Easter 2014

Christian Comment for 19th April 2014 

 

The year 2014 already carries a heavy weight of international political crises. Syria is a long standing conflict with over one million displaced refugees. The Ukraine is the latest conflict; elsewhere, conflicts in Africa, Egypt, and Thailand grow.

Some Kiwis believe that this is none of our business – and change TV channels. In New Zealand the divorce of religion and politics has been encouraged – by political leaders and by some elements in the churches. This cannot and should not be done!

 

Christians, Jews, and Moslems, have holy books, and historic insistence, not to ignore politics. In our Old Testament prophets read the signs of world events to better guide their people. To name just two: the prophet Isaiah witnessed the Assyrian Empire overrunning the Middle East; the prophet Jeremiah witnessed t he rise of Babylon – and its fall.

 

As for Jesus -- his ministry was conducted in a Roman occupied country. He was exposed to collaborative High Priests and to rebellious Zealots, and His (Jesus’) apparent threat of being the spokesman for another allegiance “The Kingdom of God”, led to His execution by the Roman governor.

Jesus was very concerned about national and international crises.

 

And what about St Paul? He tried to counter Roman persecution of the infant Church in his letters. He, too, died for trying to oppose the worst aspects of international thought – control.

The dark side of Church history is that sometimes the Church opted for alliances with the “powers that be”.

Christians have always been in the middle of power struggles. Let us not put our heads in the sand. We must confront our current crises by being the praying force behind those who seek to solve them.

In this time of Easter let us follow the Risen Christ on the road to human unity.

 

 

The Rev'd Petra Barber
Vicar of the Gisborne - Te Hapara Anglican Parish
Vicarage at:
9 Joanne Street, Lytton West,
Gisborne 4010, NZ