ECUMENINCAL DIALOGUE
Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua
Introduction
The very word “Ecumenism”
implies that there is a rift. It implies that all is not well because of a
separation that calls for reconciliation and healing. In the Church, ecumenism
mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation
with Christian Churches that are separated by doctrine, history, and practice.
The word is derived from Greek οἰκουμένη (oikoumene), which means
"the whole inhabited world". Ecumenical vision comprises both the
search for the visible unity of the Church (Ephesians 4:3) and the "whole
inhabited earth" (Matthew 24, 14) as the concern of all Christians.
Christian ecumenism can be described in terms of the three largest divisions of
Christianity: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant. While this
underemphasizes the complexity of these divisions, it is a useful model.[1] Ecumenical dialogue is the conversation of
the Catholic Church with other Churches or an inter-denominational discussion.
This is different from inter-faith or inter-religious dialogue. Dialogue in
general strives for mutual respect and expression of love. Today, some people
are no longer comfortable with the word “tolerance”. Dialogue today hinges on
respect that should be based on the value of the human person.[2]
This means that for us to arrive at the unity that we desire, no one should
show superiority over the other. Our actions and witness of life should prove
our worth to the world.
Biblical Basis for Christian Unity
In the incarnation, Jesus took
flesh and dwelt among us (John 1) to reveal the perfect nature of God. In the
past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in
various manners (Hebrew 1,1 ) but none could bring about the full redemption
that God has destined for the human race hence the need for God to send his
son. Jesus started his ministry by forming a community. He was passionate about
the perfect unity of this community akin to the Holy Trinity. He prays, “Holy
Father, keep those you have given me true to your name, so that they may be one
like us” (John 17, 11). To make this possible, he had to be a good shepherd to
this community (his flock). The imagery of the shepherd, the sheep and the
flock shows a total commitment, care, love and responsibility.
Jesus goes beyond his immediate
community to reach out to those who were not yet members of the flock. “I am
the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows
me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other
sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen
to my voice. So there will be one
flock, one shepherd (John
10, 14-16). Jesus came to give abundant life to this community
(John 10, 10). He admonished the disciples to therefore resist the temptation
for selfish ambition, worldly gains, desire for power and vain glory. He had to caution the disciples on their
argument about who was the greatest among them (Luke 9, 46; 22, 24). He rebuked
them for stopping a non member of the community who was performing miracles in
the name of Jesus (Luke 9, 49). He
refused their demand to cast down fire upon the community that would not allow
them pass through their territory.
Before his death, Jesus prayed earnestly for Christian
unity that would enable his mission to survive after his earthly ministry: “And
now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to
you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so
that they may be one, as we are one (John 17,11).
The expectation of Jesus was that the unity of the Church would
be a means of evangelization and proclamation. “I ask not only on behalf of
these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one” (John 17, 20-21). Jesus used the symbol of
the vine and the branches to demonstrates how united his flock should be. “I
am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear
much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing (John 15, 5). Jesus
had given the disciples the principle of love that could sustain the community.
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should
love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you
have love for one another (John
13, 34-35).
After the ascension of Jesus Christ, the unity and love of
the Church was threatened. This was occasioned by the admittance of the
Gentiles into the Church. This led to the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15). This
Council was convoked by the apostles of Jesus. After this serious challenge
there was a serious disagreement between Peter and Paul (Galatians 2). This was
reconciled in a way and manner that none of the apostles saw the need to begin
a separate Church to become a general overseer. This witness of Paul to his personal
reconciliation with Peter could have given him the authority to make this
appeal to the Christians in Corinth: “I urge you, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, not to have factions among yourselves” (1 Corinthians 1, 10). He made a
similar appeal to the Ephesians: “I
therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the
calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness,
with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to
maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you
were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and
through all and in all (Ephesians,
4,1-6).
To the Corinthians
he said: “Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should
be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and
the same purpose (I Corinthians 1,
10). He told the Colossians: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy
and dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever
grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love,
which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
since as members of one body you were called to peace (Colossians 3, 12-15). “For just as the
body is one and have many members, and all the members of the body, though many
are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body, Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and we were all made to
drink of one Spirit. If one member
suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice
together with it. Now you
are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12, 12-27).
The scandal of Division
It is interesting to note that the Church in the time of
the Apostles remained united and survived as one Church for a very long time. “The whole group of those
who believed was of one heart and soul” (Acts 4, 32). The Church spread to so many
corners of the earth amidst persecutions. Many followers of Christ died in the
process of bearing witness to the gospel. Unfortunately, division sets in after
the Church had remained united for many centuries. This started with minor
theological disagreements of which the process can be summarised briefly.
- The post Chalcedonian schism (about 470 AD) which gave rise to the Neophisite Churches of the East.
- The Great Schism of 1085, caused by an unfortunate quarrel between the Pope and the Patriarch of Constantinople over jurisdictions, which gave rise to the present Orthodox Churches, under the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (Istanbul - Turkey).[3]
- Luther's Protestant Reformation of the 16th century that gave rise to the split of what was left of the Church in the West into Catholics and Protestants. The Protestants have continued to split since then. [4]
The initial reaction of the
Church to this division was not like a father who waited and prayed that the
prodigal son should return home (Luke 15). Rather, Catholics were forbidden to
have anything to do with those outside the Ecclesial community. The famous
axiom was: “Extra ecclesiam nulla salus”-“Outside
of the Church, no salvation”. “Pope Boniface VIII issued his famous bull Unam Sanctam in 1302 in which we read as
follows”: “We must believe in the one only Catholic Church, outside of which
there is neither salvation nor forgiveness of sins”. The Council of Florence in
1442 also made the same declaration in its Decretum
Pro Jacobitis”.[5]
It was later that the Roman Catholic Church considered it a
duty of the highest rank to seek full unity with estranged communions of
fellow-Christians, and at the same time to reject what it saw as promiscuous
and false union that would mean being unfaithful to or glossing over the teaching
of Sacred Scripture and Tradition. Before the Second Vatican Council, the main
stress was laid on this second aspect, as exemplified in canon 1258 of the 1917
Code of Canon Law:
- It is illicit for the faithful to assist at or participate in any way in non-Catholic religious functions.
- For a serious reason requiring, in case of doubt, the Bishop's approval, passive or merely material presence at non-Catholic funerals, weddings and similar occasions because of holding a civil office or as a courtesy can be tolerated, provided there is no danger of perversion or scandal.
The 1983 Code of Canon Law absolutely
forbids Catholic priests to concelebrate the Eucharist with members of
communities not in full communion with the Catholic Church (canon 908), but allows,
in certain circumstances and under certain conditions, other sharing in the
sacraments. And the Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on
Ecumenism, 102 [6]states:
"Christians may be encouraged to share in spiritual activities and resources,
i.e., to share that spiritual heritage they have in common in a manner and to a
degree appropriate to their present divided state."
The
mutual anathemas (excommunications) of 1054, marking the Great Schism between
Western (Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) branches of Christianity, a process
spanning several centuries, were revoked in 1965 by the Pope and the Ecumenical
Patriarch of Constantinople. It is to be noted that the Canon Law of the
Catholic Church states: "An apostate from the faith, a heretic or a
schismatic incurs a latae sententiae
(automatic) excommunication, without prejudice to the provision of Can. 194 ß1,
n. 2; a cleric, moreover, may be punished with the penalties mentioned in Can.
1336 ß1, nn. 1, 2 and 3."[7]
This penalty would include the Eastern Orthodox and other non-Catholic sects.
Also, similar provisions exist in the Canon Law followed by the Eastern
Orthodox.
The division in the Church was
indeed a scandal and contradiction to the will of Christ (1 Corinthians 1, 13).
Efforts to restore Christian unity by some separated Churches was conceived in
1910 but not much was achieved until 1961 when Christian bodies merged with the
International Missionary Council to form the World Council of Churches (WCC).
The Catholic Church declined membership and has remained a non-member until
today, even though there is a lot of common reflection and action between the
two bodies. The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) was formed as a Nigerian
counterpart of the WCC. This was why the Catholic Church in Nigeria, following
the position of Rome, did not join the CCN.
Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis
Reintergration, (UR)
In November 21, 1964, the Second
Vatican Council came out with a “Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio)” to provide guidelines and principles for
Ecumenism. According to Pope
John XXIII, the Council's aim was to seek renewal of the Church itself, which
would serve, for those separated from the See of Rome, as a "gentle
invitation to seek and find that unity for which Jesus Christ prayed so
ardently to his heavenly Father."[8]
The restoration of unity among all Christians was the
principal concern of the Second Vatican Council because Jesus Christ founded
one Church only. Division therefore openly contradicts the will of Christ,
scandalizes the world, and damages the holy cause of preaching the Gospel to
every creature. But God has been rousing divided Christians to remorse over
their divisions and to a longing for unity. This movement toward unity is
called "ecumenical." Those who invoke the Triune God and confess
Jesus as Lord and Saviour either as individuals or corporate bodies belong to
this ecumenical movement. The Sacred Council set before all Catholics the ways
and means by which they too can respond to the divine call of ecumenical
dialogue. [9]
The first chapter of the decree of Ecumenism gives the Catholic
Principles on Ecumenism which can be summarised as follows:
·
Jesus is the primary principle of Christian unity. He prayed for Christian unity "that they all may be one. He
instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist by which the unity of His Church is
both signified and made a reality. He gave His followers a new commandment to
love one another, and promised the Spirit, their Advocate, who, as Lord and
life-giver, should remain with them forever. He enjoined on his followers the
unity of faith, hope and charity because there is One Lord, one faith, one
Baptism.
·
The Chair of Peter and the triplex
munera: Christ entrusted to the College of the
Twelve the task of teaching, ruling and sanctifying. He selected Peter, and
after his confession of faith determined that on him he would build His Church.
Also to Peter He promised the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and after His
profession of love, entrusted all His sheep to him to be confirmed in faith and
shepherded in perfect unity. Christ Jesus Himself was forever to remain the
chief cornerstone and shepherd of our souls. [10]
·
Mutual blame: Both the Catholic Church
and the separated brethren share in the blame of separation from full communion.
The children who are born into these Communities and who grow up believing in
Christ cannot be accused of the sin involved in the separation. The Catholic
Church embraces them as brothers, with respect and affection. Although the
differences that exist in varying degrees between them and the Catholic Church
create many obstacles to full ecclesiastical communion, all who have been
justified by faith in Baptism are members of Christ's body, and have a right to
be called Christian, and so are correctly accepted as brothers (and sisters) by
the children of the Catholic Church. [11]
·
Signs of the times: The Sacred Council
exhorts all the Catholic faithful to recognize the signs of the times and to
take an active and intelligent part in the work of ecumenism. All should avoid
expressions, judgments and actions which do not represent the condition of our
separated brethren with truth and fairness and so make mutual relations with
them more difficult. The Council recommend that
"dialogue" between competent experts from different Churches
and Communities should be undertaken prudently and patiently by the Catholic
faithful, with the attentive guidance of their bishops to promote justice and
truth, concord and collaboration, as well as the spirit of brotherly love and unity.[12]
·
Request for full communion: When
individuals wish for full Catholic communion, their preparation and
reconciliation is an undertaking which of its nature is distinct from
ecumenical action. But there is no opposition between the two, since both proceed
from the marvellous ways of God.[13]
·
Christian perfection and renewal: All
Catholics, in their ecumenical work, must assuredly be concerned for their
separated brethren, praying for them, keeping them informed about the Church,
making the first approaches toward them but not forgetting a careful and honest
appraisal of whatever needs to be done or renewed in the Catholic household
itself.[14]
This calls for witness of life on the part of the Catholic to convince others
that the Catholic Church has been endowed with all divinely revealed truth and
with all means of grace. Consequently, all Catholics must therefore aim at
Christian perfection[15]
·
Intra-Catholic Unity: The Council calls
for unity within the Catholic Church in essentials but with a proper freedom, in their various forms of
spiritual life and discipline, in their different liturgical rites, and even in
their theological elaborations of revealed truth in charity to give ever better
expression to the authentic catholicity and apostolicity of the Church.[16]
·
Learning from others: Catholics must
gladly acknowledge and esteem the truly Christian endowments from our common
heritage which are to be found among our separated brethren. This can be a help
to our own edification.[17]
·
The second chapter of Unitatis Reintergration deals with “The
practise of Ecumenism. This can be summarised as follows:
·
The attainment of union is the
concern of the whole Church, faithful and shepherds through daily Christian
life and research.[18]
·
The deposit of faith itself
should not be compromised. The Biblical and liturgical movements, the preaching
of the word of God and catechetics, the apostolate of the laity, new forms of
religious life and the spirituality of married life, and the Church's social
teaching and activity should be considered as pledges and signs of the future
progress of ecumenism.[19]
·
Ecumenism calls for a change of
heart in love, humility and service. This should be expressed through
“Spiritual Ecumenism” in prayers and pious activities.[20]
·
Yet worship in common (communicatio
in sacris) is not to be considered as a means to be used indiscriminately
for the restoration of Christian unity. There are two main principles governing
the practice of such common worship: first, the bearing witness to the unity of
the Church, and second, the sharing in the means of grace. Witness to the unity
of the Church very generally forbids common worship to Christians, but the
grace to be had from it sometimes commends this practice. The course to be
adopted, with due regard to all the circumstances of time, place, and persons,
is to be decided by local episcopal authority, unless otherwise provided for by
the Bishops' Conference according to its statutes, or by the Holy See.[21]
·
Sacred theology and other
branches of knowledge, especially of a historical nature, must be taught with
due regard for the ecumenical point of view, so that they may correspond more
exactly with the facts. Seminary formators and mission houses should take note
of this in the formation of future priests and missionaries.[22]
·
The way and method in which the
Catholic faith is expressed should never become an obstacle to dialogue with
our brethren. False irenicism, in which
the purity of Catholic doctrine suffers loss, is alien to ecumenism. The
teaching and life of the Catholic Church should be explained to the separated
brethren in a way that they can understand. When comparing doctrines with one
another that a "hierarchy" of truths, exist in Catholic doctrine
should be fondly remembered.[23]
·
In ecumenical dialogue, Christians
should confess their faith in the triune God.[24]
The Practise of Ecumenism in
Nigeria
When
the Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Reintergration) was promulgated, there were no Pentecostal
Churches and some African Churches. The major concern was the ecumenical effort
at full communion with the Separated
Eastern Churches and the Separated Ecclesial Communities in the West. With the
coming of the Pentecostal Churches and many other Churches, the Church needed
to design a new way of relating to the other Churches in such a way, that there
could be unity even in diversity given that the body of Christ is not divided. Pope John Paul II responded to this need
with the encyclical, Ut Unum Sint, 25 May
1995. This Encyclical “that they may all be one” gives some direction of
the modern day Ecumenism.
In Nigeria, the most visible signs of Ecumenism are the “Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN)” and the “Nigeria Anglican Roman Catholic
Commission (NARCC)”. It appears that before the formal inauguration of CAN, Christians
had started to see the need to come together in response to social, political
and economic injustice akin to the case of the Christian Association of
Northern Nigeria.
The Origin of CAN
From the available documents in the Department of Mission and Dialogue of
the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), the 12 pages pamphlet titled, “Notes on Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN)”, [25]
it is documented that on 27th August 1976 the (then) Federal Military
Government, under General Obasanjo invited several Church Leaders of diverse
denominations to Dodan Barracks, Lagos. The Governments sole purpose was to
hold a discussion with the church Leaders, on the National pledge and the
salutation of the National flag, which the Government intended to introduce
into the Nation's Primary and Secondary Schools. The Church Leaders did not
object to the introduction of the two items provided and on the condition that
reading and reciting the National Pledge and saluting the National Flag would
be preceded by the usual Morning Devotions, during which the Staff and the
Students of each school worship their Creator and offer Praises and Prayers to
Him.
Immediately after the meeting the
Church Leaders spontaneously decided to go to a place, not too far from Dodan
Barraks where they could hold another meeting. The Catholic Secretariat
opposite the Race Course bus stop was unanimously chosen. At the meeting, the
Church Leaders arrived at a monumental decision that they should form an
organization which would provide a forum where they could regularly meet
together and take joint actions on vital matters, especially on issues which
affect the Christian Faith and the welfare of the generality of Nigerians. The
Church leaders agreed that “The arms of CAN shall be General Assembly, National
Executive Committee, President in Council, The Secretariat, Zonal Assembly,
Zonal Executive Committee, State Assembly, State Executive Committee, Local
Government Executive [26]
From my personal
interview with John Cardinal Onaiyekan, it was some Church Leaders of the
Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and the Catholic Church in Nigeria who
arrived at the decision that they should form an organization to work together
on common concerns. The Christian Association of Nigeria founded in 1976 was
like an expanded form of the CCN plus the Catholic Church. Right from the
beginning there were some other churches in Nigeria who did not belong to
the two groups mentioned above. They were accommodated under the general vague
title of "Others". The "others" eventually became two
groups within the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the "Aladura
Group of Churches" as they were called then, and the rest who came under
the name of "evangelical fellowship". These were the FOUR groups
within CAN for a long time. Later the fifth group sought and was given an
autonomous identity as Pentecostals. It is on record that their admission was
not without a heated debate! Today, there are branches of CAN: Zonal, State and
Local Government. CAN has Women and Youth Wings, a National Executive Council
consisting of 105 members (which elects the President), and a General Assembly
of 304 members (which ratifies the President's election). The Motto of CAN was
and remains: That they all may be one (John
17, 21).
The Growth of CAN
From the
beginning, the leadership of CAN focussed on attaining a common purpose through
Christian Unity. This enabled the past leadership to make remarkable progress.
Anthony Cardinal Olubumni Okogie and Sunday Mbang, were able to sustain the
vision and mission of CAN. The initial motive of the Christians coming together
was sustained. For instance, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, as president of CAN was
very loud and clear in addressing political, social and economic concerns. This
socio-political “ecumenism” culminated in fighting for social justice and
religious tolerance.
Archbishop Peter
J. Akinola, CON continued in this spirit of fighting for Justice and religious
freedom. He is remembered for the completion of the National Christian Centre
in Abuja, which for me is a symbol of Christian unity in Nigeria. The following
significant events took place in the tenure of Archbishop Peter Akinola and
after him.
·
In the year 2000, CAN protest
the adoption of Sharia law in northern states.
·
On May 2, 2004, many Muslims
were killed in Yelwa, Nigeria.
·
In February 2006, Archbishop
Peter Akinola issued a statement in response to Muslim violence against
Christians, telling Muslims that they did not have a "monopoly on violence".
The following day, Christians rioted in retaliation against Muslims, leading to
more than 70 deaths. Akinola later claimed his statements had been
misinterpreted in the western media.
·
In September 2007, CAN endorsed
a social security plan put forth by Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido
John Cardinal
Onaiyekan, when president of CAN is remembered for his ability to bridge the
rift between Christians and Muslims in the country. He did not believe in
spitting fire when presenting Christian issues. He promoted ecumenism and
dialogue to a point that those who preferred vengeance and defence could no
longer tolerate him as the president of CAN. Some other Christian denominations
were not comfortable with his friendship with Muslims whom some Christians believe
are making life unbearable for Christians in the Northern part of Nigeria. Some
members of CAN wanted Cardinal Onaiyekan to be a military messiah who would
either lead them to a crusade against Muslims or support them to carry arms
against the terrorists. When we put ourselves in the shoes of the Christians in
the Northern part of Nigeria, we may sympathise with them in their desire for a
military messiah. Under the leadership
of Cardinal Onaiyekan, CAN was able to acquire the estate in Kubwa to ease the
accommodation problems of some staff members of the association and for revenue
generation.
Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor, (of Word of Life Bible
Church), [27] was
elected the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria in July 2010 with
Archbishop Daniel Okoh, (President of the
Organisation of African Instituted Churches) as his Vice.
This election attracted the press who confirmed that the election was
peaceful. The comportment of Archbishop Onaiyekan was highly acclaimed and
commendable. He handed over to Pastor Oritsejafor with dignity. This was
acclaimed as a lesson to civil politics that power is not “a do or die” affair. The acceptance speech of Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor calling on the past leaders of CAN to support him to move the
association forward was highly commended. Pastor Oritsejafor is running a
second term in office. We can say that he has achieved a lot.
When St. Theresa’s Catholic
Church, Madalla in Minna Diocese was bombed on December 25, 2011, Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor called an emergency meeting on December 28, 2011 of the Church
leaders at the National Christian Centre. The CAN visited the scene of the
incidence and returned to the National Christian Centre for a serious meeting.
After the meeting a delegation was led to Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the
president and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a
prepared speech by the Church leaders.
President Jonathan, in his
response thanked the CAN leadership for the visit and their commitment to
prayers for the country and the government over this period. He however, called
for calm, assuring that government was on top of the situation as some arrests
have been made and they will soon be prosecuted. While revealing that countries
facing similar attacks have offered help to Nigerians, he revealed plans to
restructure and re-adjust his team that will meet with the challenges facing
the nation today. The president followed up with the press statement.
It is important to note that many
Muslims reacted to the statement of Pastor Oritsejafor that Christians should
defend themselves but in the meeting of CAN NEC of February, Wednesday 16,
2012, report from some Northern states claimed that the statement instilled
fear on some Muslims thereby reducing the level of attacks on Christians in the
North. CAN is hopeful that all the people arrested in connection with Boko
Haram will face the law and adequate justice. The association also blamed
Northern governors and the traditional leaders for the terrorist attacks on
Christians and specifically accused them of not doing what they were supposed
to do to protect the lives and property of the people in their states.
Pastor Ayo has responded promptly
to some of the victims of terrorists attack in the Northern part of Nigeria. According
to him, sometimes he spends his money to run some programmes that could promote
Christian Unity. He has been able to call some Muslim scholars to dialogue with
some members of the Christian Association of Nigeria. Under his leadership, the
association is building the Jubilee House that would serve as a pastoral centre
for the Christian Community in Nigeria.
Challenges of CAN
The vision and
mission of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN as stated in the CAN
constitution is indeed laudable. The past and present leadership of CAN with
their attendant heritage of culture, Church tradition, exposure, and education
can definitely not act the same way even with the constitution as a credible
guide. We can analyse the challenges of CAN as follows.
- Internal politics - The reactions that trailed the handing over of Archbishop Peter J. Akinola, CON to John Cardinal Onaiyekan appeared to have sown a seed of political rivalry in the Christian Association of Nigeria. Some Anglicans felt that their Primate was robbed of a second term and needed to revenge. Some Catholics felt betrayed and cheated during the elections where Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor became president. It is on record that Archbishop Akinola was so bitter to such an extent that he never attended CAN meetings after handing over. On the other hand, John Cardinal Onaiyekan continued to participate in CAN meetings except when he is very busy. This shows that he is not bitter that he lost the election.
- In some states, the structural and material development in CAN is making the leadership of the association so attractive such that some ministers see CAN as a platform to make themselves relevant hence the struggle for power and positions that would enable them have assess to Local, State and Federal government.
- Among the challenges of CAN today are electoral crisis in some state CAN. For instance, the crisis in Kaduna, Lagos and Oyo states. In Delta State Chapter, a protest letter was received in respect of a general election held in Delta State Chapter.
- Other challenges CAN is presently facing are the national issues of Islamic Banking, oil subsidy, and incessant attacks by Boko Haram.
The media and their unverified reports is
a challenge to CAN. On the back page of Sunday Trust of January 20, 2013, Sanusi
Lamido Sanusi, the then Central Bank Governor of Nigeria accused CAN of political association with a religious
garb and called for the ban of CAN and the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI). The CAN
General Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake in the same report responded that “CAN was
formed to protect the interest of Christians, especially in fighting
persecutions”.
The Head line in Pilot of January
20, 2013 “Oyo CAN in alleged forgery” that was fully reported on page 53 with
the caption “CAC TUSSLE: How Oyo CAN Chair allegedly forged documents to
overthrow CAC authority in 1991”, a case which is presently in court appears to
confirm the allegation that CAN has been politicised.
CBCN Concern for Christian Unity
On 24 September, 2012, the
Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria suspends participation in CAN meetings
at the National level. The conference
wrote a letter to the president of CAN with the title, Our concern for Christian unity:
“We wish to bring to your notice the concern of the CSN bloc of the association
over some recent attitudes, utterances and actions of the National leadership
of CAN, which in our opinion negate the concept of the foundation of the
association and the desire of Our Lord Jesus Christ "That They All May Be One." The CSN bloc hereby suspends
participation in CAN meetings at the National level until such a time the
leadership of CAN reverse back to the original Vision, Mission and objectives
of CAN. We have been compelled to take this painful decision because of the
following reasons among others:
- That the present state of CAN has departed from the original concept of her founding fathers of which our bloc is a prominent stake holder.
- That the motto of CAN “THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE” is not taken as a priority. We note a total neglect of Ecumenism and unwillingness to learn the theological foundations of Christian unity.
- That the Directorate of Ecumenism and Inter-faith which is one of the missions of CAN is not given a priority attention to promote peace and unity in the nation which is the mandate of Christ to all Christians.
- That CAN is being dragged into partisan politics thereby compromising its ability to play its true role as conscience of the nation and the voice of the voiceless.
- That there is not enough respect for and involvement of all the blocs of CAN in major decisions and activities.
- That CAN is no longer acting on consensus on major issues.
- CAN is not a Mega Church but an association of different Churches. Therefore any claims by the President of CAN to be the leader of all Christians in Nigeria must take this into account.
We
remain committed to the promotion of Christian unity in the country. We recall
our major contributions at the founding and growth of the association. That is
why we are compelled to call your attention to the anomalies we now see. We
remain open to further discussions and dialogue, while we pray for the light of
the Holy Spirit to guide us all to a better future. [28]
The President of CAN responded quickly to this
letter stating that he had been looking forward to meeting with the leadership
of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). To address these problems, the need for ecumenical dialogue
was imperative. On May 29, 2012, Elder Barrister Albert Uko, the then acting
general Secretary of CAN was directed by
CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor to call a meeting of CAN CONSULTATIVE
FORUM to hold on Wednesday 6th June, 2012 at the National Christian
Center, Abuja by 2.pm prompt. The administrative board of the CBCN directed
that a letter should be sent to Eld.
Barr. Albert Uko. CAN Acting General Secretary that the CSN bloc of CAN
will not attend the meeting. The CBCN had to wait till the CBCN
plenary to meet with the leadership of CAN. This led to the inaccurate reports of the different
print and electronic media that “the Catholic Church has withdrawn from CAN”.
At the plenary of the CBCN of
February 17-21, 2013 in DRAAC, Lugbe, Abuja, the Catholic bishops desided to
meet with the leadership of CAN as requested by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the National
President of CAN in his letter of October 10, 2012. This meeting took place at
the National Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abuja on May 23, 2013 in a very
cordial atmosphere. The CBCN delegates resolved as follows:
- That we should continue our active participation in CAN at state and national levels.
- That we should promote other ecumenical options by having more bi-lateral relationships with other Christian denominations.
- That we should contribute our wealth of experience to direct CAN in the different directorates.
The decision to resume
participation in CAN activities at the national level was communicated in
writing to CAN NEC. Since June 2013, the Catholic Church has been actively
involved in CAN activities at all levels.
CAN and the way foreword
The founding fathers of CAN did
not envisage that a time would come when a state CAN, would need a civil court
to validate or invalidate an election as against the biblical injunction that
Christians should settle their differences internally to avoid scandal in
secular courts. This chaos consequent upon struggle for power has become a wake
up call to re-evaluate the original vision, mission and specific objectives of
CAN through a thorough study of the principles of ecumenism and the theological
basis for Christian unity. The leadership of CAN is aware that the association
is not an army put in place to defend Christians against Muslims. Rather CAN is
an association whose main objective is to promote unity among Christians and
peaceful coexistence with people of other faiths. This explains why the
President of CAN, Pastor Oritsejafor has taken it upon himself to initiate and
promote dialogue with Muslims. The new trend is an effort to restore peace and
security to Nigeria in collaboration with some Muslims who have a similar
vision and mission. It is hoped that this effort will also motivate the
directorate of Inter-faith and Ecumenism of CAN to promote intra-Christian
dialogue to be better equipped for inter-religious dialogue. It is unfortunate
that the present terrorism in Nigeria has become a major distraction to CAN who
cannot just sit down to watch the destruction of Christians and Churches. This has
been given an erroneous impression that CAN prefer “defence” to dialogue.[29]
Bi-lateral
Relationship
The Catholic Church has
ecumenical relationship with other Churches. While the Church is preparing to
fully engage the Methodists, the relationship with the Anglicans has been on
for a long time. The relationship with the Anglicans is called, Nigeria Anglican Roman Catholic Commission
(NARCC). This can be described as a “step down” of Anglican Roman Catholic
International Commission (ARCIC). Before the 16th Century, England
was under Rome politically and religiously. The process of the break in
communion that led to the separation of the Catholic Church of England
(ANGLICAN) can be briefly summarised as follows.
- The marital problem of King Henry the VIII
- 1534 - Act of supremacy of King Henry VIII
- 1559 - Elizabeth 1 declared herself supreme governor of England thus depriving the Pope of any jurisdiction in the Church of England
- 1552 - Publication of the rite of ordination for the English clerics
- 1570 - Rome excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I (through the bull Renans in Exclesis). Pope Leo XIII – Apostolic letter Apostolicae Curae rendered Anglican Ordination absolutely “null and void” since they excluded all references to the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist and of the Priesthood.
The process of ecumenical
dialogue with a vision to union and full communion started as summarised below.
- Anglicans were invited as observers in Vatican II
- Visit of Archbishop Michael Ramsey to Pope Paul VI in Rome
- The Malta report – Areas of agreement and differences
- Birth of ARCIC – Discussed Eucharist and Ordained ministry
- Final report of ARCIC I
- Acceptance by Lambeth Conference
- 1991 Catholic response and final report and acceptance
- Co-Chairs of ARCIC II sent a text of “Clarifications on certain aspects of the agreed statement in the Eucharist and Ministry to the PONTIFICAL COUNCIL OF CHRISTIAN UNITY in response to the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith (CDF).
- This was received by the then president Edward Cardinal Cassidy
The second Anglican Roman
Catholic International Commission (ARCIC II) was sent up in 1982 by Pope John
Paul II and Archbishop Robert Runcie of Canterbury to study the issue of
Justification. The following topics were discussed by ARCIC II
- Agreed statement: Salvation and the Church
- The Church as Communion
- Life in Christ: Morals, Communion and the Church
- The gift of authority
The Nigeria Anglican Roman
Catholic Commission (NARCC) came into being as one of the ways to foster a
bilateral relationship between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion
in Nigeria. The commission has co-chairmen and co-secretaries from both sides.
At present, the co-chairmen are Bishop Charles Hammawa (Catholic) and
Archbishop Ikechi Nwoso (Anglican). The co-secretaries are: Fr. Cornelius
Omonokhua (Catholic) and Venerable Princewell Ireoba (Anglican). Since the
inception, NARCC has had meetings in the following places:
- July 22-24; 2003 Umuahia
- July 20-22, 2004 Abeokuta
- Feb. 1-3, 2005 Jos
- Feb. 7-9, 2006 Lokoja
- July 18-19, 2006 Ilesa
- Feb. 13-15, 2007 Uromi
- Feb. 26-28, 2008 Calabar
- July 8-10, 2008 Kaduna
- March 24-25, 2009 Ekiti
- July 20-30, 2009 Ilorin
- Feb. 2-4, 2010 Onitsha
- September 2-4, 2010 Abuja
- February 23-25, 2011 Owerri
- October 18-20, 2011 Sokoto
- November 3-4, 2012 Abuja
- November 27-29, 2013 Osogbo
In his
welcome address at the meeting of NARCC at Umuahia, Bishop Lucius Ugorji
highlighted the brief history of ARCIC and the importance of NARCC. He said
that the bilateral theological dialogue between Anglicans and Roman Catholics
should not be misconstrued as a “clubbing” together of both Churches to the
exclusion of other Christian denominations. Indeed both Churches also have
separate bilateral international dialogues with other denominations in their
efforts to work for full visible unity among Christians. For instance, the
Catholic Church is engaged in bilateral dialogues with the Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox
Church, the Malankara Churches, the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran World
Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the Methodist World
Council, the Baptist World Alliance, the Christ Churches (Disciples of Christ)
and some Pentecostal Churches. At the international level the Anglican
Communion also has dialogues with the Lutherans, Orthodox Church, and the
Methodist World Council. It is hoped that in due course the Catholic Church
shall begin these dialogues in Nigeria.[30]
Conclusion
Generally, ecumenism goes beyond
the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the bi-literal relations with
other denominations. The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has
requested that the Catholic Church develop relationship with more Churches. From
this conversation, it is clear that the Catholic Church has the mandate to
initiate ecumenical activities. It follows therefore that the Church should be
patient with the limitations of the other Churches. It has been observed that
some members of other Christian denominations find it very difficult to
understand the structure of the Catholic Church. In Nigeria, there is a
committee on Ecumenism in the department of Mission and Dialogue of the
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria. Every diocese has a director of Ecumenism and
every province has a provincial coordinator. It would be an advantage if every
diocesan director participates actively in the Christian Association of Nigeria
at the State level. For a better ecumenical spirit, it is advisable that we do
not go into dialogue with prejudice and preconceptions. At the same time, we
should be convinced of our heritage and the deposit of the Catholic faith we
wish to share with the separated brethren.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecumenism
[2]
http://religion.answers.wikia.com/wiki/Meaning_of_ecumenism
[5] John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Seeking
Common Grounds, Inter-religious Dialogue in Africa (Nairobi, Paulines, 2014) P.23
[25] Notes on Chrisian Association of Nigeria
(CAN), (Lagos, Fami Commercial Works, 1976)
[26] http://cannigeria.org/ Notes on Chrisian Association of Nigeria (CAN), (Lagos, Fami Commercial
Works, 1976) P.1
[27]
Daily Trust, 6 July 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2010, www.abn-channel.net
[28] Shahara Reporters, Jan 23, 2013; Premium Times, January 24, 2013
[29] Cornelius Omonokhua, http://carefronting.org/ecumenical-dialogue/
[30] Lucius Ugorji, The Origin and Background to NARCC in
Nigeria in Proceedings of the Nigeria Anglican Roman Catholic Commission
(NARCC) VOL 1.1 Edited by Cornelius Omonokhua & Sola Igbari (Abuja, Mac
Pama 2010) Pp 6-13
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