What is humanity without peace? What is the world, when peace is evaporating in the midst of the man in the mirror? A word which shows more, above and beyond the human encompasses of love, faith, hope and other enjoyments of life. A body of church in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denomination (ZHOCD) has reminded the churches and the world, the core role of promoting peace and justice as it has noted with great peril, the declining of peace in Zimbabwe and other countries, a worrisome feat, the world has achieved in recent years.
In a statement seen by ZimGospels Magazine, the statement, calls upon the world leaders to prioritize peace, justice and human rights. “Let us work together to promote dialogue and understanding, address root causes of conflict, and protect human dignity and rights. Let us choose the path of love and peace,” the statement.
With the world and Zimbabwe taking a knocking, the church has been praying for peace which is God’s free gift to humanity, as the Bible clearly says, “the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding be with you.” The church is holding a placard for the world leaders, the United Nations and above all the people on the earth to choose peace over violence. Michael Jackson in his popular song, “Heal the World,” says that the world should be a land of peace, harmony and love, so that the children can think it’s a better place for them.
With the church on the midst of the world, it has gone and noticed the elusiveness of peace being caused by inequalities, corruption and wars. “Yet, we observe with concern the absence of peace in our world, bringing profound suffering to the poor and vulnerable among humanity. We ask: why is peace elusive? Factors such as glaring inequalities, pervasive corruption, and the deadly weapons trade contribute to this elusiveness, breeding conflict and despair.” It is a heartbreaking and rendering experience, for the churches, not only in Zimbabwe, but world all over, to preach about peace, but the world has gone another way, quoting from the Gospel of Matthew 5 vs 9. The Bible teaches us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Wars, armed conflicts and civil violence are escalating, affecting both the fragile states and major powers. Conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, the Middle East, Myanmar, Sudan, Ethiopia, Israel, and the Palestinian territories are contributing to rising tension and humanitarian crises, which the church is entirely concerned with. The peace has since been declining since 2014, according to Global Peace Index (GPI).
Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) has noted with concern that there is negative peace in the nation, with many facing unemployment, social illness of drug and substance abuse and other problems. The church body has sine urged churches to carry out health and awareness campaigns, with churches such as Anglican and Methodist rising up with campaigns to fight against drug and substance through sports and recreational activities.
“In this context, we urge international partners to consider debt cancellation to alleviate the economic burden on our nation and local leadership to alleviate the situation and arrest the social evils that threaten the very fibre of our society. Such a step could enable Zimbabwe to redirect critical resources towards vital sectors such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure development, addressing poverty and inequality,” the statement read.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Poverty is the worst of violence.” The church body has since urged the leaders and the people to address the underlining issues to bring in more positive peace
“We can move towards a more positive peace- one marked by justice, equity and human dignity for all Zimbabweans. Let us work together to build a more peaceful, just and stable society in Zimbabwe and contribute to global peace efforts,” the statement read.
The late Pope Francis, on World Day of Peace, which is celebrated on the 1st January preached that peace is not the absence of conflict, but also of love and compassion, the God’s free gift to humanity. “Gifts that we should graciously receive and generously share.” The Pope reflected on, “Forgive us our trespasses; Grant us Your Peace.”
