Abstract
This article argues that while the National Day of Prayer in Zambia has its inception in political context, it has obligated the institutional churches to break out of their religiously fixed spaces, forcing them to suspend their official doctrinal positions for that specific day, and embrace each other in enacting what could be classified as “public ecclesiology ecumenism”. The article defines public ecclesiology ecumenism as the manifestation of institutionally-defined churches in public spaces to celebrate a common liturgical life in Christ through prayer, songs, preaching, and promotion of unified prophetic witness in the public. However, being a political initiative makes the Day of Prayer a potentially dangerous neo-colonial space for advancing a dominant political ideology which perpetuates corruption and exploitation of the masses. Thus, one of the core tasks of the churches is to liberate, reclaim, and reconstitute the Day of Prayer into a prophetic site of struggle against political corruption and poor governance by seeking to produce alternative public and political cultures.
Highlights
IntroductionBrazilian ecumenist Fernando Enns (2007, p. xxiv) argues, “Ecclesiology is . . . a sphere of authentication for ecumenicity; but ecumenicity is a sphere of authentication for ecclesiology.”
Brazilian ecumenist Fernando Enns (2007, p. xxiv) argues, “Ecclesiology is . . . a sphere of authentication for ecumenicity; but ecumenicity is a sphere of authentication for ecclesiology.”one can argue that ecumenicity and ecclesiology, mutual authenticated realms, are a crucial locus of authentication and a source of authority for the church’s prophetic voice in the public arena
The specific focus on prophetic witness is in keeping with ecclesiology ecumenism public dimensions and African notions of ecumenism which have been largely understood in prophetic terms
Summary
Brazilian ecumenist Fernando Enns (2007, p. xxiv) argues, “Ecclesiology is . . . a sphere of authentication for ecumenicity; but ecumenicity is a sphere of authentication for ecclesiology.”. Public ecclesiology ecumenism legitimates the narrative from and of the margins as a divine missional instrument for negating, dismantling, and promoting resistance against elitist political vision and version of the public It seeks to assert the honor and dignity of the margins, keeping alive their hopes and visions of just and equitable forms of socio-relational, economic, and political interactions. Ecclesiology ecumenism seeks to prophetically witness to God’s mission by rearticulating the public spheres from the underside of modernity and enabling various churches to engage as a unified body of Christ beyond local congregations for the sake of the public good. This article explores public ecclesiology ecumenism in the National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance, and Reconciliation (short form, the Day of Prayer) in Zambia It utilizes media content analysis of news articles, reviews, commentaries, and reflections from the WhatsApp blog under the group name: “One nation under Christ”. For an in-depth treatise on these theologies, especially in relation to ecumenism (see Tavard 1992; Healy 2000)
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