Christians, Muslims slaughter each other in Nigeria.

It's International Women's Day and in Jos, Nigeria an estimated 500 women and children were brutally killed between yesterday and today. They were slaughtered in the ongoing violent conflict between Christians and Muslims. It's simply awful.

Of course, this issue is more complex then this and it is also argued that tribal and land issues are at play, but still. Its does not help to deny, like the Vatican, the fact that religious motivations are also at play. Religious fanatism are at work. What an indictment against people of faith, people of the Book, so to speak. If anything, we are all implicated. Let me rephrase: What an indictment against us.

How far have we really come from building walls between people of faiths ? Even within faith communities, we develop sophisticated walls of seperation, thus sowing seeds of conflict. The challenge of new fundamentalisms, the othering and demonizing of difference is still alive and it more vile then ever. But where does it come from? One answer is perhaps not for our comfort: This violence seems to be embedded in the way we read our sacred texts, the way our reading still brutalise and maim. It's in the myths we believe about ourselves and them and re-tell.  Its simply awful and how awful, how horrific this Sunday has been.

Memorial Service in honour of Steve de Gruchy, by SACC

The SACC will host a Memorial Service in honour of Prof Steve de Gruchy at Khotso House in the Chapel on the first floor. This service is open to all who remember Steve's contribution especially to the ecumenical work of the Council.

 

Come; let us pay tribute to this son of the soil, a pastor, academic, husband and father, for his spirit will be with us as his soul is resting in peace.

For More Info Please Contact: Rev Dr Vuyani Vellem 011 241 7804 / Mr. Eddie Makue 011 241 7817

 

Bafana need faith

Watched the game tonight. Exited like the rest of the nation to see our team doing well. Playing against teams like Namibia     would be the opportunity to rally the nation behind the boys. I would not say I was very impressed though. It seemed as if the guys was simp;y going through the motions, just doing enough to draw against a team that did not even qualify for the World Cup finals.

So, what is my advice to Bafana? Being an expert arm-chair critique, I observed that our team were able to execute the moves, make the breaks, but there's one thing we lack. We don't finish it off. We freeze in front of the box. ( or the shots goes haywire). Perhaps we need a bit of self-belief, faith that, indeed we can. I've seen other athletes with less talent, opportunity and finesse, yet they burst with self-belief and they intimidate you with their confidence. So, at every opportunity, they shoot for goal. They have faith in their ability- and if they fail the first time? Then they go back and shoot again.

Come one guys, we know you can do it.

Benny Hinn is still going strong en route to South Africa.

Believe it or not, Bennie Hinn is on his way to South Africa. This quack will be hosted by the Good Hope Christian Centre in Cape Town and the Durban Christian Centre in Durban. (There's a bit of free advertising for you). I stand amazed: when our churches will wake up and regain our dignity to listen to God and think for ourselves. But another thing: What is it with these quacks, who cannot stay home and sort out their own problems?  What is driving them ?

There can be only one explanation: the love for moola. These kind of industries need to keep the system going to rake in the profits, irrespective of the price that decent, sincere believers have to pay, for a miracle. Whilst we abhor the obscene plunder, by polititians and their lackeys of public money meant for health and education services of our elderly and needy, I don't have words for the vile stench of these prosperity cults...

100 days before the opening of the Soccer world cup. Are you ready ?

Are you ready for the Soccer World Cup ? Its only 100 days now. 3 months. Its been said often that SA will not be ready, the roads, the Gautrain, the team, the stadiums, etc. I think we will be ready, so last year I bought myself a Bafana Bafana shirt ( I know its the old green one- at least its made in SA, not China) and I thought, I will use my Chiefs vuvuzela ( I know that SuperSport won the league-at least its not Pirates)- I am ready to roll.

My question remain: are we ready ? Speaking from our community in Riverlea, I wonder whether our communities are prepared for the onslaught and whether our children will be safe. For more then a month our children will be at home. We are preparing some youth and children's programmes, but we need to step up awareness, support services for parents, alternative care-facilities; we need to be able to track our children all the time.

But there is some good news !

A helpline was launched early in this year by the Salvation Army and BE HEARD. Lets put it up there on our boards and pamphlets. 

top 3 most influential living Christian preachers..

What a shock to realise, that I only know the names of 3 of the 'top most influential Christian preachers'. Am I missing something? Is this bit of research, exposing the secret to my glaring deficiencies? Anyway, Lifeway Research did a telephonic survey last year, amongst a 'random sample of  1002 Protestant pastors' and found that Billy Graham is 'far and away the top living preacher that has most influenced Protestant pastors.'

Of course, the researchers also found it 'surprising' that there is not enough diversity and respressentivity in the findings, but hey, what can you do: when you're good, you're good. Influential and all. You can find the results of the survey here.

The questions however remains: Who defines influential? Who are these 1002 protestant pastors, in terms of generation, race, class, gender ? What does it say about the powerrelations?  Is this kind of research relevant ? What would be the point of this kind of research? More questions then answers.

Council of Churches on Steve de Gruchy

Released Friday, 26 February 2010
Message to:

The Family of Prof Steve de Gruchy
The United Congregational Church
The School of Theology & Religion- UKZN
The South African Christian Churches at Large
People of Faith in South Africa
Academics (in the service of the church)
Friends and Colleagues from all over the world
Fellow (South) Africans

Dear Sisters and Brothers

We are shocked at the sudden passing away of Professor Steve de Gruchy, our brother and friend.

Please receive the sincere condolences of the SACC and all our members. We pray that this period of grief and mourning will be lighter as you reflect on the life and contributions to the Church and broader society that Steve has made with so much dedication. We all bear testimony to the great love that Steve had for life - in all its forms.

The SACC recalls, with adoration, the sterling manner in which Steve assisted our Triennial Conference of Churches (during 2007) to appreciate the important theological connections between the economy and the ecology. We remember how he uncompromisingly stood for justice and promoted righteousness rooted in the infinite love of Christ. This is a love that at times extends beyond our human understanding.

Steve’s theological insights and his vision for mission served as a source of encouragement and consistently challenged the way we do theology and engage in mission. The lenses through which he looked at profound questions were always informed by a deep spirituality, scholarly discernment and passion for the truth. He never had to raise his voice in order to be heard or to convince any opposition, because he was such a humble servant of the poor and our Creator.

Through the way that he practiced our common faith, Steve was able to make many friends and to embarrass those who wanted to be his enemies. He was blessed with the capacities to love even those that wished to be his enemies. This is a demonstration of how dearly Steve loved our Lord and Saviour.

The SACC commends the humility with which Steve served the international ecumenical movement and enriched our lives. He rigorously pursued the family tradition of ecumenism through his unselfish services in the World Council of Churches, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Council for World Mission and the SA Council of Churches - both nationally and provincially.

The wealth of the selfless sacrifices that Steve made in all our lives only adds to the shock of his sudden death.

At this time of bereavement we wish to offer comfort to the family and the many people who had the opportunity to experience the many gifts that Steve shared with us. We are struggling to find appropriate words as we understand that the pain is deep. As we attempt to find comfort by reflecting on Steve’s life, we know who our True Comforter is.
We rely on the promise in the Gospel of John (14:15-31) that the parakletos will fill the needs of the De Gruchy family during this time of tenderness and mourning. When you and the rest of the people who love and know Steve raise many questions, may there be comfort in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit teaches us all things. We believe that the will of the Holy Spirit and that of Jesus Christ is one and we know that Jesus wills for us to have life everlasting (Jn 10:10).

Though we will all miss Steve, and do so sorely, we trust that he is not dead. Steve will always live in our memories. His love for life can not be taken away by water which is a source of life. We appreciate and often value the mystery of God’s salvation. All things tie in directly with the plan of salvation and the blessings it brings. We therefore value the teachings of the Holy Spirit even more.

Dear Marian, Steve's wife, and his children Thea, David, and Kate as well as the parents and siblings of Steve and Marian, be assured that God has a wonderful plan in place. We can rejoice that Steve has been promoted, for his departure is a promotion as he is returning to God our Creator. His death may for a time appear to represent defeat, but it will ultimately be a victory.

May the soul of Steve de Gruchy and many other dearly departed find eternal rest at the place that Jesus had gone to prepare for us.

From the SACC National Executive Committee
On behalf of all SACC Members.

Trouble in paradise: Bennie Hinn is human after all.

We don't know the facts and one could argue that we're not suppose to know what the issues are. Yet, the divorce filed against prosperity apostle Bennie Hinn does challenge the church to look again.We simply have to own up to the fact that we also struggle and yes, that we are also human beings who fail each other and who sometimes divorce. His response does not suggest any such acknowledgement or confession. a Public statement from Hinn, suggest that he is putting the blame on the wife. He states, 'Even though Suzanne has been under great stress, the children and I never expect this to happen' and ' My wife has no biblical grounds for what she has done.'  Its simple: blame it on some-one else. The question is: how is it possible that one could grow so far apart that you dont know what is coming. These grave decisions don't pop out overnight.

Divorce is never easy. Its agonising and the inevitability grows over a period of time.Then let's say it:  divorce also happens in the Christian church. Unless we are able to own up to the fact that its a reality within the church, then we will continue to struggle to develop appropriate ministry and support for sisters and brothers going through this agony. We, as believers, cannot continue to pretend and act as if it does not exist. This is my problem with Hinn's response. This is a season, for him to own up to the vulnerabilities and the complexities of human relationships-even as a pastor. We don't build our marriages in heaven. We can confess that we need help and support-even as pastors, for goodness sake.

But he can not. Why ? Because this is exactly where the prosperity cults struggle. In terms of their 'theology' this is not suppose to happen and we are not suppose to own up to any weaknesses. This flawed theology which denies reality and magically chant biblical spells and rituals need to be questioned. It creates a god, which frown upon poor, infected and struggeling people. This god drives in Harley -Davidsons and Limos, eat caviar and look down upon those that face a brutal, injust worldand sometimes strumble and often struggle.
But there's another God, who are with us in the muck, as we bear our crosses in this world, reminding us where our strengths come from. Let me put some divorcees at ease: The all-powerful God did not hang his head in shame because of your 'failure' in marriage or terminal sickness, God is walking alongside you in love and grace to support in facing the real challenges of life.This God does not magically wipe away reality, but rather, enables us to find deeper perspective and meaning to draw on our inner strength, wisdom, to make critical decisions for our future. This good news is for pastors as well. We also live only because of this grace of God. Faith therefore means to acknowledge that, on this journey, I am a cross-bearer, weak, oftem praying a type of 'Please Lord, I believe, but help with my unbelieve' (Mark 9:24) prayer. It's the God, who triumph and help us to come out strong, yet singing 'I didn't know my own strength'.

The kind of theology that underlie the industries of Hinn, is impotant in addressing this kind of faith and therefore it need to be reviewed. This therefor calls for a fundamental review of the role of pastors and those superstars in these 'ministries'. It calls for a questioning of the ostentatious lifestyle, which are simply  provided as 'proof' that the theology is healthy. In South African black and coloured communities, we see a powerful attraction to these groups, simply because people want hope for a better life and identify with wealth and success and so it seems, this gospel will give me that lifeline. We should however see that this whole movement is facing a serious credibility crisis and cannot stand up to the serious transformations that impact on families and children. The world is reeling under a neoliberal capitalist onslaught, which, driven by crude greed, proclaim that financial prosperity is the way to heaven. For these communities, unless we review and reject these false messiases, we are heading for disaster in the areas which matters most. We need something deeper and an affirmation of the way of the cross. Only in discovering the Crucified amongst cross-bearers, do we find real hope. Here we own up to our weaknesses, challenges, vulnerabilities-our sin and its here that we find grace. Let's pray that Hinn might also find it at the foot of the cross.