Abp. Akinola's Press Briefing May 13th 2007

Abp. AKINOLA ON NIGERIAN ELECTIONS, HOLINESS, AND OTHER ISSUES  

CONN/420507

Press briefing by Archbishop Peter Akinola on Sunday 13th May at the end of the Abuja Diocesan Synod

Gentlemen of the Press.
We welcome you to this press briefing at the end of our diocesan synod in Abuja

We met to study and discuss the theme "Be ye Holy" 1Peter 1:16. We examined God's calling upon our lives to be holy and live exemplary lives. You will find in the distributed communiqué, our resolutions on this important issue. Allow me highlight some salient points.

The 2007 Elections
Ours is still a nascent democracy with concerns about its stability and sustainability. We are better off now than where we were in 1999. 

Different people have adjudged the elections differently. To some, it was the best. To others it was a farce. We deplore the associated violence. Human Life is worth more than ballot papers. God will judge those involved in the violence. While congratulating the declared winners, we encourage the unsuccessful to seek other ways of serving the nation as they prepare for the next election. We appeal to the aggrieved to patiently await the outcome of their cases at the tribunals. All Nigerians should remain peaceful and prayerful, trusting in the love of the Almighty God to choose the best for us. We encourage the incoming administration to begin to put in place whatever is necessary for future elections to be viewed by all as free, fair and transparent.

Challenges before the incoming administration
We also like to challenge the incoming administration to learn to come before God humbly and seek his counsel in all they do. They should sustain and improve upon the 'Anti- Corruption' war till it is totally won.

The reform agenda in the banking, health, housing, aviation, industrial and other sectors should also be sustained with palliatives to ease the current birth pangs now being felt by many downtrodden Nigerians.

The incoming leaders should work to ensure that Nigerians have a strong economy, good transportation (rail, roads, air and water), stable electricity supply, good health care, employable graduates and security to live and work peacefully in any part of this great country in spite of tribe, language or religion.

HIV/AIDS Scene
We appreciate our various partners in the HIV/AIDS campaign who have helped to make our diocesan HIV/AIDS department a huge success. We encourage all to consider Holy living as one of the best ways of fighting this menace as we continue our care of the infected and affected.

Global Scene
Considering how the world is making it increasingly difficult for Christians to live holy lives, we ask:
 
WHERE IS THE CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE?
Many people look to the USA as a Christian country and its leaders often assume the role of moral leaders for the world who are ready to point the finger at problems around the globe and yet we must not forget that there is another side to their story. The present generation of Americans would do well to remember their own history. While they and their forebears claim their nation to be a gift from God it is in truth a land forcefully taken with no respect for the human rights of the despised and dispossessed Indians – it is also a land where a great deal of its early economic foundation was built on the sweat and blood of de-humanized African slaves.

Americans seem to have forgotten the same LORD in whom they say "In God we trust". Deuteronomy 7 and 8 are relevant biblical passages

"And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth" 8:18a

"Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish." 8: 19

The God who has blessed so abundantly is also a jealous God who requires obedience and holy living. But instead of calling for obedience to the Word of God we now have the situation where those who call for faithfulness in holy matrimony or abstinence outside of it risk being accused of hate speech. The breakdown in marriages in the USA is a scandal. It is causing a massive crisis in their own society and the rest of the world. But instead of admitting the problem and finding creative ways to strengthen traditional families we see a relentless promotion and protection of so called 'alternative lifestyles.'  Recent legislative bill H.R. 1592 (Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007) passed in the House on May 3rd 2007, and the H.R 2015 (Employment Non-Discrimination Act.) being discussed are worthy of note.  God will not be mocked.

We see a similar crisis in the UK. The decline in marriages and the breakdown in families has become an epidemic. But instead of encouraging holy living and strengthening family life we read of a bishop of the Church of England called before tribunal to explain his refusal to hire a certain youth worker. His offence was 'discrimination', we were told because the job seeker in this case was a self-confessed homosexual and who said he had just ended a five-year homosexual relationship. Surely the Church has an obligation to promote holy living not apologise for it!

·         Where is the Christian voice in all these?

·         Why are Church leaders not concerned about this breakdown in society?

·         Why are they ashamed of promoting holy living?

·         Why have they lost their confidence in the Word of God?

We are very much aware of the challenges that face us today in Nigeria. Many of these we addressed in our Synod and continue to do so day by day. Our hope is in the Lord – the maker of heaven and earth - and in His Holy Word.

We call on Christians worldwide to rise to the challenge of protecting our Christian: -

·         Freedom to read the Bible privately and in public

·         Freedom to preach from the Bible, and declare uncompromisingly the total oracles of the Lord

·         Freedom to shield ourselves, and our children, from what we believe our God says is immoral and abominable.

·         Freedom to seek to help those willing to escape Satan's deceitful traps.

·         Freedom to live holy and acceptable lives in the sight of God

The issue here is not about homophobia. We are concerned about defending the right to existence of Biblical Christianity.  It is about allowing the Spirit of God to transform people rather than deceive them that there is nothing wrong in their unholy practices.  It is about rejecting a world system that wants to curtail our freedom to live as our Saviour taught us to. It is simply trying our best to live and encourage others to live to be HOLY as our GOD IS HOLY.

May the Lord keep us Holy.

 

Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola CON.
Bishop of Abuja and  Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of all Nigeria

 

(Church of Nigeria News)