Dimapur, April 22 (MExN): The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) today called for political justice, Rule of Law and striving for goals based entirely on the voice of the people. The NBCC was sounding the clarion as part of “resolutions” undertaken during the Baptist organization’s platinum jubilee celebrations held during April 19-21 in Kohima.
The NBCC issued a copy of the “resolutions” to the Media today. Very interestingly, out of the six ‘resolutions’ declared by the church organization, only one concerned with Faith. The other points were primarily about the Naga political issue, taxation or extortion, governance and electoral processes, environment, gender equality and organizational objectives. Also, contextualizing Rule of Law, Freedom of Choice and Human rights, the church has also appealed to the Naga underground groups to immediately stop the violence they engage in and the “forcible collections” they exact from the people.
On the first resolution titled “one nation building and peace,” the NBCC expressed concern about the unresolved and protracted Naga political issue and the “sporadic eruption” of armed conflicts among the underground factions, the “unchecked taxations,” undisciplined underground cadres and other human rights violations. Noting them, the NBCC called for respecting the democratic process, the Rule of Law and heeding to the wisdom of the voice of the people.
The Baptist church then called upon all the underground factions to immediately stop all forms of killings, intimidation, and “forcible collections.” The objective is to create space for nation-building based on Biblical principles and work towards a shared future, the NBCC said. The church said that the groups must now be “accountable to God and the people as no single group holds monopoly on nationalism.”
On governance and elections, the NBCC appealed to the policy makers and those in the government to “intensify and intentionally make efforts to promote good governance where transparency and accountability is integral and to guarantee social justice and equal economic opportunities to all its citizens.”
“(The NBCC calls) upon all citizens, communities, the churches, political parties and their candidates to ensure free and fair elections befitting a democratic society and that the elections are not vitiated by use of money and material inducements, impersonations, booth capturing and community decisions that go against individual freedom of choice.”
The Baptist church also affirmed the Biblical principle that every individual is endowed with a unique identity and freedom of choice which are birth rights given by God.
The church assured that it would engage “corporate failures of accountability, as an important element of Baptist heritage in the world.” Hence, the NBCC stated, the church will address causes and symptoms of all forms of corruption, and their harmful effect on the society through education, advocacy, lobbying, and prophetic witness of the church.
On environment, the NBCC reaffirmed the “Rotomi resolution No. 8” of February 2011 that the Baptist churches will initiate Climate Change adaptation strategies and other “eco-biological” friendly actions; sensitize on conservation of forest and preservation of wild life, and work closely with the community leaders and concerned departments to address “the environment alarm.” The church also assured to “abstain from using jungle meat during NBCC and churches gatherings” and discourages churches from offering wild animals during thanksgiving services.
On gender equality, the NBCC reminds that “....God created mankind in His image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them” (Gen 1:27). The NBCC has urged the local Baptist churches and their associations/councils to “avail the Christian services of both men and women as equal in the ministry of the church.”
The Baptist church also resolved on strengthening the NBCC; the resolution expressed gratefulness to God and reaffirms the “Baptist heritage of Scripture alone, upholding freedom of choice of the individual, safe guarding human rights, and the autonomy of the local church.” The NBCC has called for strengthening the ministry of the council and be intentional in contextualizing in today’s world, “to remain faithful to God through the ministry of the NBCC, the apex organization of the Baptist churches in Nagaland.”
On prayer, the NBCC stands on the Biblical truth that God has through the death of Jesus on the Cross, created a new humanity in Christ. “We PRAY that God will give us the grace to respect and accept one another as God’s own child and to build up each other.”
