African Catholic Priests: Confronting an Identity Problem

4. Prophets in Hostile Politics

107 Chapter Four Prophets in Hostile Politics The African continent is breathing a new era, an era of democracy. To come to a stage where justice can be exercised in different social segments, it demands that the people listen to the voice of prophets sent to them. In every part of the continent now there is urgency for an active prophetic role. Soon after the Kairos Document was released on 28 September 1985 in South Africa, it elicited a wide range of reactions and responses. It made a call to move from “church theology” to “prophetic theology.” It expressed the appreciation that leaders like Desmond Tutu, Frank Chikane and Beyers Naude have shown a good example for practising prophetic courage during the time of Apartheid. Archbishop Desmond Tutu is widely acclaimed to be prophetic, because he daringly criticized the evils of Apartheid, to his own risks of being brutalized by the regime that did not tolerate critics especially from “revolutionaries” like Bishop Tutu.1 Unfortunately, at the post-Apartheid era there is a tendency to shun away from prophetic courage of the past. The document Kairos Document, has pointed out the concern that a number of prominent church people and Christian activists, were beginning to take their place in the corridors of political power. In short prophets of the Apartheid era were becoming parliamentarians within the social dispensation.2 What the Kairos Document is worried about is the fall of prophetic courage in Africa, and this is especially of concern because the churches too are accused of neglecting their prophetic mandate. Mukoma wa Ngugi a Kenyan writer remarks; “many churches have lost sight of these simple truths. Unlike those who stood against apartheid and other dictatorships, many churches have now fallen into a political apathy. They have forsaken the duty to take a higher moral and political ground in order to give people a new vision.”3 The need for the Church to play an active part in prophetic ministry was emphatic and spoken in clear terms by participants of the first African Synod of Bishops in 1994. In their own words: ‘“The Church,” they declared, “ must continue to exercise her prophetic 108 role and be the voice of the voiceless,” so that everywhere the human dignity of every individual will be acknowledged, and that people will always be at the centre of all government programmes...Evangelization must denounce and combat all that degrades and destroys the person. The condemnation of evils and injustices is also part of the ministry of evangelization in the social field which is an aspect of the Church’s prophetic role”’ (EIA 1995: no.70). To place prophesy as significant component in the process of evangelisation is crucial and ushers a new hope for the continent. In African cultural understanding fortune-tellers have been linked to soothsaying and foretelling of the future. This has led to the understanding of prophets as opportunists, relegated as an appendix group in society. Prophets have been taken negatively as people who bring unhappy news, who do not wish to cooperate with others. For that prophets have been marginalized as bearers of “oracles of doom.” With this background African chiefs and politicians have been quick at eliminating prophets. The negative perception of prophets has prompted the emergence of false prophets whose duty has been to foretell good news that pleases those on power and their clients. This has diverted the understanding of a prophet as a man send by God, and who deserves to be listened. The proliferation of witchdoctors as fortune tellers has contributed also to water down the prophetic institution in traditional societies. The Bible gives us a good understanding of who a true prophet is. Prophets in the Bible Prophecy is a distinct charism in the history of salvation. Although linked with kingship and priestly office, it existed as a unique element which was especially active during political crisis. Prophetic charism has its roots among the Israelites as people chosen by Yahweh to be his people. It is to be noted that once established, the chosen nation forgot the precepts of the covenant, to adore Yahweh and practice justice. The Israelites always entered into alliance with surrounding empires, a compromise which led them to embrace pagan idols of their neighbours. The prophets emerged as outright critics. 109 Prophets were called at the right time to address the will of God when the people had forgotten...