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COVER PAGE

POLITICS AND RELIGION IN THE LIGHT OF THE

SOCIAL TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH

GIVEN TO THE LAITY OF

ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER CHAPLAINCY NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA.

DURING THE LAITY WEEK OF 2007.

BY

PATRICK OKAFOR

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PREAMBLE

Given the frequency with which lectures, seminars, symposia and

workshops are organized and attended in our society and given again

the well known facts that we were born crying, we now live complaining

and may die unfulfilled and dissatisfied, I have advanced four possible

reasons for these intellectual activities. That I say intellectual does not

preclude their social, economic, cultural and spiritual merits. The first

reason is that, advanced by Aristotle that Man by nature desires to

know. There is no utilitarian purpose here. The second is to fulfill a

requirement. The third reason is to advance some gains or motives. The

fourth reason is located in the restive human spirit as it attempts to

solve the innumerable problems that beset a weeping humanity. I want

to locate our coming together within second and fourth reasons.

INTRODUCTION

Religion appears to be the most controversial topic known

to man and the least capable of being settled through

controversy. The religious activities and utterances of men not

religion itself have caused so many rancors, many wars and deep

seated hatred along the imaginary lines dividing men on the

platforms of beliefs and practices.

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Add to it the pervious responsibility of organizing human society

through political arrangements and the “will to power” and what we get

is a scenario that is just an inch away from the Hobbesian state of

nature where individual and group selfishness is the biggest stakeholder.

In this maze of confusion, only the truth of revelation supported by

human rationality and the perpetual act of the will towards common

good will serve as our beacons of light out of our man made bedlam of

woes.

The church has expressed this truth about common good

rationally in her social teachings. But who is listening? Neither the

Christians nor the wider society which lacks the presumed uniting force

of homogeneity is ready to listen.

KEY WORDS AND CONCEPTS ANALYSED

RELIGION: This is as old as man, and its reality cannot be

denied without dishonesty or neglected without scandal. Whether Cicero

traced the origin of the word to a root-“leg”-to take up, gather, count or

“lig” to bind, what is describes is “the invocative appeal of humanity and

the evocative response of the greater life to that cry. Einstein was not a

theist and thought the notion of a personal God was the creation of

primitive superstition, but he adored mystery. For him, religion was a:

Rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection”.

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Yet Einstein was regarded widely as an atheist but he shared in

that experience. He continued:

“The most beautiful experience we can have is mysterious… whosever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed… it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiously; in this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man”.

Today, it appears that this mystique has been lost. The sense of

that mysterious is obviously gone and we seem left with organizations,

edifices and more edifices. From Judaism to Christianity, Hinduism to

Buddhism, and Shintoism to Confucianism the religions of this world

seem totally powerless in the face of the harassing epiphanies of evil.

Without advocating for an ideal world in an imperfect world, we

imperfect beings know that the claims of the religions as practiced by us

currently have not inspired enough confidence in the adherents as we

pray for the “will of God to be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

What has the Christian religion done for us? In Nigeria? In Igbo

land? We have no guarantee of heaven, no thanks to our rebellious

spirits. When people make so much noise about development, modernity

and civilization, I keep wondering whether we can, in all honesty claim

to be living happier lives than our forefathers who had no TVs’,

telephones, and airplanes and had no formal education. Something is

certainly rotten in the state of Denmark. The version of religion we

practice needs a review.

According to Psechke (1994) “the ultimate purpose of man and

creation is God’s glory”. Our innate religious quest appears to be a

natural faculty of the human spirit responsible for the realization of

God’s glory.

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POLITICS: According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s

Dictionary, politics referred to “the activities involved in getting and

using power in public life and being able to influence decisions that

affect a country or a society”. This is the first of the five usages given.

The old but classical definition of Harold Laswell (1936) says that politics

considers the issue of who gets what, when and how. We do not need

to trace the Greek etymology. Whatever vague understanding of the

word we have, will suffice. But there is what the Shorter Oxford English

Dictionary calls the sinister meaning of “politics” it refers to scheming,

craftiness, cunning, artfully contriving. It does appear from experience

that this sinister sense is the popular Nigerian understanding of politics.

When we are crafty, snaky and scheming, we simply call it politics.

This perverted meaning of politics may be responsible for the

cliché that “politics is a dirty game”, perhaps the version of politics we

have in Nigeria. But politics is a positive human activity which reflects

the nature of man as a social being prone to disorder but capable or

order.

THE SOCIAL TEACHING OF THE CHURCH

Scriptural allusions to the background of Catholic social teaching

abound. But modern catholic social teaching began with Pope Leo XIII’s

encyclical letter Rerum Novarum of 1891. Catholic Social teaching has

become an explicit ideology and to sound minds, it provides a better

model of action for human race than capitalism, socialism, communism,

Nazism liberalism, secularism and the rest of the –isms. What are these

teachings?

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Seven major themes have been identified.

1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person: The primary social

doctrine of the church in that human life is sacred and priceless

from conception to death. It is beyond matter. The meaning of this

has confronted issues like capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia

and genetic experimentations Gaudium et spes (No. 4), and the

encyclicals-Humanae vitae and Evangelium vitae are all devoted to

it.

2. On the Family, Community and Participation: God himself

said ‘it is not good for man to be alone”. This is the origin of a

social life. Families make up a community. The survival of these

communities depends on the social, cultural, economic and

political organization of their lives. All are called to participate in

ways that enhance their freedom of being and expansion.

3. Rights and Responsibilities: All men are born equal with the

inalienable rights to life, property and pursuit of happiness. This

right extends to whatever is needed to give him a decent life like

education, health care and employment.

4. Option for the Poor: “Whatsoever you do to the least of my

brothers… “is the scheme for the final judgment. Option for the

poor must be preferential. The litmus test for leadership is the

treatment of the poor and the marginalized. Dom Helder Camara

once said “if I give food to the poor, they call me a saint; if I ask

why the poor have no food, they call me a communist”. The

implication is that giving food to the poor is food but gainful

employment is better for them.

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5. Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers: Work is good for

man. Society must uphold a just work theory. The economy should

serve man; man should not be exploited to keep the economy. A

decent and living wage and freedom to form trade Unions are part

of the rights of workers who must do their turn well.

6. Solidarity: The world is one human family without prejudice to

distance, languages and culture. At the international level, the

global south is the focus of the call for more committed

cooperation.

7. Care for God’s creation: The ‘goods of the earth’ are

providential gifts to humanity and we should protect them as well

as the environment. Deforestation, environmental degradation,

pollution and arms race are all antithetical to this great care.

THE EVOLUTION OF A CATHOLIC IDEOLOGY

These teachings are contained in the various church documents.

40 years after Rerum Novarum (on capital and labour), Pope Pius XI

wrote 40 years of populorum progressio tomorrow (26th March)

“on the Reconstruction of the social order’ called Quadragesimo Anno

(15th May 1931) just a year into the great depression. Pope John XXIII

followed up with “Mater et Magistra’ (mother and teacher) subtitled

“Christianity and social progress”. It expanded the teaching on the

relations between poor and rich nations, solidarity and world economic

imbalances. He published “Pacem in terris” – Peace on Earth on 11th

April, 1963. This was the first encyclical addressed to Catholics and non-

Catholics.

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It raised common good above all other personal goods. This was

at the height of the cold war which the document condemned and urged

the strengthening of the United Nations. This same theme is expanded

in “Gaudium et spes” (Joy and Hope) subtitled” The church in the

modern world.

Pope Paul VI wrote the memorable “Populorum progressio” – on

the development of peoples on 26th March, 1967 stating that free

international trade was not enough to correct the imbalances in the

world. The apostolic letters, Octogesima Adveniens” (1971) and the

“Evangelii Nuntiandi (1975) addressed the issues of urbanization,

poverty and Evangelization in the Modern World.

Pope John Paul II was phenomenal in his social encyclicals and

pastoral visits challenging Christians to rise up to the injustices in our

world. He gave a charismatic voice to what was becoming an asocial

church.

The Christian knows that he is a citizen of two cities (cf G.S). The

Christian goal is eternal life or salvation and as an ultimate value, it

should guide the selection of the principles of our temporal living.

Christians should be part of the political life of their communities since

matters of grave importance which affect their lives and faith are

discussed on political platforms. Christians should not stay away from

politics under any pretext at all. It is an opportunity to serve more

people by God.

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WHY PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS

a. Man is a political animal: So, not to participate would negate the nature and essence of community.

b. According to Ojakaminor “politics is an act of service to one’s

fellowmen”.

PARTY POLITICS: Everybody is charged with the serious duty of participating

actively in the political life of he community. We have different levels of this

community – kindred – village – town – local government – state - region and nation.

Having said this, the church teaches that it is not all Christians

who should be involved in party politics. Only lay members of Christ’s

faithful are allowed. Cannons 285 &53 and 287 say that priests are not

allowed to take an active part in party politics. By implication they are

political umpires but an empire has some authority over the game in his

charge. Priests clearly do not have this form of authority, not even over

their own members. Another implication is that priests are to play a

passive part which appears to be the trend.

Active political life is a vocation not a profession. This fact is

either not known by many or it is simply ignored. Active political life is

tedious and should not be combined with activities that are incompatible

wit the true demands of politics. These demands are spread across the

spiritual, political, economic, social, legislative, administrative and

cultural life of the community. A good understanding of the logics and

dynamics of their relations is necessary for building an integral society.

The society then becomes a human habitat of values since “morality an

values are areas where religion and politics meet”.

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Christianity is a source of power and identity. A Christian

politician should not lose this power and identity. According to Pope

John Paul II:

Conscious of their specific and proper role in the political community,

Christians should be shining examples by their sense of responsibility and

their dedication to the common good (Christifideles Laici &75).

A Christian has the legitimate freedom to choose his political

leaning or party – according to the dictates of his conscience. He may

team up even with non-Christians. The meeting point is always human

values. A specifically Christian party is even discouraged since parties by

their nature profess definitive ideologies. But the problem with an

ideology is that it is not meant to satisfy the aspirations which common

good seeks.

“It has a tendency to absolutize the interests it upholds, the

vision it proposes and the strategy it promotes” (CFCECAM, Puebla Final

Document & 535 – 6).

Basic to this form of reasoning is the fact that what Christianity

stands for is beyond all political parties and should not be identified with

just one of them. G.S 43 directs that no body be allowed to arrogate the

authority of the church to himself so as to advance his position in a

political disagreement.

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The supremacy of the common good is the temporal end of

politics. And Christian politicians have to “put the common good above

personal gain” – (Sudanese Catholic Bishops Conference, Joint Pastoral

letter “The Truth shall make you free “in Welt Kirche I 1992).

Unfortunately the ruling ideas, according to philosophers, have

always been the ideas of rulers. The church emphasized the importance

of guidance and the upholding of ultimate truths to avoid libertarian and

selfish tendencies. In Centesimus Annus paragraph 46, (1991) the late

pontiff said. “If there is no ultimate truth to guide and direct political

activity, ideas and convictions can easily be manipulated for purposes of

power.

In Gaudium et Spes, &31, the church describes as good that

system that allows for political participation in freedom, for the largest

number of people but refused to use the word “democracy”. We know

how well disposed the church is to democracy and how critical the

church is towards systems like militocracy and one party system. But is

democracy a solution in itself? Is it the panacea to all political problems?

There are, after all very prosperous nations that are under ‘dictatorial’

regimes, so described by the west. They include Pakistan, Libya and

some Asian nations. Is democracy itself not an ideological identity given

to itself by the nations of Western Europe, the United States and the

Common Wealth nations? Does it mean just one thing? It clearly does

not.

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What version of democracy is practiced in Nigeria?

MATERS ARISING

In John Paul II’s Laborem Exercens (on Human Work)

article 98 defines politics as the “prudent concern for common

good”. It translates into service. Politics is about service to the

people. It is not an end but a means to an end in the temporal

order. This temporarily has an implicit relation with the ultimate

end of man-happiness here and hereafter.

Today there are many popular and rich and connected

people who are incidentally Catholic. These have achieved

greatness in various fields but not simply because they are

Catholics. But Jacques Maritain, a French Catholic used his

genius to develop a theory of pluralism and democracy. Yves

Simon and Emmanuel Mournier, French Catholics developed an

elaborate theory of Christian Personalism and praxis. Eric Gill,

an English Catholic artist and Hilaire Belloc, an English Catholic

writer propounded “distributism” – a political theory which

advocated the dismantling of large corporate structures of

capitalism. These and the popes have paved the way for an

explicit Catholic ideology which the Rerum Novarum could not

articulate. But the Quadragesima Anno brought out the three

principles of catholic social theory – Personalism, Subsidiarity

and pluralism. Are we just ignorant or lukewarm about this

ideology?

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A Catholic politician who is ignorant of the social ideology

of the church is a liability to society, and an embarrassment for

the church.

Another problem here is that the church has often not

lived up to these ideals. In the words of Greely: “The Catholic

church is the first to talk about a living ways and the last to pay

it”. Has the church the resources to pay more? If not why? In

America and Europe, the priest in the lowest paid qualified

worker. Africa is another story. Who does not want a good life?

- Catholic ideology is a model, a paradigm which is a

“tentative working description of reality”. It is not a complete or

perfect model, but certainly better than all the existing ideologies.

- Capitalist ideology has spread Greed throughout the World.

Poor people do not get justice anywhere except on rare cases. The

only option for them is always strike, violent opposition and the

dismantling of civilization brick by brick. The church has

identified so much with capitalism and has been paying for this

subtle compromise of the gospel. There is need for the church to

be nothing but church, a church of the poor and the oppressed

for whom the spirit of God was given to Christ (Luke 4:18):

- We have to make sure that we do not confuse religion and

politics (necessary human activities) with church and state

(separate institutions pursuing different ends for the same

subjects.)

- Armed with this healthy social theory, how do we spread it?

How do they begin to receive our attention in our papers and

academic works?

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IN NIGERIA: When politics verges on the religious, it is

usually tense, given the polarization of the population between

Christianity and Islam. The British fraud to hand over power to

the backward North set the time for what has become a perennial

peace of the cemetery in Nigeria. Once upon a time Nigeria was

clandestinely registered as a member of the organization of

Islamic Conference (O.I.C). The Naira bore an Arabic statement,

only recently expunged. The design of the National assembly is

an artistic piece that communicates so much about the Islamic

faith. The Abuja Central Mosque was built by the Federal

Government. The Government pays for the Hajj pilgrims but not

for the Christians. Sokoto State, a few years ago, had the temerity

to go by the number plate title, “Born to rule” before it was

dropped. Federal exams are graded differently to encourage the

backward north and discourage the progressive South East. The

North insisted that Religion and ethnicity would not be part of

the demographic indices for the 2006 census against the majority

voice. They had their way. Yet the Moslems are said to

outnumber Christians, a white lie for so long now, sustained by

this nation. Kano is slightly more populated than Lagos and we

just fold our hands and nod. An Igbo man cannot be the

president or the Inspector General of police or the Army chief or

the defense minister.

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The Obasanjo led P.D.P administration has led to the

decimation of South Easterners and their only means of

livelihood – Trading. From failed delivery of the Onitsha – Owerri

road to the dredging of the Niger; from the upgrading of the

Akanu Ibiam Ariport Enugu to the grounding of Slok, Chrome

and Sosolisso Airlines all owned by Ndigbo and their

replacement with Arik Air in which Obasanjo is fingered as a

major shareholder; from the banning of imported goods to the

Closure of Savanna Bank with its attendant retrenchment of

workers and the loss of staggering amount of money by Ndigbo; It

is a litany of plagues. Tell me why any sane Christian should

belong to this cartel or vote for them.

IN ANAMBRA: It is an in-house fighting among Christians

of the same tribe – Catholics and Anglicans. It is a know fact that

Catholics are late comers to politics. What Catholics have always

done has always been reactionary. When it blossoms into a full

scale war, I know the heavens will be let loose and all caution will

be thrown to the winds. Yet it will be an evil wind that will blow

nobody any good. My position has always been that any disciple

of common good is the best for us in public service. Church

leaders should not lead their flocks astray by the grab this –

office and – that mentality as though vices have become salvific.

The Pentecostals have joined the frenzy. This is anyway outside

the scope of religion and politics because this is purely

denominational politics.

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We have not begun to see the color of goodness. That is

why it has been planted in our preconscious that the first thing

to consider once an appointment is made is to ask “from which

denomination”?. A question which should worry us all is this:

which comes first, being human, being Igbo, and being Christian

or Catholic? Religion as practiced by our people is almost

becoming a curse. When we struggle to out do one another in

politics on religious grounds, it simply means that the society

does not believe in service, in freedom and in the equality of all. It

is only through service to communities and mankind that great

men and women are born. But our societies cannot produce them

anymore. The tragedy of our tradition! We fight so hard to

massage our bloated religious ego which has no spiritual value or

merit. Why should churches perpetuate division and hate in the

name of God? And pay lip service to the weightier matters of

justice and solidarity? Why could we not chase the Legislators of

Anambra State away from office during the childish impeachment

saga late in 2006? Because we did not elect them? Where is

Chuka okoli today and the Reverend gentleman who was part of

that robber commission? There is hue and cry from the catholic

quarter that in three months of Virgy Etiaba’s assent to power,

she removed more than six serving Catholics from offices without

due process and reasons. Why? If the allegation is true, Is that

being a good Anglican or being a good Christian? On grounds of

non-performance, there is no problem since there is no guarantee

that every catholic in office, performs well. Such Etiaban bravado

is an unnecessary affront.

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What about the dizzying embezzlement rumors that made rounds

in the State as well as the 30% up front that filled the air in the

three or four months of her stay? Of course most of our leaders

have no sense of proportion and they have continually been an

embarrassment to a decent society.

The burning of our state by hoodlums with the backing of

Abuja and the presidency took place in full glare of

Anambrarians. Yet that same party wants to come back and take

the state and some highly placed Anambrarians are urging us to

support them including Dora Akunyili,Igwe Obodoakor of Agulu

and the Obi Akalabo of Amesi among others. It is a shame to the

Igbo race that those who were once respected as giants have been

forced to assume the role of pawns on the Nigerian chessboard. I

see no reason why they should not be consigned to the dustbin of

history. Scarcely had Obasanjo reached Abuja from Anambra

State when the impeachment Saga started, yet he had the will to

come here and canvass for votes. The brand of Igbo people living

now, seem to be the most bereft of reason and dignity in our

recorded history.

IN OUR UNIVERSITIES: The story is not different. I have

said enough about the uselessness of religions in-fighting. It will

not make us grow. What about teacher – student relation? It is

common knowledge that a few students are lazy and some are

not as industrious as they ought to be. But we equally know that

students have faced rough times at the hand of some lecturers.

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Some have unjustifiably lost academic years and scores of grades

all in the name of victimization. I want to attribute it to the

weakness and lack of knowledge and vision of the student’s

union. The interests of some Students’ Union Government (SUG)

has always been money generated from the transport section or

levies. Students have forgotten how to be students. So how can

they defend themselves against the onslaught of greedy and

extortionist lecturers? Students are unconscious of their role and

position in society and so, Aluta Spirit has deserted them.

Students alone can change the face of Anambra State if they

want a brighter future.

CONCLUSION

We must carry the burden of our identities first as Igbo

people and secondly as Christians and find the right mix in

matters relating to religion, politics and culture. We have to

recognize the supreme thesis of Catholic social teaching as well

as the advancing political imperialism from the Western world

according to which we have been unwittingly constrained to

model our laws language, education, politics, economics, and the

complex gamut of development. In the end we do not have a life.

We are just a weak ghost copy of the west. When we know that

our systems are not serving right why do we stick to them? Why

would party allegiance supercede allegiance to Christ and the

Igbo nation?

There are two major ways in metaphysics of knowing that

a system to longer works.

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a). When major problems appear, that have to be solved but

cannot be solved.

b). When the exceptions (things that cannot be explained in

and by the system) mount up and are too many and very

clear that they should no longer be ignored.

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REFERENCE

Efeturi, O. (1996). Catholic Social Doctrine: An Introductory

Manual. Nairobi: Paulines Publications.

Einstein, A. (1954). Ideas and Opinions; New York: Bonanza

Books.

Greely, A. (1977). No Bigger than Necessary. New York: Meridian

Books.

Peschke, K. H. (1994). Christian Ethics: Moral Theology in the

light of Vatican II, Vol.2. Bangalore: Theological

Publications.

Schall J. V. (1982). The Church, the State and society in the

Thought of John Paul II. Illinois: Franciscan Herald Press.