When Church leaders drift away from Christ’s way

By Varghese Alengaden

Nagpur: The Church leaders in Kerala, especially the Syro-Malabar bishops, are often in the news for wrong reasons. First it was about ‘love Jihad’ accusing the Muslim youth trapping Christian girls. This generated much conflict between the two communities. While making this allegation the Church leaders were not able to provide any data to substantiate their argument.

The Union Minister of State for Home affairs, who belonged to the BJP, had clarified in parliament that there was no case of ‘love jihad’ reported in Kerala. Muslims and many others suspected if the bishops were trying to please the Hindutva groups by their hostile stand against Muslims to get favor from the federal BJP government? Are not bishops aware of the constant opposition and harassment the Christian missionaries face from the Hindutva groups, especially in the north and central India?

The decision of the Synod of bishops insisting uniformity in celebrating Mass has created much conflict and public scandal these days. Despite opposition from a large number of priests and laity of many dioceses, bishops have imposed their decision. Media has reported cases of public resistance even during the Mass inside the churches.

Church leaders are exposing their poverty of leadership and intellectual bankruptcy by addressing frivolous issues. They are betraying the dignity of their office. It is sad that the table fellowship and farewell dinner Jesus had with his disciples is distorted to a complicated dogmatic ritual causing so much division. The last will of Christ to “love one another” is abandoned by the priests and high priests of the Church. Love and friendship is the uniform which Jesus prescribed to his disciples. “By your love the world will know that you are my disciples,” said Jesus.

When the Church leaders make unilateral decisions and impose them on people without consultations, are they not imitating the BJP government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who made three farm laws and many other legislations? As the Modi government is not willing to change its stand, the synod of bishops also is not willing to change their decision. Are they implementing the outdated dogma of infallibility which even Pope Francis doesn’t use it anymore?

Another sensation the Synod of bishops created in the media was through its call to lay persons to produce more children to increase the numerical strength of the Catholics. This has exposed once again the spiritual and intellectual bankruptcy of the Church leadership in Kerala. Offering an incentive of 2000 rupees a child is an insult to the personal dignity of the couple.

The latest controversy is about the allegation of Christian youths falling prey to “narcotic jihad.” Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt of Pala is the one who triggered this controversy. Bishop of Irinjalakuda supported him. Often all these allegations are made without providing sufficient data and proof.

Even if there are cases where Catholic girls falling in love with boys of other faiths and trapped into the use of drugs, Church leaders and priests need to first introspect and find out the impact of their pastoral care, content and methodology of catechism and retreats. How much the catechism classes, Church rituals and retreats that give importance to dogma, canon law and liturgical rules help the youth to formulate a vision of life and inculcate values which form their character and convictions based on the life and teachings of Christ?

If the Church has failed to inculcate character and values in Catholic laity and youth why should the bishops blame others? Drug abuse cannot be attributed to a particular religious community. The Church leaders have to review their own lives, values and priorities before criticizing and judging others. They have to set their house in order before preaching to others.

It is important for all Christians, especially the bishops, to put to test all their decisions with this simple question: What would Jesus do if He were here? What is the mind of Christ about various issues we face? Gospel should be the basis of all decision making processes. Please remember that Christ was a prophet who violated all the laws, rituals and traditions which did not help people to become spiritual. Through the 24×7 availability to serve people in humility, he worshiped God.

Christ asked His disciples to be the light of the world. He wants them to set an example to all people by their words and deeds. Similarly He wants them to live and work as salt of the earth. They are expected to add taste, prevent the world from corruption and heal the wounds. As salt is not visible in the food, Christ wants his disciples to work without exhibition and publicity.

As salt is used in small quantity to add taste to a large quantity of food, Christ wants his disciples to become catalysts by their life. He doesn’t want numerical strength of his disciples because he neither wants to have politics of numbers nor build an empire with estates for business in the name of God. By drifting away from the way of Christ, the church leaders in the colonial era went for imperial expansion. Today also we blindly imitate the colonial way of expanding the church empire.

The church structure and the church leaders today are like the salt which has lost its saltiness. As Christ has foretold it is worth only to be thrown out to be trampled under feet by men. Hence the church and its leaders are facing so much disrespect and rejection both from the public and in the media. The public scandals related to dubious land dealings and allegations of sexual assault involving bishops and priests are due to drifting away from the way of Christ. As per the teachings of Christ, it is better for those persons involved in such scandals to “tie a large millstone around their neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Mt.18:6).

When an individual bishop is involved in a scandal or makes provocative and divisive statements none of the other bishops ever speak against the wrongdoing. They who speak a lot about the importance of prophetic mission fail to practice their prophetic duty of pointing out the wrong doing. They forget that Christ was more a prophet and teacher by his example than a cultic priest. It is because of his prophetic mission he lambasted the priests and Jewish hierarchy against their hypocrisy and exploitative ways of life. He used the most offensive terms to criticize them such as “brood of vipers”, “whitewashed tombs”, and “hypocrites.” (Mt: 23-27).

Christ has asked his disciples to work for peace and reconciliation. “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God” (Mt5:9). By triggering controversy and accusing Muslims of ‘love jihad’ and ‘narcotic jihad’ bishops and priests are causing hostility and conflicts in the society. In the present sociopolitical scenario where Hindutva forces are playing the politics of communal polarization where minorities are targeted, the church leaders should give priority for peacemaking between different conflicting groups.

Church leaders should make peacemaking the first focus area and motivate their priests, religious and laity to work for peace and harmony. Christ doesn’t approve of the divisive and exclusive ways. Instead of reacting to the violent and fundamentalist ways of Hindutva groups and Islamic terrorist groups, the church should explore ways of working for peace and reconciliation in the society.

Bishops and priests shall abandon the political style of exclusion and division at all levels. Establish peacemaking units in every parish and reach out to people and groups who are different from us. Open church institutions for people of all walks of life and faiths for dialogue and friendship. Avoid communally provocative statements. If possible make a public apology for the offensive and divisive statements. That is what Christ expects from his disciples who hold leadership positions.

Why not allow the dioceses and parishes to offer Mass as per their choice? Diversity is the sacred heritage we have received from Jesus. Let us preserve it. It is time for disciples of Christ to stand up and speak. Why do fit in when you are born to stand out?