SW Radio Africa - Where is the church?

Robert Mugabe's purge of the poor, code-named "Operation Murambatsvina", which has cut a swathe of destruction across the country and displaced more than a million Zimbabwean's from their homes and workplaces, must rank as the greatest single terrorist act for which he is ultimately responsible after Gukurahundi - the brutal campaign of the mid 1980s led by the notorious Fifth Brigade which resulted in the slaughter of between 20,000 and 40,000 Matabele.

The effects of the latest outrage - which is still continuing - are there for all to see. Tens of thousands of dwellings torched, informal sector businesses razed to the ground, so-called "illegal structures" bulldozed - leaving hundreds of thousands of the nation's poorest now homeless and destitute. Countless Zimbabweans, including little babies, nursing mothers and the frail elderly, now reduced to sleeping in the bush in mid winter - the first reports of linked deaths beginning to trickle in. Scores of others clutching their few pathetic belongings, setting out on hopeless journeys (when there is fuel available) to their famine-stricken rural "homes" where there is no food or shelter for them anyway and they are hardly welcome. Others again out of desperation returning to the site of their former homes, just to sleep there while trying to avoid another sweep of the Mugabe black-booted thugs who pose as agents of law and order. An estimated 300,000 children whose homes have been destroyed now forced to drop out from school. And how many others how much closer to starvation now ? The list goes on, as it is impossible to catalogue the wave upon wave of suffering inflicted on a defenceless population by a vengeful ZANU PF elite and a cruelly-calculating dictator.

As the horror of the Mugabe tsunami becomes clear for all to see, the question arises where is the Church in all this? Surely the Church has a role to play in condemning tyranny and calling delinquent rulers to account? Is it not the role of the Church to be a voice for the voiceless? Are there not historical precedents for the Church to offer shelter and sanctuary to the poor and homeless, and to victims of state-sponsored violence? And don't the citizens of so-called Christian countries traditionally look to the Church for moral and spiritual guidance, especially in turbulent and uncertain times? So where is the Church in all this mayhem and madness? What has been the Church's contribution to turning the country around from its present path to destruction?

Sokwanele claims no special insight here, and certainly we have neither the time nor the resources to conduct a nation-wide survey, but there are certain observations we can make from our civic society perspective. We don't want to judge the Church too harshly and if we are wrong in any of our conclusions we should be delighted to have the facts brought to our attention. But this is what we have observed to date:

In relation to the current crisis it is impossible to speak meaningfully of "the Church" at all, since the Church is manifestly divided in its response. On the one hand we have magnificent champions of the truth like Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo; on the other we have cowardly and complicit clergy like Bishop Kunonga of Harare falling over himself to grab one of the looted farms. Then again we have ZANU PF activist pastors of what is sometimes called "the parallel church", like Obadiah Msindo who operates out of a luxury suite of offices at the Sheraton kindly provided by his sponsors.
The Church therefore is divided into many different churches all with their own (usually hidden) agendas. Few seem to cooperate or even bother to speak to one another, let alone speaking with one voice. The fact that they are so hopelessly divided not only reflects the success of the ZANU PF policy of "divide and rule"; it also seriously undermines their credibility and reduces their effectiveness in addressing national issues.
To be fair though, here and there we do see some attempt being made towards a limited form of unity. We applaud the efforts of ecumenical groups like "Churches in Manicaland", "Zimbabwe National Pastors' Conference" and "Christians Together for Justice and Peace" and, on the rare occasions when they speak as one, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Zimbabwe. All of these groups have, for example, issued clear and helpful statements addressed to the scourge of "Murambatsvina". Of the once-influential Zimbabwe Council of Churches one hears very little these days, and our sources inform us that the leadership has been so effectively 'ZANU PF'd' that we are not likely to hear much either, certainly not in the way of a prophetic Christian response.
For moral and spiritual guidance therefore we have to rely upon the occasional word of one of the few individual church leaders or groups who are engaging seriously with the issues. And it is doubtful how far their words of wisdom percolate down to the mass of Zimbabweans. Just how far individual priests and pastors are prepared to go in tackling sensitive social, political and economic issues from the pulpit, we do not know, but we suggest our readers ask themselves (those that is, who attend church regularly) when their spiritual leader last dared to even broach such a topic. The overall impression is of a nation effectively bereft of good moral guidance at a time when it is sorely needed.
In terms of practical assistance offered to those in need the picture is again patchy, but we have to say does not generally reflect great credit on the Church. We are aware that through a time of increasing food deprivation a number of individual churches have run much needed feeding schemes, and provided succour and support for AIDS victims. This is surely welcome and appreciated. But a more searching question is - how many churches have shown themselves prepared to move from this relatively "safe" and not-too-stretching form of ministry to something as bold as throwing open their doors to the victims of the Mugabe tsunami? We have it on good authority that eight churches in Bulawayo have offered shelter and hospitality to over a thousand of those recently rendered homeless - and let the nation applaud them for their courage and compassion. (The churches concerned and others prayed with and for the victims in two services held in the city over the last weekend). But how many churches in say Harare, Mutare, or Gweru have done the same? Again it is not for us to judge but we say to the churches concerned, judge yourselves. What kind of example and moral leadership are you offering the nation?

And a final observation. Let the churches judge themselves, not by the standards of what is "politically correct" within an environment dominated by fear and timidity, but rather by the standards of the Great Judge to whom we will all have to render account one day. To quote: "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

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