THE EDITOR, Sir:

I could not help responding to Ruel Reid's column 'How Church can help save Jamaica', published Monday, October 8, 2012. My heart was burdened after reading it because of the 'suffering' of our people, not just in Jamaica, but from the Motherland and throughout the diaspora.

There are no tears left for me to shed for our great people who have suffered slavery, genocide, apartheid, colonisation, and imperialism. I empathise with the suffering of people everywhere, but in particular, our suffering.

From a leadership perspective, I would go further and advocate that Jamaica declare Christianity because the essential exercise of leadership begins with righteousness, and righteousness comes from God through a right relationship with Him and obedience to His Word.

Romans 13:1 points us to God's theocracy in which He leads through authorities; He appoints human authorities "under His guidance". The word 'theocracy' originates from the Greek word 'theokratia'. The root words of theocracy are Theos (God) and kratein (to rule). Combined, they mean 'rule by the deity'.

The leader appoints a Cabinet to serve the people, and human authority can thus effectively operate under divine appointment by God, subject to His will. On this basis, Jamaica can rise, phoenix-like, for the entire world to see that Christianity can be viable, notwithstanding its unspeakable past.

MODERN ENLIGHTENMENT

A Christian theocracy does not have to mean oppression by the Church, as in the early centuries. We are supposed to be living in a state of 'modern enlightenment'.

However, the challenge is reconciling the tens of thousands of Christian denominations (38,000-41,000, according to About.com, Adherents.com, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, ReligionFacts.com, and World Christian Encyclopedia).

The Jamaica Council of Churches represents a number of these denominations. This is the main bridge to cross, and many questions need answers. Is the Church sovereign? What is the Church? What is Christianity? Who is a Christian?

ERROL A. GIBBS

egibbs1@sympatico.ca