Africa and the new Social Creed

Editor's note: A proposed new Social Creed will be presented to The United Methodist Church General Conference, the denomination’s top law-making body, during its meeting April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. The new creed has been developed by the General Board of Church & Society at the direction of the 2004 General Conference in commemoration of the denomination’s first social creed adopted in 1908.

The Rev. Lloyd Nyarota, author of this article, is Zimbabwe Episcopal Area Projects and Communications coordinator. The proposed new Social Creed was introduced to him and others at a training session on social justice ministries conducted by GBCS in Cote d'Ivoire last month.

United Methodist congregations in Zimbabwe recite the Apostle's Creed almost every Sunday. It is recited even at house-section prayer meetings. It is recited by children during children's Sunday school classes. The Apostle’s Creed is a central part of our teaching and worship.

But only a few of us are familiar with the United Methodist Social Creed. The current social creed is complicated, written in language that does easily translate into local African tribal languages.

I appreciate the General Board of Church & Society’s presentation to the 2008 General Conference of a new Social Creed for the denomination. This new creed has been prepared by delegates from Africa, the Philippines, Europe and the United States.

This proposed Social Creed is user-friendly. The words are easily accessible to people of all ages and languages. It is written in a responsive form and is meant to encourage participation.

People with no theological training can understand it because the issues it raises reflect the needs and the strength of the churches in Africa.

A few examples

Let me give you a few examples:

“God cares for the integrity of creation.” Environmental degradation is a big issue in Africa. Our people need to be taught to care for the environment because God first cares for creation.

“God wills the healing and wholeness of all Life.” Malaria and the HIV/AIDS pandemic are everyday realities in Africa. The proposed Social Creed gives hope that God wills healing and wholeness for all people. The new Social Creed proclaims that disease is not of God and that healing is a priority for the church.

“God cries with masses of starving people.” Poverty alleviation is a priority for all countries in Africa. United Methodists in Africa are starving for justice in the form of food. We want to be able to feed ourselves and our families. People who are poor and have no food find hope and courage in the understanding that God is crying with us in our struggle to feed our families.

“Justice for workers in the market place.” The global market place has always been unfair to the people and the nations of Africa who produce most of the world’s raw materials and never have a voice in determining the prices for the goods they produce. The new Social Creed raises publically the issue that fair trade is God’s concern. Tens of millions of struggling workers in Africa work hard to feed their families, but do not receive fair wages. The United Methodist Church in this Social Creed helps people to see that God is ultimately concerned with our economic issues.

Church gives comfort

“God deplores violence in our homes and streets.” In war-ravaged Africa, tribal wars, civil war, border conflicts and other armed conflicts have affected Africa during the past generation. Some countries have not known peace for more than 60 years. When we say violence in all forms is deplorable the church gives comfort to those in horrible situations. It builds hope for a future where violence will not be the norm of our society.

“God delights in diversity and difference.” We must teach human equality. In our different African tribes, we must acknowledge that we were first created by God. This proclamation can be used to teach political tolerance and tolerance in society and in the church. It is critical to say that strangers are transformed into friends. The Social Creed when taught and publically distributed in Africa can be an evangelistic tool to open up the church to all people especially those who are different from us. God embraces all of us.

I look forward to the day when this new Social Creed will be recited almost every Sunday like the Apostle's Creed.

Finally I would like to note that the new Social Creed's use of the word “This is the day” makes people in Africa realize these declarations are for the here and now.

I look forward to the day when this new Social Creed will be recited almost every Sunday like the Apostle's Creed. I hope that it will be recited at house-section prayer meetings and by children during Sunday school classes.

The proposed Social Creed is important for our worship and counseling and teaching social development work because “This is the day” God is working through the United Methodist Church in Africa.