Throughout history, religion has played critical roles in shaping the destinies of some nations.
The clergy have been involved in the liberation of their homelands and communities from superstition, ignorance, perversion and decay.
The Church has always been seen as a place of liberty, for many. It is perceived as a place where the saints and sinners share together the same ‘holy communion’ with ‘amazing grace’. It is a place where the rich and the poor share the same message of hope and optimism. It is an environment where the sick and the healthy shake hands in oneness, brotherhood, and reassuring love. It is in this space that, the weak and vulnerable are ostensibly made to be strong.
Church is supposed to be that place where those in the pulpit and those in the pew are seen together as one without discrimination, but as joint heirs with Christ – because “in His sight there is neither Jew nor Gentile”. It is where truth triumphs over trials, a place of refuge – where people tend to escape (without being abused or manipulated), even if momentarily, from the harsh realities of the world.
Most importantly, the church is a holy place, where the grandeur teachings of the Christian faith are professed. It is in this atmosphere that the natural and supernatural communicate and commune to solve the daunting problems of humanity. It is a place where men and women draw succour and strength during difficult periods. It is in this place that genuine miracles meet maladies and dissolve them for the glory of the Almighty God. As well, it is a spiritual forum where men are jolted from complacency to the waiting hands of action.
In this space, possibilities are more potent than present realities, and men are encouraged to challenge the unknown, even the status quo, and stretch limitations.
It is similarly a place where existential questions are asked. People are called to reflect soberly about their lives, which helps in the moderation of their behaviours, and some might be tempted to probe at the nothingness of life.
Men in authority are audaciously called in this place to account for their actions, and they are offered brutal truths and chastisement that help them in their public conducts.
That is the Church. That is what it ought to be. But, sometimes, it is painfully not.
In Nigeria, it is sometimes a place where the good, the bad and the ugly all happen. It has become, in some instances, a place where the glorious Word of God is twisted to suit the utility functions of the sanctuary keepers. Where phenomena and phantasmagoria are revered and conjured at the detriment true spirituality. It has become a place where the sanctuary keepers are made to be the centre of attraction instead of God – the Cornerstone.
Also, in some instances, it is made to appear as a place of mere showmanship and spiritual entrepreneurship. Where spiritual truths are synthesised and skewed to meet well scripted ends.
It has become a place where hobnobbing with those in power appears to be more profitable than speaking truth to those in power and authority.
The Nigerian church cannot afford to be anything and everything at this desperate period of our national history. This is the time to rise above pecuniary interests and preach the indestructible gospel of stewardship, servant-leadership, followership, and the weightier matters of justice, compassion, mercy, truth and love. Time to advocate a greater Nigeria that is for everybody and nobody, where there is no supremacy and everyone is free to pursue his or her God-given talents without fear or molestation.
The Church should act as a strong moral voice that agitates for stronger institutions and good governance. It should begin to unequivocally encourage our youths to channel their creative energies towards enterprise and industry. The values and networks that the Church could offer are critical elements that could be leveraged upon to deepen entrepreneurship in our society. It can learn from history and could be used as a platform for social change and societal renewal.
After all, a former slave boy from the South East part of the country named Olaudah Equiano was shaped by the same faith, to document his gruesome experiences that changed the narratives of slave trade in Britain. The same faith gave Bishop Ajayi Crowder the spiritual stamina and equanimity to speak against the ills of slavery and propelled him to translate the scriptures to Yoruba language. It motivated a young preacher named Martin Luther King (Jr.) to speak against the racial prejudices of his days and through his poignant sermons shaped the civil liberty movement in America.
Also, Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa drew inspiration from the same faith to preach against the apartheid regime and racial inequality. He is today one of the shining beacons of the Christian faith – not because of the size of his congregation, but by the enduring content of his principles.
In Germany, the same faith motivated a German Catholic monk and professor of theology, Martin Luther, to confront the then culture of ‘religious indulgence’. Through his seminal writings, he set in motion the Christian reformation of his time.
In India, Mother Theresa, through her services, reached out to the poor and devoted her life to the disadvantaged, the sick and the wounded, and fought for inclusion and social justice.
In the Holy Sea, the late Pope John Paul II provided a consistent moral voice that shaped the politics of the cold war and through his homilies stirred up debates on social issues such as abortion, rights of the unborn babies and the dignity of women. Through his personal undiluted charm and charisma, he attracted many young people to the Christian faith.
There are many others who also, from the vantage points of their various pulpits, pricked the consciences of their societies, exposed their absurdities and helped in their positive transformation.
No doubt, the Nigerian church has the capacity to act as credible moral voice against bigotry, intolerance, ethnic supremacy, favouritism, in addition to political and economic injustice. But, to truly do this would require steps in the narrow and sometimes lonely path of moral and spiritual decency.
The Church needs to be reminded that ‘true religion’ does not equate to the size of congregation or the accumulation of capital. Those are all good. It is not synonymous with “learned helplessness” or the veneration of anybody, no matter how gifted the person is, above the ultimate Reality – God.
But ‘true worship’ involves love for God and service to humanity – especially fighting for the poor and vulnerable in our midst. It involves the saving of souls from eternal damnation, as well as from poverty, hopelessness, injustice and most importantly from the tyranny of a privileged few, which are usually the precursors of social and political disharmony in a society.
Again, the Church needs to be reminded that ‘true power’ comes from God. It embodies other intangibles, such as love, holiness, faith, mercy, truthfulness, humility, compassion, patience, doggedness, courage, and grace.
In these realms, there are no limitations, but only possibilities that could be harvested for true transformation and change. That is the Church we pray for in Nigeria.