The Accra Confession: An Aid to Regional Caribbean Unity – Diana de Graven

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

(Psalm 133: 1 NIV)

The Reformed Church in Suriname, which I am privileged to be part of, has only in April of this year become a member of CANACOM (Caribbean and North American Council for Mission). This giant leap of faith can be seen as an initial step to join the ranks with other Reformed Churches which are members of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. It has taken us more than twenty years to reach this point, but as the saying goes, “nothing happens before its time”.

As my denomination (the Reformed Church in Suriname, or RCS) is not yet a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, it was no wonder that I had never heard nor laid eyes on the Accra Confession. While in the process of completing my thesis to earn the degree of Master in Theology from the University of the West Indies at the United Theological College of the West Indies (UTCWI) in Kingston, Jamaica, I was asked to serve as one of the representatives of the College at the General Assembly of the Caribbean and North American Area Council (CANAAC). It was at this meeting that I first heard of the Accra Confession, which calls us to covenant for justice in the economy and the earth.

At first I had no idea of what everyone was talking about. However, throughout the sessions I was able to come to terms with and get a better understanding of this document. Initially as a pastor of a Reformed church I felt ashamed of not knowing anything about the Confession, but at the same time angry with my denomination for not working along with other Reformed bodies other than the former Reformed Church in the Netherlands, currently known as the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN). My presence at the General Assembly of the CANAAC led me to once again meet with members of CANACOM.  I could not help but interpret these encounters as a sign of God. The time had come for the Reformed Church in Suriname to join with other Reformed Churches in the region. Excited, encouraged and filled with hope, I forwarded the Accra Confession to my denomination to let them become aware of the existence of the document and at the same time urging them to finally make the decision to join CANACOM.

Being at the General Assembly of CANAAC provided me the opportunity to contemplate and discuss with others how this document could help churches and the wider community work toward justice in the economy and the earth. The Reformed Church in Suriname has not yet gotten the chance to take a closer look at the Confession, but as an individual I believe that the Accra Confession can be used as a very important tool in broadening the consciousness of the Caribbean church. It is no secret that all the Reformed churches in the region somewhat share the same history. We all were one way or the other transplanted in the region either by Europe or North America. Another thing is that through the centuries these churches have more or less held on to what was handed down by the “mother churches”. In my opinion the Accra Confession can help regional churches to become aware of what is really taking place in the social, political and economic lives of our people and not only acknowledge their lived realities, but at the same time create avenues of justice that are relevant in a biblical and  theological way.

Over the years the church in the region has drifted away from its Divine Commandment to love God above all and neighbor as self. The church has also grown more and more inward and in the process become oblivious of the social, political and economic injustices which befall God’s people.

There is a sentence in the “Letter from Accra” that captures it all: “For today’s world is divided between those who worship in comfortable contentment and those enslaved by the world’s economic injustice and ecological, social and political destruction who still suffer and die.” If we confess there is economic injustice, how then can we turn our backs to the lived realities of the people of God?

Paul in his letter to the Romans states “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed (reformed) by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12: 2, NRSV). It is God’s will that all people live in unity and harmony. It is God’s will that each of us equally share in the bounty of God’s grace and provision. Is this not part of our Reformed heritage? It is our duty to discern the will of God in the face of all the injustices done to God’s creation. I agree that this is more easily said than done, but I also believe that”our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ our righteousness”Through our risen Lord we have been given the power to liberate those entrusted to us from all injustices that enslave and imprison them.

It became clear to me at the General Assembly of the CANAAC in March that the majority of the members had not yet adopted or implemented the Accra Confession. There exists a great gap between member churches from the North and member churches from the South, which causes members not to be comfortable with each other. What was also visible and tangible is that even among members from either North or South, there was this sense of “uneasiness”. The members from the South, with their shared colonial history, experience the difficulty of letting go of the colonial legacy and mentality – namely, taking care of only those who are members of one’s denomination and ignoring the populi Dei.

Things have not changed in the past decade since the Accra Confession was formulated. But as I have stated earlier: “nothing happens before its time”.  The serious invitation to stand against all that denies life and hope for God’s people is still relevant. As Reformed churches in the region, we have to work together despite the many obstacles and barriers we are confronted with, whether it be isolation by water or isolation by language. If we fail to unite in the fight against economic injustice and the earth, we will have failed in declaring the liberating love of God through Christ to God’s people. Let us first, once and for all, forget the wounds of the past and focus on what is really happening with God’s creation beautifully displayed in this region.

I see my attendance at the General Assembly of CANAAC and the subsequent joining of my denomination in CANACOM as the work of God. It is my prayer that not only my denomination, but all the Reformed churches in the region stop the navel-staring and see and fight for all who suffer social, political and economic injustice. It is our task to care. We are each other’s keeper. May the love of Christ constrain us and the Accra Confession guide us.

Diana de Graven is the first Surinamese female Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Reformed Church in Suriname. She got ordained in October 1995 and is currently serving her third congregation. She served as member of the Continuation Committee of the Caribbean Council of Churches (CCC).