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Religion and Oppression: the Misuse of Religion for Social, Political, and Economic Subjugation

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Religion and Oppression: the Misuse of Religion for Social, Political, and Economic Subjugation Religion and oppression: the misuse of religion for social, political, and economic subjugation http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.cnf19890801.026.009.726 Use of the Aluka digital library is subject to Aluka’s Terms and Conditions, available at http://www.aluka.org/page/about/termsConditions.jsp. By using Aluka, you agree that you have read and will abide by the Terms and Conditions. Among other things, the Terms and Conditions provide that the content in the Aluka digital library is only for personal, non-commercial use by authorized users of Aluka in connection with research, scholarship, and education. The content in the Aluka digital library is subject to copyright, with the exception of certain governmental works and very old materials that may be in the public domain under applicable law. Permission must be sought from Aluka and/or the applicable copyright holder in connection with any duplication or distribution of these materials where required by applicable law. Aluka is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to creating and preserving a digital archive of materials about and from the developing world. For more information about Aluka, please see http://www.aluka.org Religion and oppression: the misuse of religion for social, political, and economic subjugation Date 1989-08-01 Resource type Reports Language English Subject Coverage (spatial) South Africa, Zimbabwe Source Digital Imaging South Africa (DISA) Rights With thanks to Gail M. Gerhart. Description This is the procedings for the Symposium for General Secretories of National Christian Councils and Church Leaders from Eastern and Southern Africa,which took place in Edisesa, Harare, in 1-3 August 1989. The theme of the conference was religion and oppression. It discusses the misuse of religion for social, political and economic subjugation. Format extent 138 pages (length/size) http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.cnf19890801.026.009.726 http://www.aluka.org J1 -voil -I J1 -voil -I ECUMENICAL DOCUMENTATION AND INFORMATION CENTRE FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA EDICESA PROGRAMME RELIGION AND OPPRESSION The Misuse of Religion for Social, Political and Economic Subjugation SYMPOSIUM FOR GENERAL SECRETARIES OF NATIONAL CHRISTIAN COUNCILS AND CHURCH LEADERS FROM EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA DATE: 1 - 3 August 1989 HARARE VENUE: EDICESA, EDICESA P.O.BOX H94 HATFIELD HARARE ZIMBABWE TEL: 50311 TLX: 26206 Table of Contents SECTION 1 Table of Contents 1 Programme 3 List of Participants 9 Right Wing Religion - What do We Mean? 12 A Plan of Action 14 Summary of Proceedings 17 SECTION II Conference Papers Opening Address Bishnop Siyachtema 20 President. ZimbabweCouncil ofChurchesTradition of Religious Support for Ruling Class Interests Ch.artes 1, dLa-l "icencio 25 Universi-y cf Capc Town Input frvm the Pegion Plenar Discussion 35 Theology in Support of Ideology Paul Giffor4 41 Universia of Leeds An Ideoio-ical Profile Moss Ntlha Concerned Evangelicals, Johannesburg Militarism and Religion - A Global Connection 61 Including: Interview with Ian Grey 74 Steve Askin Jofwnalist Right Wing Religion and International Links Ove uitafsson. 83 University of Ilppsala Right Wig -Religion and the Media Lawrence Jones 101 Frontier Internship in Missions Right Wing Religious Attack on the Churches A Case Study of the Gospel Defence League 1 Roger Arendse 120 University of Cape Town Where we have Failed as Churches Panel: Dr. Ma:unda, Dr. Isaak, Rev. Lumbama, Rev. Mugweru 134 SECTION III Appendices Books and Publications 137 The Road to Damascus 140 To carry out its pastoral work and to engage in meaningful theological reflection on the life situation of our people, and to faithfully proclaim the gospel's message of liberation, the church needs to fully understand the real conditions of their lives. Undeistanding right wing religious organisations which seek influence in southern Africa will help us accomplish all these missions more effectively. Right wing religious ideologies must be studied and analysed. Questions must be asked about the reasons that right wing groups place some church leaders and theologians under attack, and the methods they use to do so. We need to understand why tlse groups have sometimes been able to obtain a following even among the poor and oppressed themselves. Finally, we need to understand precisely what causes and ideologies these groups serve, and the manner in which political forces, organisations or governments fund and support them. Studies of right'wing religious groups have been done in many parts of the world, and more are now underway. In Africa, however, such research is only now beginning. An Africa-based conference on right wing religion will make an important contribution to the process. It must look at political misuse of religion both within the established churches and through alternative right wing groups. The time has come for work to begin. The objectives of a conference on this subject will be: 1. To share existing information on the misuse of religion for social, political and economic subjugation. 2. To integrate existing information into a form where it can be effectivy used by those who need it. 3:T o identify areas for additional research and develop plans for co-operation in conducting that research. 4. To share information on this problem with church leader and other concerned parties. 5. To initiate a dialogue among all. Concerned toward developing strategies and guidelines for combatting the misuse of religion to subjugate the people of our region. CO-ORDINATOR: HARTWIG LIEBICH FIRST DAY: WHAT IS RIGHT WING RELIGION 8.30- 9.00 DEVOTIONS BISHOP SIYACHITEMA, PRESIDENT, ZIMBABWE COUNCIL OF CHURCHES 0.00- 9.30 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION 9.30- 10.30 TRADITION OF RELIGIOUS SUPPORT FOR RULING CLASS INTERESTS PROF. CHARLES VILLA-VICENCIO UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN TEA INPUT FROM THE REGION PLENARY DISCUSSION LUNCH THEOLOGY IN SUPPORT OF IDEOLOGY PAUL GIFFORD, University of Leeds AN IDEOLOGICAL PROFILE MOSS NTLHA, Concerned Evangelicals TEA GROUP WORK: PROFILE OF RIGHT WING RELIGION REPORT BACK: FIVE ASPECTS FROM EACH GROUP TO BUILD THE PROFILE OF RIGHT WING RELIGION DINNER AUDIO VISUAL EXAMPLES OF RIGHT WING RELIGION: THY WILL BE DONE; THY KINGDOM COME 10.30- 11.00 11.00- 12.30 12.30- 14.30 14.30- 16.00 16.00- 16.30 16.30- 17.30 17.30-18.00 18.30 - 20.00 20.00- 21.00 SECOND DAY: WHAT IS WRONG WITH RIGHT WING RELIGION DEVOTIONS REV. CHIRISA, PRESIDENT. METHODIST CHURCH OF ZIMBABWE MILITARISM AND RELIGION - A GLOBAL CONNECTION STEVE ASKIN, Journalist RIGHT WING RELIGION AND INTERNATIONAL LINKS A CASE STUDY OVE GUSTAFSSON, University of Uppsala LUNCH EXPOSURE TO HARARE DINNER RIGHT WING RELIGION AND THE MEDIA LAWRENCE JONES, Frontier Internship in Missions 8.30- 9.00 9.00- 10.36 10.30- 11.00 TEA 11.00- 12.30 12.30- 14.30 14.30- 18.30 18.30 - 20.00 20.00 -21.30 RELIGION AND OPPRESSION EDICESA SYMPOSIUM 1 - 3 AUGUST 1989 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Angola Rev Augusta Chipesse Rev Ntoni-Nzmga Rev Jose Quipungo Rev ANaro Rodrigues Botswana Rev Scilo E Magashula Rev Joseph Matsheng Bishop Philip J Robinson Kenya Mugweru Rev J Lesotho key E N Gugushe Mr kaaoluielam Taoie Malawi Rev Major M Jiinu Rev Dr Mazunda Mozambique Rev Fernando Mosises Magaia THIRD DAY: HOW DO WE RESPOND DEVOTIONS BISHOP MUTUME, GENERAL SECRETARY, IMBISA AND ZCBC RIGHT WING RELIGIOUS ATTACK ON THE CHURCHES: A CASE STUDY ROGER ARENDSE University of Cape Town TEA PANEL: WHERE WE HAVE FAILED AS CHURCHES LUNCH GROUP WORK: DEVELOPING A PLAN OF ACTION TEA PLENARY: A PLAN OF ACTION RECEPTION 8.30- 9.00 9.00.10.30 10.30-11.00 11.00-12.30 12.30-14.30 14.30- 16.00 16.00- 16.30 16.30-18.00 THIRD DAY: HOW DO WE RESPOND DEVOTIONS BISHOP MUTUME, GENERAL SECRETARY, IMBISA AND ZCBC RIGHT WING RELIGIOUS ATTACK ON THE CHURCHES: A CASE STUDY ROGER ARENDSE University of Cape Town TEA PANEL: WHERE WE HAVE FAILED AS CHURCHES .LUNCH GROUP WORK: DEVELOPING A PLAN OF ACTION TEA PLENARY: A PLAN OF ACTION RECEPTION 8.30- 9.00 9.00- 10.30 10.30- 11.00 11.00- 12.30 1.30-14.30 14.30- 16.00 16.00-16.30 16.30- 1.00 Namibia Rev Ralph Fabrik Dr Paul J Isaak Rev Vaikko Munyika Ms Rosalinda Namises Father Bernhard Nordkamp South Africa Roger Arendse- '. -,: Rev Alex Bhiman- Dr James Cochrane Rev Fumie Gqiba Rev Dr Wolfram Kistner Mbulelo Eric Linda - s' Rev S Luckett Sakumzi Macozoma Rev Harris Sitembile Maj*k Shirley Moulder - J,- Archbishop Harry Ndumis Ngada - C Phumuzile Ngcuka MosesNdha'C- . e.III-... Brother Jude Pieterse Miranda Vilakazi Prof Charles Villa-Viaio Haraid Winkler, Swaziland Rev S E Mkhontwa Rev M Shongwe Tanzania Rev Ben Mlwa Zambia Major Thomas Kagoro Ms Lucie Kasanga Rev Elijah K Lumbam MXICMA OBJECTIVES OF THE SYMPOSIUM One of the critical problems facing churches in southern and eastern Africa is the misuse of Christian language, Christian symbols and some Christian church structures to support political, economic and social subjugation of communities and entire nations. This misuse of religion to defend oppression and exploitation of the poor by the rich and of Third World countries by First. World countries is an old phenomenon, but one which has become particularly acute in our region. A theology which draws on the redemptive tradition of the gospel and favours the cause of the poor Mid. the oppressed is gaining ground among the vast majority of our region's people, especialy in the context of the struggle for democracy and liberation in South Africa and Namibia. At the same time, vast efforts are being made and vast amounts of money are being spent - oftei by foreign organisations with no genuine roots in the churches or in our region - to convince Christims that their faith requires accepmncb of injustice.
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