Opinions of Sunday, 25 June 2017

Columnist: Boakye Thomas

The essence of another Christian reformation

Christianity needs another reformation Christianity needs another reformation

Christians who believe there is nothing wrong with their religion today are somehow telling us that, the Protestants/Reformers were wrong and that the Roman Catholic Church was right during the Reformation period in European history, all things being equal.

Again, if you see nothing wrong with Christianity, then the 95 theses written in 1517 by Martin Luther of Germany was wrong and that the Catholic church was right. Furthermore, the execution of reformers by the Catholic church was right, etc.

For the purpose of learning, the Protestant Reformation was a religious, political, intellectual and cultural change that split Papal Europe and it eventually put up structures and beliefs that defined the continent till date.

Today, we see the same things the Protestants/Reformers fought against the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century in some parts of Africa, Middle East, and South America continent.

It is also a fact that such practices exist in Europe, America, Russia and some parts of Asia today. But it is on a limited scale as compared to Africa, Middle East, and South America. The saying that history repeats itself is true. A critical look at today's Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, shows some resemblance in the Dark Ages of Europe where one church dominated and dictated everything in the society.

Proving my point above, in some parts of Africa, the Middle East, and South America, it is common to observe widespread of (men of God sleeping with married women, women of God sleeping with young guys, fraud clergies, pastors claiming to have God's phone number, pastors causing people to chew grasses, Clergies and fake magic, paying for religious services, paying some pastors before they help you, selling anointing oils like the clergies were selling offices and indulgences, etc.)

Again, it is common to observe stoning, beheadings, lynching, burning witches, stoning gays, and all kinds of unacceptable practices of European Middle Ages in these regions of the world above.

These were similar things which sparked a revolt against the Catholic church in Europe. And they happened partly because education was not massive as it is today in Europe. The same way some parts of Africa, Middle East, and South America has poor education today. In the absence of good education, unacceptable religious practices are inevitable in Africa, Middle East, and South America, all things being equal.

If the Reformers were alive today, I am confident they would be protesting against both the Protestant and Catholic Churches across Africa, Middle East, and South America.

Christianity needs another reformation because some members of Christendom are taking us back to Dark Ages. In coming days, I will highlight on few things which need reform in Christianity.