The decision by senior clergyman Bishop Herro Blair to accept the government’s invitation to co-ordinate the Hurricane Melissa relief efforts for Religious and Faith-Based Organisations, has raised concerns among Christians.
Bishop Blair was announced as the national co-ordinator by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, Olivia “Babsy” Grange during a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday, November 3.
“I announce today that bishop the honorable Dr. Herro Blair has been appointed the national co-ordinator of our religious and faith-based organizations team to engage and co-ordinate relief efforts with all religious and faith-based groups including Rastafarians, the revivalists, the Muslim, the Hindus, the Bahai and others,” she said.
Among those expressing concern about the Bishop’s decision to accept the role is Spanish Town based pastor, Bishop Omar Ricketts. He feels Bishop Blair, a former political ombudsman, should have declined the invitation.
“I believe that it is poor judgement, because…he is carrying the mandate of government, not the mandate of God,” said Bishop Ricketts when contacted by the Freedom Come Rain newspaper.
Bishop Ricketts said while there is need for more clarity on what exactly Bishop Blair will be doing, the move by the government to co-ordinate relief efforts by the church community is troubling.
“I think the government should stay out of anything to do with church and concentrate on managing a government and leave church to men and women of God. The conscience of society must be the priest and the prophet and the prophetess, so called and ordained by God to do religious activities, not an act of government,” he said.
It is to be seen how Bishop Blair, a Christian, will navigate discussions with persons of other religions that have a completely different belief system. While Christians worship the One True God, practices of the other faith go against the Biblical command to not worship any other gods.
Civil society groups, persons from the diaspora, businesses, sports personalities, and ordinary Jamaicans have been stocking up and distributing relief items to donate to communities badly affected by Hurricane Melissa. The government however announced from more than a week ago that Grange would be co-ordinating the distribution by the churches.
Grange has intensified her efforts in recent years to push the acceptance of revivalism in Jamaica. On May 28 this year, the country celebrated the National Revival Conference and Church Service at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, which saw revivalists from across the country in attendance. The intention was to also commemorate the birth day of former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Edward Seaga, who championed the acceptance of revivalism in the country.
“Zion people, 165 years later, have moved from hidden worship to national celebration. Revivalists no longer gather in secrecy, but in unity and pride. What an extraordinary time to be a Revivalist in Jamaica. As a Ministry, it is our duty to ensure that every Jamaican knows their cultural and spiritual heritage is seen, respected, and protected. When we speak of Brand Jamaica, the world must understand that it includes our spiritual traditions — like Revivalism — now recognised by UNESCO on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list. And on what would have been his birthday, we honour Edward Seaga, the cultural visionary whose work helped bring Revivalism to the national stage,” stated an Instagram post bearing Grange’s name and image.
Thirteen ministers of religion had officiated at Seaga’s funeral in June 2019, including a Revivalist pastor. The funeral was officiated by Bishop Anthony Cousins of the Afro Christian Revival Church, Israel Pinchas of the United Congregation of Israelites, Sheik Musa Tijana, leader of the Islamic Council of Jamaica and Bishop Blair among others.
Bishop Blair thanked Grange during the media briefing on Monday, for inviting him to co-ordinate the efforts from the religious and faith based communities.
“This call is driven by the mandate to show care and compassion that is enshrined in Jesus’s command to Christians. Love your neighbour as you love yourself. We as people of faith are constrained to act with urgency that is driven by the enormity of the devastation and the despair that our brothers and sisters now face. We therefore encourage the nation with the news that the faith-based community is being mobilized to show mercy with the conviction that our approach must be seen clinically, collaboratively, co-ordinated and compassionate,” he said.
“The immediate focus and mission of all people of faith must now
be to relieve suffering and to bring hope. The people in Western Jamaica
do not have the time to wait for us to debate our differences. Nor do they have the option of delay,” he continued.
Bishop Blair was joined by Bishop Gooden Benguche, president of the Jamaica Council of Churches while giving his statement. Benguche faced intense backlash in September after she took part in a formal prayer and blessing for state owned buses. Many Jamaicans were offended after Transport Minister Daryl Vaz poured rum on the buses during the event. The Jamaica Umbrella Groups of Churches then called on Vaz to retract videos showing the libation ritual from social media and issue a statement clarifying that the group was not involved in it.
In Jamaica, there is a move to legalise obeah, while globally, organisations like the United Nations is pushing for inter-faith religion. It means the world religions should work together, without offending each other, for the good of all.
