“Avoid division among Christians”
By Damian Avevor and Angela Ofosu Boateng
Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, Bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi has expressed dissatisfaction on what he termed as the ugliness of division and sometimes unhealthy competition in the Ghanaian community.
Bishop Kwofie said this in a Sermon at a joint Ecumenical Service between the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Heads of Member Churches of the Christian Council of Ghana at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church at Osu in Accra.
It was under the theme Jesus said To Her: Give me a Drink (John 4:7). He also expressed concern about “some of the Christian programmes run by some of our Radio Stations continue to expose the many ways, and sometimes quite unorthodox, that some so-called Christian Pastors are using Christian religion”. The Ecumenical Service was the concluding part of an Annual Joint Meeting between the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Heads of Churches of the Christian Council.
They meet once a year in May to deliberate on issues to foster unity and ecumenism as well as address issues of national and international concern. In all, 15 Catholic Bishops attended the Ecumenical Service. They included Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, President of the GCBC and Bishop of Konongo-Mampong; Most Revs. Charles Palmer-Buckle, Philip Naameh, Matthias Nketsiah, Gabriel Justice Anokye and Thomas Kwaku Mensah, Archbishops of Accra, Tamale, Cape Coast and Kumasi respectively.
Also present were Catholic Priests including Very Rev. Fr. Nicholas Afriyie, Secretary General of the National Catholic Secretariat and his Assistant, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Abbey-Quaye; Very Rev. Fr. Marciano Ziem Kogh, Executive Secretary of the Department of Pastoral Ministry at the NCS.
Among the leaders of the CCG were Rev. Andy Odonkor, District Minister, Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Osu; Rev. Anthony Mensah of the AME Zion Church, Rev. William Quaye, Clerk of the Ga Presbytery; Rev. Daniel Gbande, Evangelical Lutheran Church; Rt. Rev. Dr. Seth Agidi, Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana.
The rest were Rev. Frs. Robert Nyann and Benjamin Laryea of the Anglican Diocese of Accra; Pastor Enoch Hope Sofe, Christ Evangelical Mission, Accra; Rev. Enoch Thompson, Ghana Baptist Convention, Lt. Col. Samuel Oklah and Lt. Col. James Oduro, Salvation Army.
Bishop Kwofie noted that unfortunately some Pastors continued to advertise themselves and even make claims as if they were more powerful than Jesus Himself as they preach themselves. He said “our sense of responsibility is heightened in our togetherness as we realize that as Pastors and Priests, we are the leaders of, at least, 70% of our national po5pulation supposed to be Christian.
He said the Christian faithful looked up to us (Pastors) for direction, spiritual needs and many existential questions, praying that the God of endurance and encouragement would help them (Pastors) to live in harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, “that together we may with one voice glorify the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Dilating on the theme, the Bishop said Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman indicated that He had initiated a conversation with a human being who was socially and culturally unaccepted by the Jews. This, he said, was a prophetic action intended to break down the stereotypic mode of exclusion, alienation and marginalization.
The meeting of Jesus with the Samaritan woman on the land of Samaria, he said, was another parable in action that breaks down the barriers of religious, cultural and ethnic division adding that it tears down the veil of alienation, exclusion and segregation.
Bishop Kwofie noted that the statement of the woman, “You, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan, for a drink” (Jn 4:9)) unveiled a bedrock of religious conflict and ethnic hatred between the Jews and Samaritans; one thinking himself more superior, the other on the defence because they thought tradition had cheated them of their rightful place in religion and society.
“Jesus was in the habit of withdrawing from the crowds either to run away from becoming more popular or to gain some peace. After the miracle of the loaves, when he saw that the people were going to take Him and make Him king, He withdrew into the hills (Jn 6:15)”.
“Again, He would not go to the festival of Shelters because He did not want the people to know of His presence. This way of behaving made the disciples rebuke Him, “no one who wants to be publicly known acts in secret” (Jn 7:9). But Jesus would have nothing to do with this kind of popularity. He was sent by the Father and the glory must be given to the Father alone.”
On the sacredness of place of worship, Bishop Kwofie said it is not only found in localities but also in ourselves. Church buildings are one kind of privileged places where we meet God, where we encounter God and give Him praise and worship, where we listen to God speak to us. But there is another privileged locality, our bodies, which is the temple of God. This place has nothing to do with Church buildings.”
He urged Christians “to dismantle our innate tendency of marginalizing groups and people and see each person as made in the image and likeness of God. The spirit of social exclusion and marginalization has disfigured our society and continues to do so. Jesus was clear and strong on this point.”
Intercessory prayers were said for Unity and growth of the Church Worldwide, Christians who are being persecuted around the World, for God to deliver Ghana from her socio-economic woes and for leaders in Government and the 2016 General Elections.
Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, Bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi has expressed dissatisfaction on what he termed as the ugliness of division and sometimes unhealthy competition in the Ghanaian community.
Bishop Kwofie said this in a Sermon at a joint Ecumenical Service between the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Heads of Member Churches of the Christian Council of Ghana at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church at Osu in Accra.
It was under the theme Jesus said To Her: Give me a Drink (John 4:7). He also expressed concern about “some of the Christian programmes run by some of our Radio Stations continue to expose the many ways, and sometimes quite unorthodox, that some so-called Christian Pastors are using Christian religion”. The Ecumenical Service was the concluding part of an Annual Joint Meeting between the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Heads of Churches of the Christian Council.
They meet once a year in May to deliberate on issues to foster unity and ecumenism as well as address issues of national and international concern. In all, 15 Catholic Bishops attended the Ecumenical Service. They included Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, President of the GCBC and Bishop of Konongo-Mampong; Most Revs. Charles Palmer-Buckle, Philip Naameh, Matthias Nketsiah, Gabriel Justice Anokye and Thomas Kwaku Mensah, Archbishops of Accra, Tamale, Cape Coast and Kumasi respectively.
Also present were Catholic Priests including Very Rev. Fr. Nicholas Afriyie, Secretary General of the National Catholic Secretariat and his Assistant, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Abbey-Quaye; Very Rev. Fr. Marciano Ziem Kogh, Executive Secretary of the Department of Pastoral Ministry at the NCS.
Among the leaders of the CCG were Rev. Andy Odonkor, District Minister, Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Osu; Rev. Anthony Mensah of the AME Zion Church, Rev. William Quaye, Clerk of the Ga Presbytery; Rev. Daniel Gbande, Evangelical Lutheran Church; Rt. Rev. Dr. Seth Agidi, Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana.
The rest were Rev. Frs. Robert Nyann and Benjamin Laryea of the Anglican Diocese of Accra; Pastor Enoch Hope Sofe, Christ Evangelical Mission, Accra; Rev. Enoch Thompson, Ghana Baptist Convention, Lt. Col. Samuel Oklah and Lt. Col. James Oduro, Salvation Army.
Bishop Kwofie noted that unfortunately some Pastors continued to advertise themselves and even make claims as if they were more powerful than Jesus Himself as they preach themselves. He said “our sense of responsibility is heightened in our togetherness as we realize that as Pastors and Priests, we are the leaders of, at least, 70% of our national po5pulation supposed to be Christian.
He said the Christian faithful looked up to us (Pastors) for direction, spiritual needs and many existential questions, praying that the God of endurance and encouragement would help them (Pastors) to live in harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, “that together we may with one voice glorify the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Dilating on the theme, the Bishop said Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman indicated that He had initiated a conversation with a human being who was socially and culturally unaccepted by the Jews. This, he said, was a prophetic action intended to break down the stereotypic mode of exclusion, alienation and marginalization.
The meeting of Jesus with the Samaritan woman on the land of Samaria, he said, was another parable in action that breaks down the barriers of religious, cultural and ethnic division adding that it tears down the veil of alienation, exclusion and segregation.
Bishop Kwofie noted that the statement of the woman, “You, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan, for a drink” (Jn 4:9)) unveiled a bedrock of religious conflict and ethnic hatred between the Jews and Samaritans; one thinking himself more superior, the other on the defence because they thought tradition had cheated them of their rightful place in religion and society.
“Jesus was in the habit of withdrawing from the crowds either to run away from becoming more popular or to gain some peace. After the miracle of the loaves, when he saw that the people were going to take Him and make Him king, He withdrew into the hills (Jn 6:15)”.
“Again, He would not go to the festival of Shelters because He did not want the people to know of His presence. This way of behaving made the disciples rebuke Him, “no one who wants to be publicly known acts in secret” (Jn 7:9). But Jesus would have nothing to do with this kind of popularity. He was sent by the Father and the glory must be given to the Father alone.”
On the sacredness of place of worship, Bishop Kwofie said it is not only found in localities but also in ourselves. Church buildings are one kind of privileged places where we meet God, where we encounter God and give Him praise and worship, where we listen to God speak to us. But there is another privileged locality, our bodies, which is the temple of God. This place has nothing to do with Church buildings.”
He urged Christians “to dismantle our innate tendency of marginalizing groups and people and see each person as made in the image and likeness of God. The spirit of social exclusion and marginalization has disfigured our society and continues to do so. Jesus was clear and strong on this point.”
Intercessory prayers were said for Unity and growth of the Church Worldwide, Christians who are being persecuted around the World, for God to deliver Ghana from her socio-economic woes and for leaders in Government and the 2016 General Elections.
