As we journey towards Pentecost, I have been reflecting on some of the things that I sense God is doing in the UK and beyond. One of them is the emerging intercultural church conversations. But what does the history of the Pentecostal movement in Britain have to teach us on this?
Britain has been a home to many spiritual renewals and awakenings over the years. From these shores, some of these awakenings have been a blessing to different parts of the world as missionaries have travelled to different parts of the globe to serve. Whilst some aspects of this mission history are contentious because of the context of enslavement and colonisation, nevertheless, there have been fruits from those missionary endeavours that now mean Britain is at the receiving end of missionaries from those former mission fields.
How is this reverse mission, particularly the emergence of what we know in the UK as Black Majority Churches (BMC) contributing to spiritual awakenings? One of the things that I believe God is doing today in Britain is the development of an intercultural missionary movement as a result of the blessings and gifts that Majority World Christians are to the UK church and society at large. In this article, I will reflect on this by firstly exploring the history of Pentecostalism in Britain, drawing attention to its intercultural origins and nature. This will be followed by considering the development of Black Pentecostal churches in Britain as an example and lastly reflect on the ongoing intercultural conversations that are developing in Britain and what God might be doing through these discussions. My positionality is that I am a Baptist minister rooted in African Pentecostalism and came to the UK as a missionary. I therefore consider my identity as a ‘Bapticostal’ navigating and embracing Charismatic, Pentecostal and historic church contexts and practices. I have had the privilege of leading three different multicultural churches which included a charismatic church and currently serve with the Evangelical Alliance UK leading an intercultural network called One People Commission.
To read the full article in Eucharisma, a new journal on Charismatic Theology follow this link
In Britain, there is the multicultural reality (multicultural society), multicultural project (the governments attempt to bring some form of community cohesion to multicultural society) and multicultural churches. The question is, if society is multicultural, and the governments attempt has been largely to manage or control that multiculturalism, should the church remain happily multicultural, or can we go the extra mile to develop intercultural churches that is counter-cultural to a multicultural society? In this London City Mission (LCM) podcast I explore some of these questions arguing that we need an ecclesiology where all communities are mutually inconvenienced (A powerful expression coined by Rev Dr Michael Jagessar!)
This year (2023) I was involved in an academic conference organised by the United Reformed Church (URC) exploring global theologies on climate and the environment. The result is an edited e-book publication now available for people to read and share! The book is titled: Revolting Christians: Global Theologies to Confront Climate Catastrophe edited by Kevin Snyman and Lawrence Heath-Moore. My own chapter contribution explored African identity and the need to develop a Pan-African Theology of Justice!
As one of the historians of Black Majority Churches in Britain, one of the questions I get asked quite a lot is what are Black Majority Churches? This week alone, I have been in involved in providing training for a mission organisation who wanted to know more about Black Majority Churches. Are Black Majority Churches Pentecostal churches? Is Black Majority Church the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) which is one of the fastest growing churches in the UK or is it the New Testament Church of God? These are well-known Black Majority Church denominations therefore often when people think about Black Majority Churches they automatically think of these churches. But what we know today as Black Majority Churches should never be conceived as a singularity because it is very diverse ethnically and culturally. For example, it includes the different varieties of African churches such as African Initiated Churches (AICs), African Newer Pentecostal Churches (ANPCs) and African congregations that exists within mainline British churches such as Church of England, Baptists, Methodists, Catholic and so on. It also includes the different types of Caribbean churches such as Caribbean Pentecostal and Holiness churches planted during the Windrush period (1948-1961), Caribbean New Generation churches and Caribbean Christian presence within British mainline churches.
It is also diverse theologically encompassing churches that are Sabbatarians, churches that preaches Prosperity Gospel and churches that do not! Churches that would define their identity as evangelical, as well those who would not, churches that are into Black British Liberation theology, Pentecostal churches, Holiness churches and so on. These group of churches are also diverse in their mission strategies. Some of these churches are church plants with the mother church somewhere in the Caribbean or Africa. Others have started independently in the UK and have gone on to plant churches across Europe.
Lastly is that Black Majority Churches also include para-church organisations started by black Christians. In this category, there are ecumenical organisations, mission agencies, theological colleges, prayer movements and prophetic movement with an advocacy edge for racial justice.
Black Majority Churches can therefore be defined as a heterogenous church movement including different black Christians, churches, organisations that are either black-led or with a black majority congregation or participation.
Historical development of Black Majority Churches (BMCs)
The rise of BMC in the UK is phenomenal because within a short period these churches have grown from being obscure to having great influence. Their historical development is rich and diverse in nature, which makes the generic term ‘Black Majority Churches’ problematic as it does not address the diversity that exists within these faith communities. Arlington Trotman’s question two decades ago about black or black-led churches is very relevant here: he argued that the term ‘black-led’ or ‘black church’ was an imposition by outsiders and that the terminology does not satisfactorily describe these churches (1992: 18-34). How outsiders have defined the Black Church over the years has not given sufficient room to explain and understand its diversity, and has led to stereotypes and misrepresentations. Here I present five types of BMCs and the fifth type illustrates relations between African congregations and Historic churches.
Caribbean Pentecostal Churches (1940s-1960s)
The 1940s and 1950s saw the influx of Caribbean families into the UK due to the invitation of the British government to come and help rebuild the country after the devastation of the Second World War. Many people from the Caribbean islands responded to this call but to their surprise and dismay, they were not accepted by society and the church. This period is usually referred to as the Windrush generation, as the ship, SS Empire Windrush, brought 493 people from the Caribbean on 22 June 1948 to Tilbury, London. The majority of the people from the Caribbean, due to colonial ties, saw and regarded themselves as British citizens. An expression of that citizenship is membership of the Commonwealth, and the British Nationality Act of 1948 which encouraged migration from the West Indies (see below Table of Black Majority Churches). Therefore, Caribbeans expected to be treated as respected British citizens. Instead, they were faced with posters saying, ‘No Irish, No Blacks and No Dogs.’ They soon realised that the idea of a commonwealth was an illusion; the wealth was not common and they were treated as second-class citizens. The church was no different when it came to hospitality and welcome as Walter Hollenweger, in an introduction to a seminal book on the black church in Britain written by Roswith Gerloff, commented that, ‘Christians in Britain prayed for many years for revival, and when it came, they did not recognise it because it was black.’ (Gerloff, 2010). This rejection, coupled with other factors, such as loyalty to church brands in the Caribbean and the strangeness of the formality of British Christianity to Caribbean Pentecostal Christians, led to the formation of Caribbean Pentecostal and Holiness churches, although it must be clarified that some of these churches even though founded in Britain, still had their headquarter churches in North America. This is because some of these churches were affiliated to North American classic Pentecostal churches. The first Caribbean Pentecostal church founded in the UK was the Calvary Church of God in Christ, which started in London in 1948. The church became affiliated with the Church of God in Christ in the United States in 1952. Others soon followed, such as the New Testament Church of God (1953); the Church of God of Prophecy (1953); the Wesleyan Holiness Church (1958); and the New Testament Assembly (1961).
African Initiated Churches (AICs) in Britain (1960-1980)
The second phase in the historical development of BMCs and a different type of church are the African Initiated Churches from Africa. The independence of African countries, starting with Ghana in 1957, led to African diplomats, students and tourists coming to Britain and other European countries. Many of these students and workers relocating to Britain came with their religion but discovered, like the Caribbean migrants before them, that they were not accepted by the British churches and public at large. Combined with a missionary intent, this rejection led to the formation of AICs in London. Examples are the Church of the Lord Aladura planted in London in 1964, Cherubim and Seraphim Church in 1965, The Celestial Church of Christ in 1967, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Mount Bethel in 1974 and Musama Disco Christo Church (MDCC) in 1980 (Olofinjana, 2015).
African Newer Pentecostal Churches in Britain (1980-2000)
In the 1980s and 1990s there emerged a new type of African church across British cities. These churches are termed African Newer Pentecostal Churches (ANPC hereafter) to differentiate them from classic Pentecostals and AICs. Some of these churches have become mega churches in Britain. Others have embarked on church planting strategies that ensures there is a church plant in every major city in Britain
For example, the Church of Pentecost started in Ghana around 1937 through the efforts of one of the Apostolic Church missionaries, James McKeown (1900-1989). It began in London in collaboration with Elim Pentecostal Churches around 1988. Today it has around 150 branch churches in the major cities in the UK such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Cardiff, Leicester, Sheffield, Leeds and Glasgow.
New Generation Caribbean Pentecostal Churches (1990s-present)
Since the 1990s, a new generation of Caribbean Pentecostal churches have emerged in Britain. These churches have a wider appeal to Caribbean British Christians who are second- and third-generation descendants of the Windrush generation discussed above. Many of the leaders are second- or third-generation Caribbean British Christians. These churches are Pentecostal and as such have dynamic worship and worship teams; they make use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and have creative preaching styles. These churches are very proactive in terms of community and social engagement, providing services such as food banks, debt counselling, soup kitchens, prison ministries, homeless shelters and many more. Examples of these churches are Ruach City Church Ministries founded in 1994 by John Francis; Christian Life City founded in 1996 by Wayne Malcolm; Micah Christian Ministries founded by Denis Wade in 1998; The Tabernacle Church (formerly called The Bible Way Church of the Lord Jesus Christ Apostolic) led by Pastor Michael W. White; Greater Faith Ministries led Lennox Hamilton, as well as a host of other churches (Olofinjana, 2015).
Table of Black Majority Churches
Church
Period
Description
Immigration Laws
Race Acts
Caribbean Pentecostal and Holiness Churches
Windrush Generation (1940s-1960s
Pentecostal churches planted in Britain during the Windrush period
British Nationality Act of 1948 which encouraged immigration from the West Indies
The Race Relations Act 1965 was the first legislation in the United Kingdom to address racial discrimination
African Independent Churches (AICs)
1960s-1980s
These are African independent churches that reacted against colonial Christianity. They are churches created by Africans for Africans
The Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 restricted the entry of commonwealth citizens
The Race Relations Act 1968 makes it illegal to discriminate on grounds of race, ethnicity or nationality
African Newer Pentecostal Churches (ANPCs)
1980s-2000
These are African Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that emerged from the charismatic renewal in Africa from around the 1960s
British Nationality Act 1981 which further tightened control and citizenship criteria
The Race Relations Act 1976 amended the previous Race Acts of 1968
New Generation Caribbean Pentecostal Churches
1990s-present
These are churches founded and led by second and third generation Caribbean Christians
Asylum and Immigration Act 1993 This Act was an attempt to produce a better system for making asylum decisions.
The Race Relations Amendment Act of 2000 was introduced as a result of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
African Congregations and British Churches
While the four types of BMCs I have presented operate from outside British churches, it is important to point out that there are African majority congregations within several historic denominations and churches. It is also important to mention that through various initiatives BMCs and British churches do engage with each other. Some of these engagements happen through ecumenical organisations or unity movements such as Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI), Churches Together in England (CTE) and the Evangelical Alliance. One of the major developments within the ecumenical scene in Britain is that Churches Together in England have created an additional presidential portfolio in recognition of Black Majority Pentecostal churches. Churches Together in England now has a Pentecostal president in addition to a Catholic, Anglican, Free church, and Orthodox presidents. This demonstrates an on-going engagement between BMCs and British churches. The Evangelical Alliance has also had to respond to the change in the demographic landscape of British Christianity by creating the One People Commission which works with national church leaders drawn from BMC, South Asian churches, South Korean churches, Latin American churches, and Chinese churches.
The Future of Black Majority Churches
BMCs have come a long way from being on the margins of society to becoming one of the fastest and vibrant sector of British Christianity, but what does its future look like? This year, we marked the 75th anniversary of the Windrush generation through a national service organised by senior black church leaders drawn from different church traditions. The service with an intergenerational perspective whilst challenging the ongoing racism in society and church also gives hope for the future because of the participation of many young black Christians. I think BMCs will continue to survive innovating and developing its own black agency. I think the future is bright when I think that we have the Ben Lindsays who engages youth and urban issues that are relevant to our young people. The future is bright because we now have own theologians both Black theologians and African theologians such as Dr Dulcie Dixon-McKenzie, director of Centre for Black Theology, Birmingham, Dr Selina Stone at the University of Durham and Dr Harvey Kwiyani who is leading some cutting edge work with Church Mission Society (CMS). The future is bright with the advocacy work of Racial Justice Advocacy Forum, Movement for Justice and Reconciliation and National church leaders Forum (NCLF). The future is bright with the Chistian Aid working group that looks at the intersection of climate and racial justice. The future is bright with church planting initiatives of churches such as New Covenant church, Church of Pentecost and several other initiatives. The future is bright with relevant independent churches such as the TAB in Lewisham!
Key References
Adogame, Afe (2007) “African Christian Communities in Diaspora,” in Ogbu Kalu (eds) African Christianity: An African Story, Trenton, NJ, Africa World Press, pp. 431-451.
Aldred, J.D. (2005) Respect: Understanding Caribbean British Christianity, Peterborough, Epworth.
Aldred, Joe and Ogbo, Keno (eds), (2010) The Black Church in the 21st Century, London, Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd.
Gerloff, Roswith, A Plea for British Black Theology: The Black Church Movement in Britain in its Transatlantic Cultural and Theological Interaction with Oneness (Apostolic) and Sabbatarian Movements Vol 1, Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2010.
Gerloff, Roswith and other contributors, ‘Partnership in Black and White’, a publication of the Methodist Church Home Mission Division, 1977.
Killingray, David and Edwards, Joel, Black Voices: The Shaping of our Christian Experience, Nottingham: Inter-Varsity Press, 2007.
Olofinjana, Israel, Turning the Tables: Stories of Christians from the Global South in the UK, Watford, Instant Apostle, 2013.
Olofinjana, Israel (2015) Partnership in Mission: A Black Majority Perspective on Mission and Church Unity, London, Instant Apostle.
Sturge, Mark, Look What the Lord has Done: An Exploration of Black Christian Faith in Britain, Milton Keynes: Scripture Union, 2005.
Trotman, Arlington (1992) ‘Black, Black-led or What?’ in Joel Edwards, Let’s Praise Him Again: An African-Caribbean Perspective on Worship, Eastbourne: Kingsway Publications Ltd.
This week, I had the priviledge of visiting Liverpool Lighthouse for the second time to see the amazing work that they do in the community. The first time I visited was before the pandemic when the church hosted one of the Lausanne global consultations on diaspora missiology in 2019. The people behind this community initiative is Dr Tani Omideyi and his wife Dr Modupe Omideyi who are both Nigerians who migrated to the city in the 1970s. Amongst several other community initiatives that they lead is an intercultural church called Temple of Praise church, Love and Joy ministries, a community park called Bright Park and of recent a gospel festival which will take place on the 9th of September 2023! Liverpool Lighthouse is in Anfield which is not far away from Toxteth where another Nigerian by the name of Daniels George Ekarte led a community church from around 1931-1964. Therefore, in this article I want to look at the city transformation initiatives of both Daniels Ekarte and Dr Tani Omideyi as an example of public leadership.
Daniels George Ekarte
Daniels Ekarté born in Calabar Nigeria became a seaman and migrated to Liverpool around 1915. Not long after arriving he started African Churches Mission (ACM hereafter) in Toxteth, Liverpool in 1931. Liverpool’s prosperity in the mid-nineteenth century depended largely on the slave economy. The Black population increased during and after the First World War in places such as Liverpool, Bristol and London. The impacts of the war in Liverpool were the increase in unemployment and poor living conditions. This was also coupled with racial discrimination that was prevalent at the time. For example, inter-marriages between black men and white women were a major tension in Liverpool and the children of such marriages were termed ‘half-caste’ children (today known as mixed-race or of dual heritage) and were rejected by many people in the society. These children were actually labelled as ‘mongrels’[1]. This was the socio-economic milieu into which ACM was born[2].
Ekarté began to organise services in the slums, private rooms and open-air fields for the black and Asian people in Liverpool and through anonymous donations and with help from the Foreign Missions Committee of the Church of Scotland he later rented a two knocked-together houses on 122-124 Hill Street Toxteth, Liverpool. Ekarte’s church became a community centre for black, Asians and poor white people in the community. He also visited people in prisons, hospitals and gave free meals to the poor. In addition, the church had a Mothers Union, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Brownies, musical activities and free meals for the poor.[3] Ekarté also started a music school and because many black children were not getting into secondary education or technical schools he also started secondary classes. He became a voice for the oppressed and marginalised in society by defending them in his sermons and publicly speaking against racial injustice. Ekarte also believed and fought for racial equality. For example, he campaigned for equal payment for black seamen because their white counterparts were receiving higher wages. This brought him in direct opposition with the local authorities which had negative effects on the ACM.
Post-Second World War brought about the birth of so called half-caste children resulting from the union between African American soldiers and English women. These children were rejected by the society therefore, Ekarté decided to transform the ACM into an orphanage home to cater for these children and a rehabilitation centre for some of the disillusioned and ostracised mothers. He achieved this, but later this urban community project was ordered to close in 1949 and the children transferred to the city’s children home. Ekarté was barred from any further contact with the children. The local authorities did this partly because they could not tolerate an African campaigning for racial equality and openly rebuking the British government for plundering the resources of Africa through colonialism. In addition, the National Health Service (NHS) started in 1948 meaning new infrastructures were being set up as social changes occur in society. Lastly is that ACM also suffered from financial constraints. After this event the life of the Mission continued but it struggled to survive. Finally, in 1964 the local authorities demolished the building housing the Mission. The blow of the Mission closing was too much for Ekarté and not long after he died in 1964. Ekarté was and remained a hero in the sight of Africans and other marginalised people for advocating on their behalf in Liverpool but was also a controversial figure in the eyes of others.
Dr Tani Omideyi
Dr Omideyi was born in Ibadan Nigeria to a family of five. The family were a committed Anglican family with strong faith and love for music. The combination of a strong faith in God and music has been a defining characteristics of all the projects that Dr Omideyi is involved in. He migrated to Britain in 1974 to study Chemical Engineering at the University of Aston in Birmingham. After Dr Omideyi and his wife had been involved with an Elim Pentecostal church in Runcorn, they felt God calling them to start a ministry in Liverpool they both obeyed and started evangelising on the streets. They later found favour with a church that allowed them to rent their building for use. I found it very striking that the context of ministry for the Omideyi’s at this time was very similar to the urban challenges that Ekarte faced before. The Omideyi’s described Toxteth as follows:
The evidence of decay, decline and depopulation could be seen clearly in the boarded-up houses, large stretches of waste ground covered with rubble and fly-tipped rubbish, broken pavements strewn with litter – there was litter everywhere – and dg excrement. We were not yet acquainted with Liverpool’s particular political and socio-economic problems, but we could see that the Granby area was effectively a black ghetto – virtually everyone, whether resident, trader or customer, was black.[4]
The Omideyis had a vision not just for a church but for a church that could transform lives and the city they now find themselves living in. Around the 1990s the church moved to Anfield area purchasing an old Presbyterian church and from here later an old cinema building which is now the building that house the Liverpool Lighthouse including different community initiatives and the church, Temple of Praise. There are several community projects such as a school – Harmonize Academy, a community Park – Bright Park and Love and Joy ministries that the Omideyis have pioneered but I will highlight three of them. They are, the Temple of Praise church, Bright Park and the Gospel Festival.
Temple of Praise: An Intercultural church
There are so many multicultural churches all across the UK as a result of our multicultural multi-ethnic society, but fewer intercultural churches that is counter-cultural to that society. Multicultural churches of different types therefore exist in Britain ranging from segregational inclusivity that creates a diverse context where different ethnicities co-exist but not meaningfully, to performative inclusivity that focuses on ethnic diversity as a tick box exercise. Temple of Praise church is therefore unique in that they created intentionally an environment that have fostered what could be best described as radical inclusivity that integrates God’s people from different backgrounds, nationalities, class and ethnicities. They have done this through creative evangelism that uses gospel music, dance and drama to reach different people in the city. They have also achieved this through creating a welcoming space for all but going beyond welcoming to belonging and integration. Temple of Praise church therefore serves as an example of how an intercultural church can transform lives and a city.
A Community Park: Bright Park
One of the special initiatives that Love and Joy ministries is involved in is a restoration of a community park called Bright park. I had the opportunity to visit this park yesterday to understand the vision and the impact it is having on the city. Firstly, is the strangeness of having an African pastor who is interested in environmental issues to the extent of getting involved in a green and woodland park. Many African pastors I know are still trying to understand environmental issues let alone taking the initiatives to invest in a green park. Secondly, is that this community park provides so many social amenities for Liverpudlians such as picnics, dog walking, running, sports, community activities and opportunities to volunteer and help with the project. Thirdly, is that this six-acre wooded and green space is also a heritage site as it has historic value dating back to the time of the Vikings as well as having different trees from around the world. Lastly, is that this green space provides wellbeing to people who might suffer from mental health issues because it was a space many find useful for their mental health during the pandemic.
Gospel Festival
Anyone who knows Dr Tani will quickly realise his love for music and how he has used that to bless the community. A further extension of this thinking is developing a vision for a Gospel Festival to create a platform for gospel music in Britain as well as taking gospel music beyond the four walls of the church. This is therefore not a gospel concert or a church’s worship night but a festival that hopes to bring the community together in Liverpool with music, food, art, culture, sports and so on. This is taking place on the 9th of September 2023 and to register to attend follow this link Gospel Festival
[1] Marika Sherwood, Pastor Daniels Ekarte and the Africa Churches Mission (London, the Savannah Press, 1994), p. 24.
[2] Afe Adogame, Afe, “African Christian Communities in Diaspora,” in Ogbu Kalu (eds) African Christianity: An African Story (Trenton, NJ, Africa World Press, 2007), pp. 431-451.
[3]David Killingray and Joel Edwards, Black Voices (England, Inter-Varsity Press, 2007), p. 135.
[4] Dr Modupe Omideyi, Transformed to Transform: A Journey to bring Change to a Community (Liverpool, Love and Joy Ministries, 2017), p. 21.
Often times when people comment about the Black Pentecostal Churches in Britain it is in line with perceptions of their lack of social engagement. The mission of Black Pentecostal churches could therefore be erroneously reduced to evangelism and church planting. This is where the story of Rev Camel Jones, the visionary founder and pioneer of the Pentecostal Credit Union (PCU) is crucial. At a time when Black Pentecostal churches and Christians were struggling to raise social capital and mobility to make ends meet, he founded the Pentecostal Credit Union in 1979 to help black Pentecostal churches and Christians be able to raise capital.
It is therefore sad that he has passed away on the 22nd of July at the age of 85. Tributes and references are already been paid to him. Two articles below have been written about him which sheds more light on his life work, story and legacy. May his soul rest in peace and May God be with his family
I recently had the priviledge of delivering a keynote address at an Intercultural Church Conference held at Life church in Manchester. The title of the talk was Multicultural Britain Intercultural Churches. The conference was organised in partnership with the following organisations: Manchester Centre for the Study of Christianity and Islam (MCSCI), One People Commission of the Evangelical Alliance, Intercultural Churches UK, OMF and Afro-Diaspora Mission Network. The conference was attended by practitioners, pastors, mission leaders and academics drawn from different cultural and ethnic background, church traditions and theological persuasions.
The key question at the heart of the conference was why are intercultural churches significant in 21st century Britain? But perhaps more importantly, a research question I want to explore in this essay in order to answer the first question is what are the differences between a multicultural church and an intercultural church or to put the question another way, what do we mean by intercultural churches and how is it different from multicultural churches? I tried unpacking some of these questions in the keynote talk which you can listen to here
Some of the crucial cultural conversations we are having today centres around the climate crisis, racial justice and reparative justice. But how are these conversations connected or should they be viewed separately?
This journal article written for Church Mission Society (CMS) journal of mission theology Anvil explores the intersection of some of these conversations arguing for a new way of understanding sustainability. The substance of this paper was first of all presented at a conference organised by CMS in Oxford in April 2022. You can view the talk here
I was among an ecumenical inter-faith group that visited Israel/Palestine to understand the context, conflict, struggles and hopes of the people of Israel/Palestine. The beauty of the group, organised by Council for Christians and Jews (CCJ), is that there were different Christians representing various views from different denominations as well as theological viewpoints. We had Church of England, United Reformed Church (URC), Baptist, Quakers and Methodists. The diversity of the group is also reflected in the different Jews among us. There were Reformed, Orthodox, Ultra-Orthodox, progressive and secular Jews. We also had a minority of Muslims in the group.
Disclaimer
The reflections below are not from an expert in Jewish political scene therefore this is a personal reflection based on a 5 days of visit to the Holy Land from someone who loves the land and the people of Israel. My name being Israel is rooted in divine revelation and in covenant relationship with God. As a Christian who is aware of the Jewish roots of our faith and have taken time to study the Old Testament for my first degree, I have always wanted to visit Israel. This tour therefore was a fulfilment of a long held ambition and spiritual journey. However, I was not naïve of the situation in Israel/Palestine, but at the same time did not fully comprehend the complexities involved in its geo-political positioning. My reflections below are under five headings: Ancient Christianity, Identity, Religion, Politics and Hope. These themes sometimes cannot be separated but nevertheless, for the sake of clarity and brevity, I have selected these five headings for my reflections.
Ancient Christianity
As a Christian minister who appreciates the roots of our faith, journeying to Israel/Palestine was a fulfilment for me. This is because of how being in the Holy Land has a way of making one’s faith come alive! The narratives, people, customs, context and geography of the Bible is seen afresh with sacred sites (Church of the Nativity and Church of the Holy Sepulchre), the topography of Israel/Palestine, middle eastern culture, architecture and structure and religious traditions encountered. For example, when the Psalmist says: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem so the Lord surrounds his people now and forevermore” (Psalm 125:2 NIV). This text is elucidated with the topography of Jerusalem as a city built on mountains and hill tops.
But besides encountering this lively world of the Bible, one also encounters Ancient Christianity. To those of us in the West, we are often used to Protestant form of Christianity that we could easily think we are the main players. In Israel/Palestine, we encounter Ancient Christianity such as Catholics, Armenians, Syriac, Greek Orthodox, Coptic and so on. These ancient expressions of Christianity are mediated through different languages such as Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, Arabic and Latin and challenges western Christianity with its dominance of English language, culture and worldview. In a way, one can argue that Ancient Christianity also reflects World Christianity because of its polyphonic expressions through ancient languages. An example is hearing the Lord’s prayer in Aramaic by a member of Syriac Orthodox church! In Israel/Palestine Ancient Christianity is also experienced through incense, mosaics, icons, creeds, traditions and architecture. In essence, all of our senses are engaged in Ancient Christianity. You can smell it with incense and ointments, you can see it with mosaics and icons that illustrates the biblical stories, you can touch it with some of the sacred sites. Israel/Palestine therefore offers us a visceral experience of Ancient Christianity that is different from western Protestantism that is rooted in an Enlightenment rationalistic worldview.
Identity
Are the people of Israel, that is, Jewish Israelis, different from the land of Israel or are they connected? Are the Palestinian people, that is, Palestinian Arabs, different from the land of Palestine or are they different? These two questions and how it is answered and who answers them centres some of the narratives of how identity is understood and construed in this geo-political context of middle east. What is however interesting is that these questions are steeped in history going way back to biblical times. Abraham is regarded and agreed by all three main religions in Israel/Palestine as the father (patriarch) of their faith. To the Jews, Abraham was the wandering father who embodied Jewish identity and ideals. To Christians, it is through his descendant, Jesus that God’s redemption is complete. To Muslims, Ibrahim (Abraham), is the progenitor and ancestor of their faith as the one who establishes the Kaaba in Mecca and the father of Ishmael. This is why these three faiths are called Abrahamic religions because they all can trace their identity, values and history back to him. In the Old Testament (Torah, Nabim and Ketubim), Abraham as a nomad became the leader of a wandering community which later developed to become the people of Israel. God promised him a land which later became the land of Israel. What is interesting about these two pivotal points is that each time God’s people break their covenant relationship with Yahweh, through disobedience, they are punished through exile, displacement and scattering that sees them separated from the land of Israel. Therefore, the idea of returning home to the land became a major theme of the Old Testament (or the original testament!). This idea of one’s identity being rooted in a land is still very strong in Israel/Palestine. Jewish Israelis as well as Palestinian Arabs view their identity through the proximity to the land and therefore any threat to take that away or separate them from the land is strongly opposed and contested. The story of Naboth and his vineyard in 1 Kings 21 elucidate the importance of identity through inheritance which is still felt today. Naboth refuses to sell his vineyard to the King of Israel because the vineyard represents for him is identity through inheritance. This notion of identity through communal land inheritance is one that is foreign to many of us in the Western hemisphere were identity is constructed on an individual bases rooted in capitalistic economies. To a Jewish Israeli or Palestinian Arab, identity is understood through keeping in close proximity to the land of one’s ancestor. This notion of identity is also the reason why there is so much conflict in Israel/Palestine.
Religion
Identity and religion are so interwoven in the context of the middle east that it is very difficult to separate. A western worldview might be able to delineate between identity and religion but not in Israel/Palestine. To be a Jew is to be someone that understands their existence in relation to God and the land promised. Whilst today, there are Jews who would espouse a secular ideology, an average jew in Israel is someone whose worldview and identity is shaped by Judaism, the Jewish religion with the temple mount being of importance. To a Palestinian Muslim their identity is rooted in the Islamic traditions and understanding that the site of Al-Aqsa mosque is significant to the last journeys of the prophet Mohammed. To a Palestinian Christian, the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus in Bethlehem and Jerusalem with the visibility of the sites (Church of the Nativity, Church of Holy Sepulchre) is so crucial to their religious identity. Therefore, Israel/Palestine presents us with two major groups of people Palestinians and Israelis and with three religions that all had their significant sacred sites in the land of Israel/Palestine. These three religions to some extent co-exist well and therefore sets us an example of interfaith dialogue and cooperation. This is more exemplified in the arrangements in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which sees two Muslim families as the custodians of the keys to open and lock the holy site which is shared by Armenian Orthodox, Catholics, Greek Orthodox and more. But nevertheless religion is still a source of tension and sensitivities in the Holy Land.
Politics
To many of us in the UK and the wider western world, it is often easy to define our politics as either right wing, pro-Israel or left wing pro-Palestinian. But what quickly became clear in this tour was that these are not helpful categories and that they actually fuel further tensions. As one of our speakers reiterate, let us be pro-peace! The situation and conflict in Israel/Palestine is seen by many, at least the people we spoke to as political and not religious. Some of the speakers say this to convey the idea that religion is not the source of the conflict in Israel/Palestine because Muslims, Christians and Jews live side by side in shared cities and in occupied territories. Why this is true in several respects and there is something those of us in the UK can learn about the model of inter-faith engagement from Israel/Palestine, nevertheless, because religion and identity is inextricably interwoven in this geo-political context, the identity shaped by religious worldview have political overtones. The religious narrative of a promised land rooted in sacred texts means that people’s identity being rooted in a land ordained by God is something worth contending for, or in other cases defend. Whilst as a Christian I do understand that our faith is different from politics, I also believe that our faith has political overtones and implications but sometimes those overtones if not rooted rightly can be misguided and misplaced becoming source of conflicts and contestations.
Hope
So if identity which is so crucial for any human being, religion which is also absolutely crucial because we are wired as spiritual beings is interlinked to our politics rightly or wrongly, what is the hope for the conflict, suffering and pain that we encounter in Israel/Palestine? As a Christian who believes in hope through the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, I believe there is hope for the situation in Israel/Palestine. This hope comes from encountering stories of hope and peace from Jews who despite the pain, suffering and fragmentation of the past 3000 years of Jewish history are crossing the divide to see the humanity of their Palestinian neighbours. This hope is shaped by Parents who have lost their sons and daughters to war and conflict but yet demonstrating love through mentoring the next generation, shared schools that understands the value of teaching Hebrew and Arabic and its corresponding histories to children, initiatives that are seeking to inspire hope, advocate for political change and listening and learning from each other are all creating grass roots of hope which I believe will trickle and ripple. I have hope because of listening to the traumatic stories of Palestinians Christians who in spite of their sufferings are creating agency to empower their communities, fight injustice with peaceful resistance and engaging in innovative and creative solutions to conserve land, water and energy. There are people of peace on both sides of the debate who are willing to take the risk of daring to cross the divide and understand the humanity of their so-called enemy. Let those of us in the West be pro-peace rather than pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian!
A new book that considers the theme of Discipleship, Suffering and Racial Justice written by Rev Dr Israel Olofinjana, Director of One People Commission, Evangelical Alliance, has just been published by Regnum Studies, Oxford Centre for Mission Studies.
Book Description
This book explores the subject of discipleship and suffering and what we can learn about whole life discipleship and suffering from the experiences and theologies of Majority World contexts. It argues powerfully that suffering is relative (relativity of suffering) and develops this as a discipleship theory needed during the pandemic and post-pandemic. The book therefore examines post-colonial contextual theologies rooted in pain and how they can serve the Church during the pandemic context. It proposes alternative discipleship models that addresses racial justice concerns using the concept of Jubilee as a theological framework. It argues passionately that mission in today’s world must include the concerns of racial justice.
The book explores as an example the suffering context of the pandemic and how the pandemic has affected every area of life. It is argued that this new existential reality is a paradigm shift that demands fresh perspectives and insights on the church’s discipleship model and mission engagement.
The book covers a range of themes that will interest many readers, these include, human identity and racial justice, how to develop an intercultural church or ministry, multi-ethnic Christianity, racial justice and discipleship, climate justice concerns, impact of the pandemic on churches and society, suffering, lament and World Christianity.
What UK Leaders are saying about the book?
Israel’s timely monograph is a powerful and prophetic call to UK churches (and leaders) to embrace the opportunity the COVID 19 season presents, to reassess discipleship beliefs and practices in light of insights Majority World Christianity brings to the gospel imperatives regarding suffering and sacrifice.
Rev Dr Kate Coleman, Founder and co-leader, Next Leadership
‘The coronavirus pandemic has been so challenging to us all. In this important book, Israel challenges, encourages, provokes and inspires us all to think and act differently in the days ahead. The questions at the end of each chapter help the reader to ground what they have read in what they are facing in this season too. This is such a timely contribution to the church.’
Gavin Calver, CEO the Evangelical Alliance
This book is thought- provoking, insightful and addresses some very current, topical issues, as the church seeks to engage in a society that has been impacted in so many different ways by COVID-19.
I have found this writing very challenging; knowing that there are many major issues we must face head on as the church post covid-19 pandemic. We face challenges internally, as we work out the changes required to our services, sermons, discipleship and pastoral care. We also need to reconfigure how, outside of the church, we communicate a message of hope, forgiveness and reconciliation to God.
This book is a must for every church leader and their leadership teams, as we look for answers to questions about suffering, injustice and discipleship. The book raises some fundamental questions which, if we can find and out work the answers, we have the potential to become thriving, local congregations.
Rev Canon Les Isaac OBE, Founder Street Pastors Initiative
In this time of global upheaval, Israel’s gracious and provocative challenge is a catalyst to reimaging discipleship and mission afresh. To grow fruit-bearing, resilient and hope-filled followers of Jesus in today’s world we need ‘whole-church’ wisdom. Israel signposts vital ways through which Majority World theology, wisdom and experience can re-shape our discipleship models, releasing the whole church into ‘whole-life’ discipleship and mission for the glory of God and his purposes in the world.
Tracy Cotterell, Vice Chair of Board, Evangelical Alliance UK
Senior Mission Associate, London Institute of Contemporary Christianity (LICC)
This book proffers an apocalyptic reading of the Covid 19 pandemic—an unveiling of the racial disparities and their entanglement with longstanding social inequalities. But the prognosis is not pessimistic. In the best traditions of the 8th Century prophets, the author engenders hope. He challenges the church to ‘read’ the pandemic as a kairos moment – a timely opportunity to engage in missional interventions which resist injustice.
Dr Robert Beckford – Professor of Climate and Social Justice, University of Winchester.
Many people are struggling as a result of the pandemic and are asking questions about the relevance of their faith at this critical time. This book is a timely and excellent work of Practical Theology and provides critical theological reflection on the professional and ministerial practice of the Church. If you are searching for Bible study materials and resources that explore whole-life discipleship through the prism of racial justice – look no further. This book addresses what discipleship that is rooted in racial justice looks like. I wholeheartedly commend it.
Ram Gidoomal CBE
Chairman, South Asian Concern
The ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic has changed a great deal of how we live and how we worship. Communities of faith have find new ways of understanding who they are and how to stay faithful to what they are called to be. Israel Olofinjana’s book is a great resource in that conversation. It will not only challenge the reader; it will also point the reader in the direction of the answers. If we are going to come out of the pandemic better and stronger, we need to listen to this book.
Dr Harvey Kwiyani, CEO, Global Connections
While much has been written on the theme of discipleship and suffering, very rarely have the issues been addressed in the Western context, from the Majority World theological perspectives, during a pandemic! This book is a must-read for all, whether from the global north or global south.
israelolofinjana 