www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Rwanda, peace and poverty

Being tired of whining about politics as if it alone had answers concerning justice, peace, and abundance I propose we look at the Rwandan situation and see if Christians have some insight in what might be done there.

Here's an article I picked out of Christianity Today on line edition to begin our discussion. Whether Rick Warren is right or wrong, complete or incomplete, at least his actions focus our attention upon a country and a continent mostly ignored not only by Western nations but by the Christian Church.

Here's a starting point. How might we help make life more tolerable and Godly in this country that has suffered so much?

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/002/21.88.html

CDL

Dear Dan:

I am a little bit surprised that Mr. and Mrs. Warren thinks the "Church" has not been involved in the Rwandan crisis.

More than 50% of the 8.5 million Rwandans are Roman Catholic and about 30% are Protestant.

The Catholics were ahead in Rwanda, courtesy of the "White Fathers" (or Missionaries of Africa) and Belgium, which granted independence in 1959.

It's difficult to get "involved" in a civil war, though. The Church has to remain neutral as it does to this day.

However, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been in Rwanda since 1963 and has contributed much to the amelioration and welfare of the people. This is CRS/ Rwanda [crs.org] and an evaluation of their Devlopment Assistance Program [pdf.dec.org] .

Unless, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Warren say that the Catholic Church is not a "Church?"

Amado

Amado,

Yes, I picked up on that. I think he's struggling with the fact that even with our presence there it hasn't had as large an impact economically as one might have expected. I wonder about that as well.

CDL

I think it is not the function of the Church to have a large impact economically in a given country. That is the function of the State and its government.

The Church is limited to filling the gaps as when the civil war in Rwanda left no credible government to minister to the needs of the hungry Rwandans. That's where Catholic Relief Services comes in, even with its meager resources. The services are "in relief," i.e., temporary and short-term or, at best, semi-permanent.

Developmental economics is under the purview of governments, sometimes with the help of the United Nations. The Church contributes but it should not be expected of her to supplant the State and its government nor the United Nations.

Thus, the U.S. and some nations have poured about 9 billion into Rwanda but the results are dismal. Puny compared to the aid Western governments have given to Rwanda, CRS implemented its program(s) without reservations.

Mr. Warren seems to fail to distinguish the respective functions of the Church and those of the State and government of Rwanda.

Amado

Amado,

Yet, Christian influence has had positive economic effect in some places. Why not in much of Africa?

CDL