Accra Confession: a covenant of justice

By Charles Honey, UGC news editor

From financial meltdown in the United States to the earthquake

in Haiti, the world’s economic and ecological crises cry out for

Christians to get involved, say church leaders meeting in Grand

Rapids, Michigan, in the northeastern United States this week.

They are urging a renewed commitment to social action based on

the Accra Confession, a statement of economic and environmental

justice to be taken up by the Uniting General Council (UGC) that

opens Friday.

“Here is a confession we must make in order to be faithful to

God,” said Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance

of Reformed Churches (WARC).

Speaking at a panel discussion at Calvin College, Nyomi stressed

that for Reformed churches, “The way we trace our identity has

always included that we are saved to make a difference in the

world.”

He and others said the Accra Confession, adopted by WARC at

Accra, Ghana in 2004, calls on Christians worldwide to do just

that in the face of mounting social and environmental ills. The

strongly worded document commits its signatories “to seek a

global covenant for justice in the economy and the earth in the

household of God.”

“The Accra Confession is a call to the faithful to engage with

the world,” said Philip Peacock, a lecturer at Bishop’s College

in Kolkata, India. “It calls the believer to understand justice

is the very substance of faith.”

The discussion was part of a conference sponsored by Calvin

College, “Reformed Mission in an Age of World Christianity.” It

drew more than 200 participants including delegates to the UGC.

Among them are panelists Peacock, Puleng Lenka-Bula of the

University of South Africa and Ofelia Ortega of the Presbyterian

Reformed Church in Cuba.

The Accra panel focused on issues that leaders expect will

generate deep discussion at UGC, which will unite WARC with the

Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC). While there is broad agreement

around its advocacy of justice and care for creation, some have

objected to its language such as “empire” and “neoliberal

capitalism.”

“It’ll be a test for the organisation early in its new life:

just how much discussion or even dissension about such issues it

can tolerate,” said Peter Borgdorff, REC president.

Lenka-Bula addressed criticisms, including the charge that

theologians should not be so involved in economic theory. She

asserted that promoting justice is “at the very heart of what it

means to be Christian.”

“Grace and love are God’s economic model,” added Ortega.

Charity Majiza, a Uniting Church in Australia minister who

attended the panel, said the confession needs to be lived out by

“churches on the ground.”

“It’s going to be tough in our different contexts,” Majiza said.

“But that is the gospel imperative. We have no choice.”

The Uniting General Council 2010 in Grand Rapids, United States

(June 18-28) marks the merger of the World Alliance of Reformed

Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council to form the World

Communion of Reformed Churches.

Contact: Kristine Greenaway

Executive Secretary, Communications

World Communion of Reformed Churches

UGC News Room – Calvin College - Hoogenboom Center Room HC 204

Cell phone: 1-616-826-5540 or 1-616-826-8636

email: kgr@warc.ch

web: www.reformedchurches.org (

http://www.reformedchurches.org/#_blank )