Today at Healingsprings fellowship
In recent months I explored some fundamental problems with biblical texts and their doctrinal implication, using the book of Exodus as a case study.
This series sparked a lot of questions which has opened my eyes to the degree of assumptions made by Christians about the influence of the faith. I also discovered that non-believers are often more knowledgeable about Christian history and its implication on social norms and our world.
When we draw swift conclusions without doing the required research we leave no room for possibilities. This is particularly depressing in an era in which access to information is easy and affordable once we have the right guidance or mentorship. I emphasise the need for guidance because there are lots of poor quality information out there also.
So back to the subject at hand, writing on the relationship between colonialism and religion for instance, citing Jan H. Boer (the Sudan United Mission), Falola (2001) argues that:
Colonialism is a form of imperialism based on a divine mandate and designed to bring liberation – spiritual, cultural, economic and political – by sharing the blessings of the Christ-inspired civilization of the West with a people suffering under satanic oppression, ignorance and disease, effected by a combination of political, economic and religious forces that cooperate under a regime seeking the benefit of both ruler and ruled.” – Violence in Nigeria: The Crisis of Religious Politics and Secular Ideologies, p. 33.
So, it will seem that some missionaries were trying to fix the colossal damage that slavery made on the geography, life and psyche of Africans. Because If we rewind back a few centuries before slavery in Africa, early missionaries recalled that poverty was an alien concept within African societies. Africans were organised in tribes or kingdoms, and there were sophisticated systems and processes in place to address the concerns of the poor, disabled, elderly, widows and orphans. Judaism could not be said to be more civilised or ethical because disabled people were not allowed into the Temple, even animals for sacrifice were meant to be without spot, wrinkle, or blemish; and lepers were not allowed into the community.
To this end, how do we harness all that is good and ethical about humanity to move us forward?
Join us at 3pm today for the series: From Order to Chaos: a study on Exodus
St John the Evangelist Hall, Church Rd, Sidcup DA14 6BX
Healingsprings fellowship: Human Capital Development
http://www.healingsprings.org.uk
Reachout | Revive | Recover
Healingsprings fellowship 