08.08.2019

The role of the intellectual women in the development of the church and the society

When is the first female pastor ordained by the Baptist Church in Central Africa?

Three big conferences were held in Goma from 12-30 July 2019, to finally respond to this burning question, which have been discussed since long time. The first meeting held in Centre Rudolf (12-13.07.2019) was gathering 44 women theologian and non-theologian, around the theme: The role of the intellectual women in the development of the church and the society. At the end of this conference, the women have signed a statement send to the Synod, which had to be held from 22^nd to 27^th July 2019. The main content of the message of the women was about the pastoral ordination for those who qualified. In fact, the church have trained many women but are not utilized in the high leadership. This gap is more visible in the pastoral ministry, where women have been allowed only in last February to be elected as church elders, a position very close to the pastoral ministry. But ordaining women as church elder or evangelist is not new idea. It was even decided by the synod in 2007. However, many districts did not implemented it. Rather some tended to ignore it, that why, the Synod in 2010 came back to remind all the districts to ordain women as church elders. In addition, the Synod required, in 2011 that some biblical and social cultural teachings on the women ministry should be developed in different congregations, in order mitigate the gender based segregation and in the same time to help this very patriarchal society to understand and accept the positive contribution of women in the church leadership. Now after eight years of teaching, are the congregant, finally ready to see the first female pastor? Is this even a problem of congregants only? The second meeting have opened the eyes of the CBCA leaders, to understand who really is blocking the women ordination.

SEPACA, the 4th seminar of all the Pastors (14th-20th 07.2019)

The seminar was organized in Goma in the particular context of outbreak of Ebola virus. All the sanitary measures were taken seriously. But this meeting which displaced more than 770 pastors from the whole country and different guests from the Office of the Eglise du Christ au Congo in Kinshasa, the Lutheran church of Tanzania, Baptist churches of Canada, Geneva churches, etc. was about to be canceled. In the eve, the minister of Health was alerted that the CBCA is spreading Ebola in North Kivu province by bringing pastors from the more affected area (Beni and Butembo). The minister called upon an urgent meeting to make sure that the city was safe. Rev. Samuel Ngayihembako, the CBCA president, and some other co-worker were invited to hear from the minister. The CBCA delegation explained to the minister that, all the pastors who will attend the seminar have been vaccinated. Therefore, there were no need to fear the big number of pastors coming from the northern part of the province. In the following day, unfortunately, a pastor from a revival church of Bukavu, who have traveled also from Butembo to Goma, was tested positive to the Ebola virus. This case brought a new confusion through the media, especially RFI, which did not clarify that the affected pastor was not from the CBCA. The minister of health was very worried. And the CBCA had to double-check, either the affected pastor was not in their midst. The victim was in the delegation of the CBCA, he was send back to Butembo, where he died some hours later. Why was the minister of health so scared of the presence of pastors from Butembo and Beni, since people are travelling every day from the same region without quarantine measures? And what is particular to this seminar?

Women ordination on the Agenda

It is really unfortunate that some people use the public misfortune to defend their egoistic opinions. Some days before the SEPACA, a group of members of the Baptist Church, very hostile against the women ordination have tried to threaten Rev. Samuel, the president of the Church, to ask him to cancel the SEPACA, because they were afraid that the women ordination would be discussed during the seminar. When they realized that he was committed to let the seminar take place in Goma, they alerted then the Minister of health, in order to cancel the seminar for Ebola reason. But, the real problem, was that, they don’t want to hear that women will be ordained.

What do pastors think about women ordination?

Women ordination was not the only issue to be discussed during the seminar. The main theme was “Discipleship”. However, an important attention was put on the issue of women ministry in the church. The issue was tackled under three aspects: biblical, cultural and contextual. And different people were asked to bring their contribution on this discussion, as recommended by the last UEM-General Assembly.

Biblical approach

Some pastors argue that Jesus did not choose any woman among the apostle, who, they believe, are the first pastors of the church. But in a very exegetic approach, Rev. Samuel Ngayihembako explained that the choice of twelve apostle (in the Gospels) was symbolic, only in the Jewish context. It could represent the twelve tribe of Israel. And even though the number of Apostle was more or less than twelve, they were still be called “the twelve”. But, when it came to the mission among all the nations, Jesus send seventy two disciples. This number, also symbolizes the entire nations known worldwide at that time. Among these disciples, a big number of women is present. They were even called Apostle (the case of Junia in Rom16,7). Since, the Baptist church is not working among Jewish, it is not relevant to refer to the Jewish tradition, rather to the ministry among the nations, whereby woman are strongly represented. Biblically, the church doesn’t have any reason to prevent women from the pastoral ministry. Those who want to do it, refer to their own cultures.

Cultural approach

Some pastors believe that women discrimination is a pattern of African cultural tradition. But, once more, Rev Samuel, who make a very rich research on the social change on the consideration of women in central African region, introduced briefly the result in his book “La degradation des Baghole”. He shows how women in different local cultures were considered as queens. Therefore, all mistreatment against women was severely punished. The degradation of the women condition, however, is to be seen in the slave trade. Women were targeted to be sold to the sultans and be kept in their arenas as wives and concubines. From that time, men on the way, started to hide their wives behind in order to protect them, in case they could meet the slave traders. Later on, the colonial powers did not provide any identity card for women and children, but all of them were registered on the booklet of the man. These two mistreatment of women had a negative impact on what will appear to be the new local culture in the time of missionaries. Otherwise, culturally, women was always respected and associated in all the social and religious leadership. As the culture changes with time a contextual approach is required to understand and tackle the issue of discrimination of women.

Contextual approach 

In this approach, different experiences were brought from Bishop Dr Alex Malasusa, Bishop Dr Abednego Keshomshahara and Terry Smith. For Bishop Dr Alex Malasusa, the women ordination is not a fashion, not imitation matter, not a political issue, even not a cultural problem, rather a spiritual decision. If God have chosen women to serve him like he chooses some men, who are human to resist against it? He advised that every district should be free to proceed, without waiting the last person to agree with it. Talking from the experience of Dar es Salaam, which is a big cosmopolite city, he explained that it is better to be contextual. The ministry in cosmopolite context like Goma, Kampala, Kinshasa, etc. requires both female and men competences. On the other side, Bishop Dr Keshomshahara from Bukoba Tanzania, explained that, although his diocese was the first to train a female theologian, it was the last to ordain a female pastor. This means to him that, there is no need of rush without a good preparation, and no interest for the church to delay when the time is right. For him, what is important, is to take a very serious decision without any pressure and not delay too long at a stand of frustrating women in the pastoral ministry. From the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), Terry Smith introduced the recent statement of the Baptist community in which (1) they repent from the teaching which have prevent the development of women like other human being created in the God’s image and as entire member of the Body of Jesus-Christ. (2) They then create an environment of equity for men and women in all the leadership of the church and the Baptist world alliance organization. (3) The Baptist World Alliance takes care of the inclusive language in the liturgy, the biblical reading and the church publication. After these presentations, most of the pastors were convinced that women should be directly ordained. The process have to start as soon as possible. But to avoid some conflicts which can lead to splits of radical groups, the SEPACA suggested to appoint female theologian as Evangelist associated to pastors in different parishes. This is to help congregants to be used to see women serving in the church as pastors. However, the final decision have to be taken by the Synod.

40th Synod of CBCA (22nd-27th 07.2019)

After the two big conferences, the Synod was gathered in the Centre d’Accueil Tuneko in Goma. After hearing the main suggestion about the women ministry, over the hundred present members of the Synod, a large majority decided to ordain women for the pastoral ministry. According to the process, they will not be difference between the process for men and for women. The next female associate evangelist who will be appointed in different parishes will be examined by the ministry commission, which is in charge of the pastoral ordination, after a regular period of two or three years. This means explicitly, that the first female Baptist pastor is expected from 2021, and might be among these four who are already appointed as church elders and working as pastors in different parishes. It is evident, that the way is no longer. Rev. Dr Kambale Kahongya Bwiruka (UEM Advocacy office)