Opinions of Friday, 8 May 2020

Columnist: Rev Fr Joseph Nyarko Asare

Church and state: My independent opinion

Rev Fr Joseph Nyarko Asare Rev Fr Joseph Nyarko Asare

You may never know your views are prophetic until you voice them out. It is better to speak, make mistakes and correct them than to keep quiet and deny the world a possible game-changing idea.

There is always a slippery ground but this should not prevent you from walking. Anyway, let us get dirty walking, falling, getting up and moving on; this is better than remaining fruitlessly neat at a safe corner.

Let me go straight to Charity from the Church, my motivation for writing this piece. Could I be Judas condemning Mary for wasting precious oil when there are poor people? A reason why I am careful to voice out when I have a contrary opinion to an action of my Church.

But can it also be that I am another extension of Jesus observing the burdening of the poor by the systems that be? If so, I am to speak but with patience because the one making the path wouldn’t know how crooked it is.

I have a conviction, I may be wrong though. I think the Church must care for humanity for that is what Jesus came to do but we must work with the state as far as the principles of the state corresponds to the principles of the Church. This I see the Church doing in areas like education, sanitation, healthcare, and provision of drinkable water. I congratulate my Church for doing this for years now.

At times, people ask if the Church should directly donate to state funds? This is an interesting question for debate. My opinion remains that if serving humanity can best be done that way, why not? But if there are ways the Church can invest directly in lives without acting through the states, I will love that most.

God’s will is that we love and care for humanity. The how can vary and each idea must be studied carefully. We, the people of God, should not be afraid to suggest to that regard. At times, I read beautiful articles on Facebook and I ask, “Will the intended target ever chance on them?” We all need to be a bit more courageous and address suggestions to the needed quarters. Don’t be afraid to disagree; only remain respectful. Write, call and engage Church leaders, knowing that we all make up the Church, the body of Christ.