US Christians encouraged to think globally
-27/07/05
The African-born General Secretary of the World Council of Churches has encouraged US Christians to stand up for global concerns rather than narrow national interests in seeking to live out the Gospel in a violent and unjust world. He has also condemned the so-called ìprosperity gospelî and praised faithful witness and action by many American Christians.
The Rev Dr Samuel Kobia made his remarks yesterday in a wide-ranging address to the general assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Portland, Oregon.
Recalling the 40-year-old insight of a former WCC general secretary from the USA, Eugene Carson Blake, Dr Kobia said: ìIf it was the challenge to US churches in 1965 to reflect a global perspective rather than that of an ultra-patriotic ‘culture club’, this remains a principal challenge 40 years later.î
Dr Kobia commented on current worldwide fears about US policies like the doctrine of pre-emptive war, and the current US administration’s reluctance to support international initiatives against global warming or the UN Millennium Development Goals.
He declared that the vocation of the churches in such situations is to have the courage to ìspeak truth to powerî, even if that is unwelcome in some quarters.
At the same time, the WCC leader acknowledged the vital role of North American Christians in the modern ecumenical movement, and stressed their work in providing an alternative witness. He praised US Christian action on hunger, poverty, HIV/AIDS, racial discrimination and violence.
In the context of the southward shift of Christianityís global centre of gravity, Dr Kobia said that North American churches ìneed to adjust to a new position within the wider church of Jesus Christî.
Referring to the worldwide spread of US-based para-church organisations, mega-churches and a ìso-called ‘prosperity gospel, based on [the] assumptions of free market economics”, Dr Kobia warned against ìthe confusing of preaching Christ with the proclamation of American cultural valuesî.
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a North American Protestant denomination, is one of a total of 23 WCC member churches in the USA.
US Christians encouraged to think globally
-27/07/05
The African-born General Secretary of the World Council of Churches has encouraged US Christians to stand up for global concerns rather than narrow national interests in seeking to live out the Gospel in a violent and unjust world. He has also condemned the so-called ‘prosperity gospel’ and praised faithful witness and action by many American Christians.
The Rev Dr Samuel Kobia made his remarks yesterday in a wide-ranging address to the general assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Portland, Oregon.
Recalling the 40-year-old insight of a former WCC general secretary from the USA, Eugene Carson Blake, Dr Kobia said: ‘If it was the challenge to US churches in 1965 to reflect a global perspective rather than that of an ultra-patriotic ‘culture club’, this remains a principal challenge 40 years later.’
Dr Kobia commented on current worldwide fears about US policies like the doctrine of pre-emptive war, and the current US administration’s reluctance to support international initiatives against global warming or the UN Millennium Development Goals.
He declared that the vocation of the churches in such situations is to have the courage to ‘speak truth to power’, even if that is unwelcome in some quarters.
At the same time, the WCC leader acknowledged the vital role of North American Christians in the modern ecumenical movement, and stressed their work in providing an alternative witness. He praised US Christian action on hunger, poverty, HIV/AIDS, racial discrimination and violence.
In the context of the southward shift of Christianity’s global centre of gravity, Dr Kobia said that North American churches ‘need to adjust to a new position within the wider church of Jesus Christ’.
Referring to the worldwide spread of US-based para-church organisations, mega-churches and a ‘so-called ‘prosperity gospel, based on [the] assumptions of free market economics”, Dr Kobia warned against ‘the confusing of preaching Christ with the proclamation of American cultural values’.
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a North American Protestant denomination, is one of a total of 23 WCC member churches in the USA.