By Isidore Emeka Uzoatu.
For some time now, the defunct Church of Nigeria union of Methodism and Anglicanism has fallen off the radar of importance in Nigerian Christianity. But for an ostensible usurpation of the nomenclature by its Anglican faction, seldom is the effort ever mentioned even in clerical conversations, let alone treatises.
Historically, the union dates back to 1867 when Christian missions at work in the Nigerian vineyard sought cooperation. But it only came to a head in 1966 when a union between the Anglicans, Methodists and Presbyterians was almost consummated before it collapsed at the last hour. Of course the Baptists had earlier reneged after an initial agreement to join the fray.
Interestingly, while the merger talks prevailed, no major disagreements were recorded in the theoretical aspects of the union. Trouble only reared up a head as it reached the implementation of the agreements of union. Or, like a cynic did point out, ‘trouble only started when it came to the sharing of spoils.’ Though neither there nor here, it clearly shows that nothing stands between them and a new beginning.
Yet before the debilitating debacles that forced its demise, it was to have been a landmark achievement in global, nay African ecumenism. Yes, the expectation had been that high. All procedures towards the union had been ironed out peacefully. Like it came to pass, a date for the event had even been fixed for December the 11th 1965 in Lagos. Some guests had even arrived while most were on the way before the unexpected prevailed.
As recounted in the late Professor O. U. Kalu’s Divided People of God: Church Union Movement in Nigeria 1867-1966 (NOK Publishers, New York, London, Lagos; 1978), the indefinite postponement of the event took all by surprise. Following revitalised movements in ecumenism at the end of World War II, many saw it as the only thing left for the missions turned churches to fulfil their destiny in Christendom. Most especially as all the spearheads of the then multifarious calls for the indigenisation of everything in Africa following political independence aptly saw denominationalism as the sore foot of our Christianity.
In the words of late Mojola Agbebi, a foremost cultural nationalist, it never seemed as though ‘it is appointed to foreign teachers with their countless sects and myriad dogmas to clothe African personality with the toga of manhood.’
Anyway, apart from the failure of the aptly named Church of Nigeria movement back then, current events have served to call for a return to its drawing table. The enemy across the border apart, the Nigerian Anglican Church had in a bold move in 2002 changed their nomenclature most intelligibly. As it stands, the onus is now on all the factions to perhaps, apart from doing the same, return to the drawing board once more and continue from where they had stopped. This call is most pertinent now that some waters of the woke colouration have been forced to pass under their bridges.
Take the Anglicans, for instance. Because they view recent changes within the Church of England – regarding the affirmation of same-sex relationships and the appointment of leaders who support such views as a departure from the historic, orthodox Christian faith – a new alignment has been forged. Named Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), it came alive in 2008 when rather than the Lambeth decennial in Canterbury, they chose to create ‘a formal schism’ by congregating in Jerusalem instead. Thusly, pledging ‘to no longer participate in meetings convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury or engage in financial exchanges with the Anglican Consultative Council.’
Ditto the Methodist Church in Nigeria. Largely aligned to traditional interpretations of marriage as being between a man and a woman, has caused a significant split with the more liberal Methodist Church in Britain over issues like same-sex marriage. While the British church has embraced same-sex marriage, the Nigerian church has vehemently opposed it, leading to a vote of no confidence and a breakdown of formal ties.
Therefore, it’s generally believed that these developments are a kind of renewal of the earlier clarion calls that had necessitated the merger talks ab initio. According to some keen observers of our theological space, the time is now ripe for a resumption of the abandoned talks. According to the eggheads, had it been consummated back then, it would have nipped the schism talks now afloat in the bud.
Utmost in this scheme of renewal call is the reality that the paucity of trained personnel that was a stumbling block the last time has mostly been met by all the parties. As at presently, all of them have so improved the training of their clergy that they can now rival Rome, their perennial rivals easily. What with the current spate of refresher training being afforded their clergy.
Via these, not only have those initially lagging behind set up theological colleges to that effect, they are also training them in the secular universities, colleges and polytechnics. Also, a development that has seen so many top-notch academics and professionals choosing to join their fold has since supervened.
So, as it stands, there appears to be less stumbling blocks to the enactment of the union like before. All the more so now that one of the major holdbacks has been solved by fate. Unless we ourselves are the original stumbling blocks like some have suggested to this transformation from a midlife of crises to an afterlife of triumphalism.
Uzoatu wrote from Onitsha, Anambra State
