ANVIL Journal of Theology and Mission Faultlines in Mission: Reflections VOL 36, ISSUE 3 on Race and Colonialism WELCOME TO THIS EDITION OF ANVIL ANVIL: Journal of Theology and Mission Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy VOL 36, ISSUE 3 2 ANVIL: JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY AND MISSION – VOLUME 36: ISSUE 3 THE EDITORIAL While it is premature to assess the legacy of this year in history, we can certainly agree that 2020 has brought to the fore the imperative need to revisit the past, paying particular attention to societal and systemic fractures adversely impacting the lives of many around the globe. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, millions of people took to the streets of our cities demanding radical change, and calling for the toppling of an old order and its symbols of power, objectification and commodification. This issue of Anvil is inspired by a willingness to Harvey Kwiyani’s article offers us a crystal-clear view of offer an introspective response to this global wave how white privilege and white supremacy have provided of protest calling for racial justice and asking with the buttresses for empire and have made mission in insistence whether black lives do indeed matter in our their own image. To illustrate this, he movingly weaves societies and institutions. It felt imperative to ask the his own story from his childhood in Malawi to living in question of Church Mission Society and its particular George Floyd’s city of Minneapolis to now forming part contribution to the subject both in its distant and more of the tiny minority of black and brown people who contemporary history. While this is not set out as an lecture in theology in the UK. His article challenges assessment of CMS’s record on questions of systemic white people’s ability to experience such little racism and the legacy of imperialism, this issue aims to discomfort at empire, mission history, the slave trade examine potential fault lines in Christian mission, with and the current context for mission. a particular attention to the legacy of empire in our My own reflection entitledHope reimagined: making formulation of missional practices and strategies. the world that ought to be, is an invitation to lift our At the invitation of Cathy Ross and James Butler, both gaze beyond a vision of personhood essentially defined from CMS, Dr Harvey Kwiyani, Rev Shemil Matthew, and I in self-reflective and polarised moods. My reflection agreed to co-edit this issue of Anvil. From the outset, we draws from the concept of afrofuturism whose wanted this volume to offer a more personal approach, aspiration is an attempt to release the imagination and provide a more reflective and introspective tone. in order to sublimate the impossible, to reimagine At the heart of this edition is a commitment to pose a different world, a better world. This reimagining is a number of critical questions examining the tension inexorably turned towards the future, a future in which between imperialist/colonialist ideals and Christian what was alienated is sublimated. My hope is to rethink ideals of redemptive justice and liberative narratives. mission at the intersection between eschatology and Through the various contributions, we hope to outline immanence. I explore how the murder of George Floyd possible avenues towards a critical missional framework offers a critical vantage point from which to rethink and that offers a solid pathway towards a future in which redefine mission in ways that lead towards transformed racial justice and reconciliation are an achievable reality. structures and restored relationships. We have invited contributions from a variety of voices Bishop Emmanuel Egbunu provides a clear overview of to help us address the theme of Faultlines in Mission: the shameful humiliation of Bishop Ajayi Crowther by Reflections on Race and Colonialism. These consist of European colleagues and the far reaching impact this longer essays, personal reflections, interviews, poetry has had. It makes for sobering and painful reading; as and book reviews. Each contribution seeks to speak late as 1960, an Anglican church in Nigeria still did not with the authority of personal experience. want to come under the episcopal authority of a black CHURCHMISSIONSOCIETY.ORG/ANVIL – FAULTLINES IN MISSION: REFLECTIONS ON RACE AND COLONIALISM 3 bishop. This was only finally rectified by the Nigerian committed to repentant and restorative work. military government in 1991. In 2014 at the 150th When the Poisonous Tree Attempts to Produce an anniversary of Bishop Crowther’s consecration, the Antidote: colonialism, colonial CMS missions and Archbishop of Canterbury challenged those present to the caste system in Kerala, is a stimulating reflection consider whom they excluded because of race in their on the challenge of a missional organisation caught desire for power. These injustices from the past visit and at the intersection between colonialism and the caste profoundly affect subsequent generations. system. In this essay, Rev Shemil Matthew speaks with In his article titled Colonialism, Missions and the the integrity of one who considers himself an insider to Imagination: Illustrations from Uganda, Angus multiple contexts. He starts by offering an informative Crichton offers a critical overview of the legacy of CMS’s depiction of the socio-religious nature of the Varna mission with a particular focus on Ugandan experience. system and goes on to show how it was distorted at the He examines the conflicted and often contradictory contact of western colonial ideals in engendering what intersection between European colonialism and Christian is known as the caste system that has come to shape mission, and the emergence identity questions in India of a church movement “What drives us is a to this day. Shemil reflects negotiating the tension further on how unfiltered between assimilation and willingness to engage western philosophical indigenisation. Angus gives in meaningful and assumptions, preoccupied a compelling overview of a with categorisation movement caught between continuing conversations and classification, allegiance to and collusion with permeated the western the colonial venture on the about what we believe is missionary movement one hand, and an often-timid a fundamental Christian and facilitated its critique of the paternalistic collusion with a model of approach on the other hand. He ideal – racial justice… Our Christianity that excluded also highlights the tension that prayer is that as we raise and marginalised, and emerged from CMS’s failure ultimately struggled of imagination in recognising questions and engage to foster the effective and releasing indigenous with these contributions, social change it sought leadership and in fostering to promote. Shemil has local agency. Angus reminds us they will stimulate our own invited his PhD supervisor, that despite this, an African- reflection, and encourage Rev Dr Anderson Jeremiah initiated missional movement who specialises in Dalit flourished. In his reassessment us to remain active agents theology, to give a short of CMS’s heritage and legacy, for racial justice and response to his article, Angus insists that there are which provides a further lessons to be learned. He reconciliation.” layer of insight. invites us to rethink the future In his essay, Home is of our missional engagement as one that is framed Where the Heart is – a story about race and post- in repentance and reassessment of action. One that colonialism, Gilberto Da Silva Afonso reminds us that reflects mutuality in mission, and acknowledges the shift there is no theology that is not at its heart biography. southward of Christianity’s centre of gravity. From his native Angola, to inner city London, to the In a compelling theological exposé, Rev Dr Sharon soulful tunes of Marvin Gaye, Miriam Makeba, and Prentis invites us to revisit the biblical concept of Michael Kiwanuka, and through the complex historical lament as a blueprint towards a life framed in mutuality and socio-political landscape of his heritage, Gilberto and solidarity in love. As she highlights the inescapable illustrates both the tension and opportunity of reality of sin, personal and corporate, and its propensity hybridised identity. As he relates his quest for identity towards categorisation, fracture and segregation, and belonging, he denounces the debilitating forces of Sharon reminds us that Christ’s mandate for the church assimilation and othering. Helpfully, Gilberto’s honest is framed in interdependence and calls for the building and generous account invites all to reconsider paradox of the beloved community. Such a community, she and nuance as fundamental ingredients towards a argues, is only possible through a shared commitment healthy missional engagement for the future. For him, to engage with lament as poetic protest that names and mission needs to migrate from objectification and articulates the reality of what frustrates reconciliation. commodification of black bodies to full integration and As such, lament births hope of a resolution not solely participation of those historically marginalised and concerned with cosmetic changes, but painstakingly minoritised. 4 ANVIL: JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY AND MISSION – VOLUME 36: ISSUE 3 Pastor Dupe Adefala recounts the experience long shadow on her piece. She takes us through an of planting a church in the UK, the challenges of exploration of the expression of racism in the Church’s minoritised living, the painful reminder of racial fault mission and ministry through various interpretative lines in British society and everyday experiences of lenses. Awais reminds us of the lasting and pernicious racism in her interview with James Butler. Together, legacy of the pseudo-scientific race theory on the they reflect on practical challenges for Christians Church’s theology and practice, imbuing its iconography and for CMS as they attempt to respond to the issue with racist ideals. She then reflects on the enduring of racial injustice. The interview concludes with an influence of cultural imperialism and colonialism and its encouragement to continue the conversation and hold predilection for the language of mastery on Pakistani it with a redemptive focus.