Church hypocritical in banning questionable money

Some church leaders, in the name of fighting corruption, have proclaimed a ban on use of the pulpit by politicians to raise money (for the church) and/or politics. How hilarious!

I would compare it to a mother who bans her teenage children from eating food that she serves them.

As Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen has observed, the church only needs to stop inviting politicians to the pulpit!

DEFINITIONS

The question of whether churches should accept donations given by politicians is as old as Christianity.

Remember the unnamed ‘sinful’ woman who washed Jesus’ feet with expensive oil (Luke 7:36-39)? Where did she get such expensive oil? Why did Jesus allow the woman to ‘sanitise’ herself and the oil by using it on his feet?

The question relates to the perennial problem of the mission of the church. It is unlikely that we will resolve it soon. But why is the question emerging in Kenya today? Or is it time already to jostle for power?

Perhaps the only question that we can answer with certainty is: who or what is the church? There are various definitions of church.

Firstly, a church is a place (not necessarily a building) set aside for Christian worship. But is the entire earth not set aside for worship? Is the entire earth not sacred? Ask some African indigenous churches who jog for religious purposes. They stop and worship as the spirit leads! And is giving away one’s wealth not an act of worship?

Secondly, church refers to those in church leadership — those who wield power in line with individual church governance. Through the ages, people, politicians included, have given money (whether in millions or in cents) to church leaders to buy land, cars, build houses and access other materials ‘to promote the work of God’. Are church leaders now saying they don’t want these? To be fair to them, what they don’t want is ‘dirty’ money or ‘stolen’ money. This guides us into the next definition of church.

PRACTICES

Thirdly, church refers to a group of people who claim to follow Christ — either as a global group, mega congregations, or small congregations, be they physical or virtual. We know these Christians because they are visible.

They behave like we expect Christians to behave: go to church regularly, profess that they are Christians, and embrace Christian rituals, among other practices. In both words and deed, they claim to be Christian. The use of the word ‘claim’ is justified by yet another definition of church.

Finally, there is the invisible church. This comprises those who are true Christians. Members of the invisible church may or may not claim to be Christians and so we would not know them.

Only God knows who is a true Christian. For it is possible to behave and talk like a Christian without being a Christian. It is only at the end of times that the true church will be revealed to fellow humans.

Lo and behold, some church leaders won’t be among the invisible church! For not everyone who calls out ‘lord, lord’ is church.

So, when church (leaders) say the church (the leadership, I suspect) will review donations given to church (church leaders?) by the church (visible church), what exactly does it mean? How will the church (leaders) know whose donations to take and whose donations are made in sin, ‘dirty’ or ‘stolen money’?

THROW STONES

Wouldn’t the church (leadership) have to begin by establishing systems of investigating how a Christian got the money he (these are more often than not, men) is donating to church (leadership)? Would we call an institution with such systems a church or a Criminal Investigation Department?

Corruption is a character issue. One group of people cannot address it by labelling another group sinners and banning them from their ‘sacred places’.

Have we not desecrated all sacred places? People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

Truth be told, until we turn all spaces into sacred places and invite everyone into these, whether we are Christians or not, the battle against corruption will never be won. Anybody interested in fighting corruption? There must be an effective way.

Prof Kamara teaches at Moi University. E-mail [email protected]