Dear Editor,
It is with some concern l write regarding the published comments regarding Bishop Juan Edghill’s public endorsement of the presidential candidate, Donald Ramotar and the People’s Progressive Party/C. Bishop Edghill’s open endorsement seems to have caused some ruffles amongst certain sections of the society; however, I wish to point out that his action is not unusual for this part of the world.
I wish to remind readers that there is a rich history of religious leaders’ involvement in Latin America and the Caribbean – priests, bishops and cardinals – in the struggle for democracy and the transformation of societies through the reduction of poverty, restoration of human rights and development.
Here too in Guyana, in the struggles for the restoration of democracy, religious leaders such as Bishop Singh and Bishop George openly called on their congregations to support free and fair elections and to support the restoration of democracy. The role of Christian priests such as Father Morrison, Father Malcolm Rodrigues, Reverend Dr Bisnauth, and Hindu priests such as Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud and imams such as Fazeel Feroze is well documented. Their participation in the change that occurred in the October 5, 1992 elections was very significant. Some played an overtly active part in some political parties whilst others joined civil society bodies for democracy.
Gustavo Guttierrez, a Peruvian Dominican priest and theology professor was the founder of the Liberation theology in the late 1950s. The Consejo Episcopal Latino Americano (CELAM) was formed in 1955 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and by the 1968 Medellin Conference it supported the concept of “basic ecclesiastical communities” and liberation theology. The 1979 Conference proposed preferential “options for the poor”. Guttierrez fought for and advocated that liberation and salvation were the same thing; that the first step was to transform society, the second step to transform oneself and the third and fourth step was the transformation of one’s relationship with God.
To name a few of the liberation theologists – Catholic priests such as Professor Leonardo Boff, a Franciscan priest from Brazil; Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador (who was assassinated in 1983); and Juan Luiz Segundo, a Jesuit from Uruguay; Methodist priests such as Jose Miquel Bonino of Argentina; and Presbyterian priest Ruben Alves and Pastor Paulo Freire of Brazil. The latter most interestingly joined the Workers’ Party in 1980 which produced former President Lula and sitting President Dilma Rousseff. Today Pastor Freire’s Christian Educational Institute is supported by the Assemblies of God. Pastor Freire also served as a consultant to the Maurice Bishop New Jewel Movement government, President Nyerere in Tanzania and the first Sandanista government as well as the World Council of Churches.
Feminist theologians in more recent times have also made their mark in regards to the church playing an active role in transforming society and building harmony across different faiths such as Letty Mandeville Russell, first woman to be ordained in the United Presbyterian Church who always sought “unity grounded in understanding achieved through dialogue” and Catholic theologian Elizabeth Schussier Fiorenza, to name a few.
Not only did these religious leaders, priests and theologians incorporate traditions and beliefs from their churches but they used theological texts and blended these with the struggles for justice and transformation of their societies. Undoubtedly, their actions and writings were met in some circles with some anxiety and criticism by their more orthodox leaders.
The involvement of priests in government is not unusual. The new Sandanista government in 1980 appointed Ernesto Cardenal, a Jesuit priest as the Minister of Culture; Fernando Cardenal, also a Jesuit priest, as Minister of Education who led the massive literacy drive in the first Sandanista government which reduced illiteracy from 50% of the population to 12%; and Miquel D’Escoto Brockmann, an ordained Catholic priest for the Maryknoll congregation as Minister of Foreign Affairs. D’ Escoto Brockmann was elected by acclamation to the presidency of the UN General Assembly in 2008 and presided over the 63rd General Assembly. In his acceptance speech at the UN, he said “I hope my presidency will address what has become a universal clamour all over the world for the democratization of the United Nations”.
Today he is a member of the Council Advisory Committee of the UN Human Rights Council.
In 2008, former Bishop Fernando Lugo Mendez was elected President of Uruguay; he continues to hold that office introducing social reforms to help the poor such as low income housing programmes, free health care and cash payments to the poor and vulnerable.
Bishop Edghill’s public endorsement of a political party is merely a continuation of the tradition of faith-based leaders to play a critical role in the transformation of society and to promote the role of the church and God in man’s efforts. This is a man who was elected chairman by the parliamentary nominated members of the ERC and has served in the difficult times of the 2002-2008 violent crime wave contributing in no small measure towards building social cohesion and peace. In the aftermath of the Lusignan and Bartica massacres he galvanized religious leaders from all the various faith-based organizations to restore peace and address the trauma the families and entire communities were suffering.
The integration of faith-based organizations and leaders into the body politic of Guyana’s national developmental strategy through dialogue and inclusion has emerged and become consolidated in the last 5 years.
Some political parties should do some “soul searching” of their own as their constant assault on Bishop Edghill over the last 7 years, their uncompromising behaviour in the National Assembly as regards the re-appointment of the Ethnic Relations Commission due to their blind obsession to ensure that he should serve as a member or head of that rights body again, coupled with their most recent recourse to the courts may well have contributed to the Bishop deciding to endorse the PPP/C slate.
Similar such circumstances also catapulted Leonardo Boff and Gustavo Gutterriez to choose to fight on the side of justice and non-violence, despite fierce opposition from their religious organizations.
As Howard Brinton, a Quaker, wrote “within the meeting equality appears in the equal opportunities for all to take part, regardless of age, sex or ability. It means equality of respect and the resulting absence of all words and behaviour based on class, race or social distinction.”
Yours faithfully,
Gail Teixeira
Presidential Adviser on Governance
