This latest newsletter from CIHA Blog partner, the Ujamaa Centre, summarizes the 2017 Wittenberg Memorial Lecture by Rev. Dr. Andrew Warmback and other recent Centre events run at the end of 2017 including Contextual Bible Study (CBS) at Mpophomeni Township. Ujamaa Centre have frequently written about the CBS method for The CIHA Blog, notably in this piece by Professor Gerald West and the last Ujamaa Centre newsletter in September.
Recounting their CBS training in the Township, Ujamaa Centre highlighted a local clergyman’s words who noted that the Church cannot stand idly when people are suffering. … and insist[ed] that the Church must restore human dignity, emphasizing unity and love. The clergyman also declared that human rights in relation to politics should be the Church’s business. Looking at Pope John Paul II as an example, workshop participants came to the realization that the Church and politics can be compatible, and noted that as clergy leaders, they themselves cannot stand idly anymore simply because they’re “church people” but that they have to be active in dealing with social concerns. At CIHA Blog, we keenly follow stories where local religious leaders “stand up to power” in different ways. We applaud Ujamaa Centre on their good work and look forward to continuing to collaborate in 2018 and beyond.
Find the downloadable newsletter here: 20171218 Ujamaa December Newsletter