African Synod at its end: Reconciliation as virtue

Reconcilation has been an almost worn term during this African Synod. The synod discoursed on important themes. Some interventions directly focused on the issues that were relevant. Others were just showy verbiage that often attempted to speak in generality. Take for instance, Cardinal Okogie, archbishop of Lagos, Nigeria allusion to all Africans being religious. A simple reminder of the fallacy of generalization that occurs in most seminary philosophical programmes would have been useful to the reverred Cardinal.

Others accusing the west, colonialism, and western culture as the sole sources of African problems would have been better, where they to refuse to speak using broad brushes to paint realities. As much some of these observations may be true, they remain partial truths. For the myriad African problems, the collaborations of many African agents in government, society, business, industry, and church are involved. More so, what good aspects of these westernized values they enjoy they hardly talk about and applaud as ultimately desirable by Africans.

Many of these bishops enjoy their cellphones (GSMs), laptops, and SUVs that make them look like demi-gods marking them differently from the bloated poverty of the vast majorities. When they celebrate masses, events, western-style choice wines are a delicacy.

Now, as they head home, the task of reconciliation must first begin with them. Their own hatred for their own priests, which many of them seems to stand in competition needs to be first reconciled. Their nepotism, corrupt acts, and others need to become healed through fervent and open quest for forgiveness, reconciliation, and recommitment.

It is definitely essentially that the exploitation of church personnels, workers, and others within the church is in need of reconciliation and renewal in propelling the course of social justice and peace. The church, to be a sincere witness, must engender within its own realms the frameworks of reconciliation in a nurturing and sincere manner.

It is essential to apologize. Apologies for the crimes against humanities, for pedophilia within its ranks, desecration of women, poor and unChristian treatment of her own employees. Charity, as it is often intoned, must first begin at home. This home is the church. The church must relinguish the absurd westernized absorbed culture of arrogance, posturing in silence, denials, and face-saving utter falsehoods that has so rabidly become its trait in Africa, distancing itself from many and paralleling its institutions and personnels with corrupt and malevolent politicians and the oppressive ruling hegemonies. Let the church shun the temptation to be like the other "glamorous class" of power, affluence, and disgustingly bestial influence.

The church must become the Church of Christ, that was always accomodating, humble, and among whose ranks were sinners, who denied but through the reconciling act of God's love made the necessary u-turn towards the lamb of God, pacifier of the universe, and Lord of all Creation.

Let the African Church offer a witness to the rest of the universal church, freely out of her own volition of sanctifying and proclaiming Christ, rather than sucked in by some institutional structures in its obvious devious forms. Hope, for those who have ears to ear that this would sink.