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During the 1990s long-simmering tensions between ethnic and national
groups have broken into open conflict in many parts of the world.
The
ministry
of
reconciliation
All too often, mutual mistrust and suspicion -- growing out of poisoned
historical memories, economic injustice and uncertainty, ignorance and
stereotypes of the other -- take violent expression. Massive human
suffering results, sowing the seeds for more generations of hatred and
alienation.
Sadly,
religious loyalties, instead of serving as a resource for peaceful
resolution of such conflicts, are often used as rallying points to
inflame them. When the religious convictions of one or more parties to
a conflict are identified as Christian, the situation becomes
particularly painful for the churches.
That
was the case in two of the great tragedies of the 1990s: the civil war
in the former Yugoslavia, and the genocide in Rwanda, the African
country with the highest percentage of Christians.
Conflicts
like these present a challenge to the World Council of Churches, with
its worldwide membership and its deep commitment to the promotion of
one human family in justice and peace. How can the WCC aid the churches
in undertaking a ministry of reconciliation?
The call to and costs of such a ministry were emphasized by the Canberra assembly in 1991:
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God and humankind are reconciled by the costly sacrifice we see in
the cross of Christ. Our appropriation of reconciliation and our
acceptance of the ministry of reconciliation are also costly. Through our acceptance of the ministry of reconciliation, we become a missionary people,
sharing God's own mission of bringing all humanity into communion with
God through Christ in the power of the Spirit, sharing our faith and
our resources with all people.
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