These and much more were the challenging questions Fr. Peter Henriot, SJ tried to answer in a talk he gave at the Jesuit’s Hekima College-Nairobi on saturday October 25 on which occasion he also launched Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator’s book “Theology brewed in an African pot”.
According to Fr. Henriot, Director of the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection in Lusaka-Zambia and a renowned political scientist and expert in development issues and social justice, religion is a hindrance to development if one narrows it to mere religious manifestations. “Some negative points present in religious manifestations as experienced in Africa today hence a hindrance to development is a proof to this” he said.
a) Some religious manifestation in institutions and practices is indeed divisive in communities and therefore a real hindrance to the commitment and cooperation necessary to improve lives in those communities.
b) A religious manifestation is characterized by an “other-worldliness” of some churches. Since “we have here no lasting city,” why bother with improving things around us? Alleluias in churches are more the duty of Christians than analysis of budgets relating to health and education, for example.
c) At the other end of the spectrum is a religious manifestation found in the so-called “prosperity churches.” A religious message that equates wealth with holiness and poverty with sinfulness is certainly not conducive to commitment to the hard work necessary for integral development.
d) Still one more religious manifestation is a “cultural” one that identifies true religion for Africa with the message and mode brought by outsiders to Africa. To be a good Christian one must be a good European – if not in skin colour at least in thought pattern, song style, and moral convention.
e) A religious manifestation that is rigidly “un-modern, non-modern, or anti-modern” looks with suspicion upon the socio-economic and political improvements associated with development.
What then is a real religion? Fr. Henriot is convinced though, that a more positive view of religion is found in the religious manifestation called the Church’s Social Teaching (CST). This is the authentic religious manifestation that can be – indeed is – a powerful positive influence, a help, for development in Africa.
“Real religion is a real help to real development if you incorporate the riches of CST which is supported by the five pillars: Human dignity and Human rights; Community, solidarity, duties; special concern for the poor; respect for the environment and justice beyond charity”, he affirmed.
Real development he said is much more than economic growth. It is, in the words of Paul VI’s Encyclical letter Progress of Peoples (1967), “the movement from less human conditions to fuller human conditions. He posts some positive issues illustrative of the contribution of CST to real religion and real development:
1. The role of human rights: It is clearly a religious manifestation emphasizing the dignity of every human person created in the image and likeness of God. Real religion is the one that helps real development pay attention to this integral understanding and practice of human rights.
2. The place of women: Religion in its many manifestations in Africa and elsewhere has not always had a good track record on promoting the gender equity so essential to real development instead, it has kept women in second place. And that, for sure, has kept integral development in second place! When 51% of the human family is not recognized as fully human, it is difficult if not impossible to say that development is taking place. What can real religion contribute to dealing with this challenge? The pursuit of gender equality, equity and dignity in all spheres of life will enhance not only real religion but also real development.
3. Good governance: When a church document can speak of the need for “holy politicians” (Church in Africa, 1995), we know we are seeing a religious manifestation that values the political order and the good it can promote. Real religion teaches the sacredness of the now. Governance, or the activity guiding political life institutionally in public, private, and civil organizations, is a manifestation of human agency’s role. When that role promotes the CST values of common good, solidarity and subsidiarity, then real religion is indeed helpful for real development.
4. Action for Peace and Integrity of Creation: In Pope John Paul II’s message entitled “Peace with God the Creator, Peace with All of Creation” (1991), he links our concern of facing the growing global ecological crisis with the constant threat of conflict fueled both by political greed and an untamed arms race in both large and small weaponry. And so we have an expression of real religion demonstrating an explicit ecological concern as well as promoting conflict prevention and reconciliation. The current Pope, Benedict XVI, has been referred to as the “Green Pope” because of his very frequent reference to ecological justice. His much-anticipated social encyclical, soon to be released, will surely link both ecological justice and global peace. And it will be yet another demonstration of the help provided by real religion in the quest for real development.
