By Kwangu Manda,
For several centuries, Christianity has been the epicenter of modern civilization. It transformed how we calculate time through the introduction of the Anno Domini system and the birth of the Gregorian calendar. It also shaped cultures and served as the precursor to what we now know as English Common Law. Christianity led to the rise of academic institutions and influenced early scientific research.
Through British influence, Zambia embraced Christianity, as did many other post-colonial countries. During its emerging years, the church played a significant role as a beacon of hope to society. It often served as a voice of peace and reconciliation in national matters and stood as a place of refuge for those who were broken and in despair. What ever happened to this mighty institution, and when did moral decay infiltrate its gates?
Perhaps one of the core problems is perpetual fragmentation. The 16th century saw the rise of Protestantism as the old, traditional institutions drifted away from the essence of the gospel—one of the perversions of institutionalism. Yet with the continuous process of church fragmentation, followers move further away from the roots. Just as gravity grows stronger the closer one gets to the core of the earth, so too does the church’s vitality depend on its closeness to the central theme of the Scriptures.
The church today can no longer clearly articulate its purpose and has fallen prey to the harlot—that temptress Proverbs warns about. It has traded Christ’s words of salvation for silver and gold and has made deities out of denominational leaders. By going into the world, the church has been seduced by it.
The church needs to return to its roots—that is, Christ. It was from Him that culture and the entire world shifted. The world is in an ugly state as it is. If the church would only remind the world of Christ, perhaps things could be better than they are now.
