By Ashley Smith and Devon Dick, Gleaner Writers
FOR REASONS unknown outside of their own circles, both denominational and umbrella groups have been silent on national issues. Many viewed the Church as failing to give leadership at a time when the nation faced serious crises in relation to the economy and leadership in private and public sectors. Through Bishop Herro Blair, the Political Ombudsman, the leadership of the Church in mediation was very obvious. Not many persons in the society at large could have observed that less prominent representatives of the Church have been involved in peace initiatives at local levels and away from the glare of the television cameras.
As part of the global Christian community, the Jamaican churches had their say on the earth-shaking issue of the election and consecration of the Rev. Gene Robinson, a self-confessed homosexual, as bishop of Episcopal Church in New Hamsphire, in the United States. The Anglican church in Jamaica and other dioceses in the Archdioceses of the West Indies and Africa lost no time in dissociating themselves from what most Christians see as a blatant defiance of traditional moral principles of the Christian community.
ECCLESIASTICAL AND ECUMENICAL EVENTS
The Inter-Faith Fellowship of Jamaica, which represents another dimension of ecumenism, celebrated the achievements of the first decade of its existence in Jamaica. It brings together representatives of the church and of religious traditions such as Islam, Hinduism, Bahai, Rastafarianism and Ananda Marga and Buddhism for the purpose of dialogue and in keeping with the commitment of members of religious communities to the restoration of the unity of humankind and the integrity of Creation, a project inspired by the World Council of Churches many years ago. Inter-faith dialogue is yet to find acceptance among Jamaicans. Many still cling to the tradition of exclusivity in matters of religion and politics. However, in the age of globalisation, the challenge to engage the fact of the presence of many cultures and religious traditions has to be faced by those committed to the achievement of a just and peaceful society.
The Rev. Dr. Lewin Williams was installed in October as the eighth President of the United Theological College of the West Indies. Rev. Dr. Williams is best known for his work Caribbean Theology, which is now a significant text of theological education and ministerial training in the region.
The Rev. Dr. Roderick Hewitt, moderator of the United Church and a Chaplain at the University of the West Indies, became the moderator of the Council for World Mission, a global church organisation which brings together churches of the Reformed tradition in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
The Rev. Dr. Byron Chambers was inducted in September as president of the Jamaica Methodist District, succeeding the Rev. Phillip Robinson, who demitted office and became president of the Jamaica Council of Churches.
CENTRE FOR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
A development on the religious scene that has escaped the attention of many, is the establishment and growth of The St. Michael's Centre for Caribbean Spirituality. Led by Sister Theresa Lowe Chin of St. Michael's Theological College, Golding Avenue, this centre brings together men and women of various religious persuasions and church traditions for reflection on various issues of national and global concern. During the current year there have been discussions on globalisation and the spirituality of men, African Spirituality and the role of Caribbean Literature in the evolution of spirituality in multi-ethnic societies like those in the Caribbean.
Admirers of the late Archbishop Samuel Carter will be pleased to hear of the launch during the year of The Samuel Carter Foundation with the objective of promoting educational opportunities for deserving young Jamaicans who lack the means of pursuing higher education. In addition, the Al Miller-led Build Jamaica Foundation gathered momentum as it sought to improve toilet facilities at the basic school level.
In addition, ecumenical leader and Baptist stalwart, Rev. Sam Reid of the Calvary Baptist Church in St. James, retired after 40 years in the Christian ministry. He served Jamaica as Senator and also as president of the Jamaica Council of Churches leading the fight against the national lottery. The Christian community said farewell to the Rev. Cleve Grant, pastor of the Constant Spring Church of God and for many years the voice of Noon-Day Meditations on Radio Jamaica, who died on April 2 after a battle with cancer. The year ended the way it began, with Apostle David Keane, senior pastor of the Family Church on the Rock churches still ailing from a stroke that afflicted him on January 1, 2003.
Meantime, Anglican cleric, Archdeacon Eric Linton Maxwell, former rector at St. Luke's Church, Cross Roads, celebrated his 100th birthday on February 7, 2003. Late in the year, there was a mass crusade in 'No Man's Land' led by the foreign Times Square Church while a group of church leaders commissioned on the same spot 'Street Pastors' a pilot project aimed at engaging youths in the inner-city to a better standard of living. In addition, there was a historic missions conference for over 300 delegates that was organised by the Jamaica Baptist Union to energise its constituency to be more involved in nation building.
THE ELECTRONIC MEDIA
In the electronic media, Love FM celebrated 10 years of existence and its counterpart Love TV disclosed that with the acquisition of new technology, which allows for advanced digitalisation of Signals. This technology is poised to revolutionise the viewing of church events and could become a major facilitator of business conferences and distance learning, said Winston Ridgard, CEO of the National Religious Media Company owners and operators of LOVE TV and LOVE FM. "The service that we are talking about now is an opportunity to route material from anywhere in the island to anywhere that you want to go to, to a centre, an organisation or to an individual's home," he told The Gleaner in a story published in April.
In the print domain, the most remarkable development of the year began on March 4, when The Gleaner began publishing on Tuesdays a feature targeting the church-going public called Mind & Spirit. The publication has earned many plaudits from both the churched and the unchurched.
A useful publication to have graced the bookshelves was The Role of Religion in Caribbean History by Patrick 'Pops' Hylton a Jamaican who practices law in the Washington DC area. In an interview the author explained that his focus was on "the secular role of religion in the history of the Caribbean. My concern is not with which philosophy is in conformity with the 'truth', or with which 'God' is the 'correct' God. My fundamental question is 'Where did these denominations Christian and non-Christian, stand on the questions of: territorial plunder, the enslavement and genocide of the Amerindian people, the enslavement and genocide of the African people, the Slave Trade, the abolition movement, Independence, the struggle against colonialism and racism."
A heated debate emerged about the role the compatibility between the magical arts and Christianity. This was occasioned by the November visit of André Kole, a renowned magician who professed to be a born-again Christian. He argued among other things that demons do not have the power to impart supernatural powers to people. This view was strongly opposed by the Rev. Dr. Donald Stewart, pastor of the Portmore Lane Covenant Community Church and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Ade-Gold, Bishop of Overcomers World Ministries. Magician Kole left the island in December, but the issue has not been settled. There is a move by some concerned church leaders to convene a dialogue on the issues raised to discern the truth.
On November 18, the Bible Society of the West Indies officially launched an audio recording on CD entitled De Krismos Stori. It is plays for a duration of 60 minutes and it features dramatised Scripture readings, songs and carols a delightful and unique presentation of the birth of Jesus Christ all in Jamaican Patois.
This is the second Patois recording released by the Bible Society of the West Indies. The first was launched in 1996.
Faith Linton, educator, and board member of the Bible Society of the West Indies in response to critics of the organisation's promotion of the Scriptures in the Jamaican vernacular said: "The Bible Society of the West Indies is therefore doing a great service to the Jamaican people by translating and distributing God's Word in Creole. With one stroke we are affirming the validity of the language; the personhood, dignity and worth of all Patois speakers; and above all their value in God's eyes. God speaks Patois, my language. Jamaica needs this kind of healing and affirmation deep in the personal and national psyche."
(Mind & Spirit Editor, Mark Dawes contributed to this report.)
