the church has a role to play in shaping the social, political and economic destiny of the nation. We therefore in conclusion encourage the church to continue forging ahead with hope and trust in this noble call and fight this battle in making sure that God’s people are protected. It has to be known that Christians in Malawi pay their obey God’s word in the first place and all these others comes later. Thus they are Christians belonging to God in the first place and they have God’s given duty to play, which include rescuing the perishing, and caring for the dying politically, economically and socially the same concern our great son of Malawi did, the Rev. John Chilembwe.
1a PETER QEKO JERE did his B.A at the African Bible College-MALAWI (http://www.africabiblecollege.com/) , his BA(Th) Hons at the NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY (http://www.nwu.ac.za/) , Masters degree in Theology at the UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE (http://www.ufh.ac.za/) and now is working on his doctoral degree at the same school.
No comments:
Post a Comment