| The Killing of a Religious Leader |
| A statement by the Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo |
| CEYLON 081208-1 December 5, 2008 |
 |
[The Church of Ceylon (E-P) - Ceylon] The recent killing of a Hindu Priest, Sivasri Subramanyan Kamalraj of the Mariamma Kovil in Batticalao, is a tragic and senseless act and must be condemned by all persons committed to religious values and peace.
I extend the condolences of our Church to Swami Sivaraj’s wife and children and the Hindu community of the East. May God absorb and convert your sorrow into a stronger commitment to end this destructive violence that the vast majority of our people of all communities do not want .
This killing is one of a spate of recent killings of civilians, TMVP Cadres and Security personal that has spread fear, suspicion and desperation in the East. The President must take note of this totally unacceptable trend and ensure that those responsible for security will establish law and order without delay. If this is to happen effectively, Civil Society leaders of the East should be consulted. This brazen disregard for the sanctity of life must stop.
With Peace and Blessings to all
Rt. Rev. Duleep de Chickera
Bishop of Colombo
5th December 2008
| Restorative Justice in the Healing of our Nation |
| The Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo |
| CEYLON 081025-1 October 25, 2008 |
|
Excerpts from the Pastoral Address of the Bishop to the Diocesan Council on 25th October 2008
[The Church of Ceylon (E-P) - Ceylon] The tragedy of our Nation is the rapid deterioration of universal human values. People’s rights and needs are being systematically disregarded. This trend is compounded with the absence of a constructive opposition and civil society intervention. The triumph of corruption, intimidation, divisiveness, violence and lawlessness is dangerously gaining social endorsement. Correspondingly, the drive for good governance, social integration and law and order has ceased to motivate the people. Many are either too frightened or pessimistic to attempt change.
To make matters worse the population is being suffocated by the unprecedented high cost of living. While world economic trends make some impact on the cost of living, corruption and the lack of financial vision and planning aggravates the local situation. We often hear of allegations of the abuse of public office for personal gain, and financial extravagance and waste by those holding responsible office. As at present little is being done to arrest this trend which hits the poorest segments of our society, hardest.
The deterioration of law and order continues to be worrying. Brazen and violent acts of crime occur frequently. Media personnel in particular have been subject to assassinations harassment and intimidation. After arrest and a long period of detention without charges, the Sunday Times Columnist Tissanayagam’s case continues to drag. Lawyers who intervene in human rights cases are subject to acts of violence and threats. The attack on Mr Weliamuna’s house is a current case in point. In-spite of the rhetoric hardly any detections are made by an otherwise alert intelligence service. The net result is that the natural course of justice is seriously impeded and the people increasingly lose confidence in the law enforcement authorities.
Plight of Tamil Civilians
The Tamil community continues to undergo severe hardship in all parts of the Country. Many are trapped in the struggle for military supremacy and the divisive political agendas of the warring sides. Tamils are also treated with growing suspicion and are subject to harassment as the anti terrorist propaganda taints them all as threats to National security. The recent requirement for Tamils only, from the North and East to register with the police, sent out signals that Tamils particularly must be kept under surveillance. Little thought was given to the hostility that these equal citizens consequently encounter in their neighbourhoods.
The inability of the majority of sensible peace loving Sri Lankans to discern the signs of the times contributes to this worsening situation. We today breathe the political air we have helped to create. What we are now experiencing is; ‘anomie’ a word coined by the early 20th Century sociologist Durkheim to describe a society influenced by the absence of norms. For Durkheim the way out of ‘anomie’ was through education; both formal and non formal. We however need a much more comprehensive counter-trend to return to a value based society.
What this Country needs immediately is an ethos of democratic pluralism in which dissent will be welcome, diversity respected and minorities treated as equals. Visionary and inclusive leaders and multi cultural schooling will be indispensable for this process. It is as we stop demonising the other and our children associate with each other that we will learn to co-exist.
The need for dialogue
Our violent approach to resolving conflict and historic grievance must also change. Security is a requirement in a modern State. But war, the recognition that our own will be killed in confrontation, even out of provocation or desperation, is never the answer. Time tested methods of dealing with conflict such as negotiations, dialogue, consensus and compromise need to be affirmed and pursued instead. From here we will grow to understand that the devolution of political power within an united Nation is the path that an enlightened people travel. Our numerous peace conversations and agreements of the past and the experiences of other countries are resources that need to be harnessed with humility.
A substantial answer to the erosion of law and order is the implementation of the 17th amendment. This will ensure impartiality and accountability in the sectors that maintain law and order and lead to the reduction of corruption and crime. It will also enable Civil Society, the Media and the several democratic institutions to impact on the process of good governance.
The Church, like all religions has a part to play in this transformation. A particular contribution that the Church can offer towards the healing of the Nation is restorative justice. This demanding but rewarding shift will enable forgiveness and reconciliation and bring healing to both victim and perpetrator. It breaks the cycle of revenge.
We should however bear in mind that Christians are just as much to blame for what our Nation has become. So we are called to demonstrate both repentance and faithfulness in Christ. We must be converted and take on the role of servants, pastors and prophets. It is only then that we will become useful instruments of peace, justice and reconciliation in the Nation.
Ecumenism
In November this year our Diocese will join a Confederation of Churches along with several Churches affiliated with the National Christian Council. On the two previous occasions that we met at Council we voted almost unanimously to do so. This is now a decision that we are committed to. I once again remind all our Clergy and Congregations to study the changes this will bring and to enter this new relationship with humility and hope.
Confederation will require us to deliberate and act together with our sister Churches in our common witness for Christ in Sri Lanka today. Our choice for Confederation will from now on deprive us of the right to refrain from joint action in certain agreed areas. We will be called to discover our place in a wider fellowship and process and this will take time. There could also be set-backs. But if we are prepared to work hard and move with humility and discernment, the common witness of our churches will be enhanced and Christ honoured. So may we rise up, pick up the basin and be prepared to wash one another’s feet.
If we give this step and the process that follows our best effort in Christ there is every possibility that we will grow together into a United Church under Christ for Sri Lanka. I call the Diocese to study, prayer and commitment and urge as many as possible to attend the services on the 30th of November in Colombo and elsewhere.
Inter-faith solidarity
Important as Confederation is I would like to place this step in the context of a much wider calling. Denominational ecumenism should always be a step in the direction of wider ecumenism and National Integration. Our coming together in Christian Confederation must foster greater understanding among the faiths and communities of our beloved Sri Lanka.
This is necessary for several good reasons; but let me mention two. We are a Nation of worldreligions and we are a Nation in turmoil. We are therefore compelled to live with mutual respect for each other and to harness our collective spiritualities and resources to bring stability and dignity for all our people.
I am immensely grateful for all initiatives taken by our Clergy and Congregations in building inter-faith solidarity leading to social trust in various parts of the Country. My Pastoral visit in early September to Vavuniya ended with a Dana given by the Chief Incumbent of Vavuniya. The local Christian leaders who participated were all Tamils. Our conversation around the table centred on our role as religious leaders in the current National crises. Here then, is just one example of how inter faith solidarity contributes to social trust in a very tense part of the Country.
This excellent work must go on but there is now a new emphasis that is required. These friendships of solidarity need to be directed towards the interaction between the Gospel/Dhama and our socio-political context. Sadly for some, perhaps many, the context leads to a compromised redefinition of the Gospel/Dhamma. This is not a stance that faithful adherents of any religion are expected to adopt. The better way and indeed the only way of faithfulness is that the Gospel/Dhamma should highlight the discrepancies in the context and then offer a vision of hope and steps towards peace.
So it is imperative that the Gospel/Dhamma should compel us to speak and respond to situations of war, poverty, corruption, human rights violations, injustice, oppression, intimidation, discrimination and so on. We must never grow weary of striving in this direction. We must never imagine that evil will triumph over our shared spiritualities. We must never be silent even if all around us voices grow dim. We must repeatedly reclaim our right to intervene on behalf of the people and refuse to allow this to be the sole domain of the politician. The promise of transformation and hope for all our people is adequate to sustain this journey.
Lambeth Conference 2008
There were three prominent thrusts that echoed through the Lambeth Conference (of Anglican Bishops that I was privileged to attend this year). These were first, the recognition that God was at work in and through the Anglican Communion. Stories and experiences that were shared, demonstrated the humble faithfulness of Anglicans in varied challenging contexts. This very positive feature must never ever be forgotten or hidden by the undue publicity that the current controversy receives.
Second, there was the assertion that our common heritage, traditions, spirituality and practices were far more stronger than our differences. While recognising that differences must be addressed, an overwhelming majority of Bishops present, wanted to stay together. We did not see separation or schism as a way forward in Christ.
Finally, there was unanimous acceptance that the crises of the world required our energy and attention over and above our internal disputes. We realised that it was here that faithfulness in our witness and mission would be tested. In fact the call to respond to Gods torn and divided world as a reconciled Body was seen as perhaps the strongest reason for the Communion to heal our divisions and learn to live with our differences.
You should be able to see a white building on the right of the picture. God willing the bottom floor will be our new home from next Jan 2009. The bedrooms look out onto the cricket wicket!
| A Call to Protect Civilians |
| A Statement by the Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo |
| CEYLON 080827-1 August 27, 2008 |
|
[The Church of Ceylon (E-P) - Ceylon] People of conscience are perturbed that the current war in the LTTE occupied Vanni places the majority of civilians at tremendous risk. Unarmed and trapped in this war zone, large numbers of civilians, including children, are caught in the intense cross-fire of a deadly armed confrontation. Thousands are already displaced and can flee only to places of temporary safety.
The situation faced by these civilians is even more desperate since they cannot act independently. They are under conflicting pressure from both sides to support their respective strategies of movement and fear reprisals if they do not. Their dilemma adds to their suffering.
Since both the GOSL and the LTTE claim they are in this war for the liberation of these very civilians, it is imperative that they jointly invite and assist the ICRC and UNHCR to set up peace corridors and peace zones for the safety of civilians. My Roman Catholic colleague, the Rt Revd Thomas Savundaranayagam, Bishop of Jaffna, has already made this suggestion and it needs to be reiterated. If for some reason these agencies are unable to intervene, then an inter-religious group of leaders must be invited to do so.
The Government’s assurance that food, infant milk powder, medicine and other essential commodities are being supplied to the people of this region is to be commended. This process must be monitored by a senior Cabinet Minister in collaboration with the civil administration in the Vanni. It will also require facilitation by the military if it is to function smoothly in the circumstances of the war.
The Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera
Bishop of Colombo
27th August 2008
We gather in this impressive, awesome, magnificent cathedral this morning as representatives of several nations, several cultures, several tongues. And certainly as representatives of several Christian denominations, and other living faiths.
This is a joyful and a sacred moment, and I would like to suggest that we keep a pause in our worship to express our gratitude and our thanks to God for all those responsible for shaping our Anglican identity, for nourishing our spirituality, and for helping in the formation of our common life through the centuries and in so many parts of the world.
The text that I have for our reflection on this occasion is the ninth verse of the twelfth chapter of St Paul's second letter to the Corinthians - a familiar text for all of us: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Paul is here both confessing and proclaiming the paradox of grace in the Christian Gospel. It is, as we increasingly recognise and acknowledge our vulnerability in our journey of discipleship in Christ and with Christ, that we receive grace to be, and to become, faithful disciples. And I want you to hold on to this text because it is the idea that will undergird our thinking through the rest of this reflection. The recognition of our vulnerability is what makes growth possible in Christian discipleship.
There are two realities that encompass us as we meet as a world family of the Anglican Communion. And I would like to draw your attention to both these realities, without which our conference and our forward journey will become meaningless.
The first is that our world is a torn and divided world. Bishops are expected to bring their dioceses with them to the Lambeth Conference, and Bishops whose dioceses strive to be faithful by the challenges that come to us from God's world will inevitably bring along with their diocese the pain and the struggles, the injustice, the evil, the hostility that men and women encounter in today's world. It is indeed a true saying that God gives the Church an agenda out of the crises of the world. And so my dear sisters and brothers in Christ, the Anglican Communion must always give the highest priority to our invitation from Christ to participate with Christ in transforming God's world. To bring healing, peace, justice, reconciliation, abundant life, where there is oppression, where there is hostility, where there is strife, and division. This concept of the world in pain must, through this conference and after the conference, receive the energy and spirituality of our Church. No other priority can contend for that place. God has called us and placed us in God's world so that we might participate with him in bringing this transformation.
The second reality is the reality that we are a wounded community. Some of us are not here, and that is an indication that all is not well. Certainly the crisis is complex. It is not a crisis that can be resolved instantly.
The journey ahead is a long arduous one - a journey that will demand our prayers, our faithfulness, our mutual trust in each other, and of course our trust in God who makes reconciliation possible.
I would like to draw your attention to the parable that was read as the Gospel: the words of the master were wise words. Let them grow together.
There can and there must be no uprooting, simply because if we attempt this game of uprooting the unrighteous then, my dear sisters and brothers, none of us will remain. We are all a mix of the wheat and the weeds. The wisdom of these words suggest that we stay together because we draw from a common soil, a common tradition, a common heritage. We are what we are regardless of our differences, because of our common life together and our origins. Transformation comes in this interaction, and transformation must come from within.
In Jaffna, the northernmost part of the Diocese of Colombo, a church is being converted into a centre for conflict analysis and peace – Christ Church, Jaffna. The church has been renovated after several bouts of bombing and shelling. Something is emerging: a mandate and an agenda for peace and reconciliation in this place, but we have decided that we will retain the marks and the scars of war on the walls of this church. Transformation comes from within. The old gradually converts as men and women pray and talk and dialogue, and even disagree as we must, but call to mind repeatedly that disciples of Jesus stay together and journey together.
There are three challenges that I like to leave for us as we address the objectives of this Lambeth Conference:- to strengthen our Anglican identity, and to enable bishops to be leaders in God's mission. Here are three thoughts that could contribute both to identity and mission.
The first is: our communion must return to the discipline and the practice of self-scrutiny. We have a rich tradition that supports this discipline - the retreat, the quiet time, contemplation, meditation, spiritual counsellors, all of which enhance this practice and discipline of men and women coming to God in stillness to evaluate and examine their lives:- the parable of the plank and the speck of dust. Christ calls us to be hard on ourselves and Christ calls us to consider him only as our measure and our standard. So we stand and evaluate our lives in relation to the fullness and the abundance of life in Jesus. And then when lapses and shortcomings are detected we work with the Spirit to overcome, to grow, to become beautiful and faithful in the eyes of Christ. Mind you, the standard is always Christ.
It's not that bishop who is giving you trouble. It's not that archdeacon whose theology always irritates you (and there are a few around like that). Self-scrutiny is possible in the Christian journey as we stand naked before Jesus the Christ.
The second challenge that I'd like to leave with you, is one that we need to resuscitate and declare again and again, and that is the challenge of unity in diversity. As I look around and see you, I see this wonderful unity in diversity. Shortly, when the sacrament is administered, lips from numerous countries, numerous nationalities, numerous cultures will touch the same cup. We are united in spite of the fact that we are different, because in Christ we are equal. There's enough to go around if none will be greedy.
Here my dear sisters and brothers is an insight of what the Church is called to be: an inclusive communion, where there is space equally for everyone and anyone, regardless of colour, gender, ability, sexual orientation. Unity in diversity is a cherished Anglican tradition – a spirituality if you like, which we must reinforce in all humility for the sake of Christ and Christ's Gospel.
The third challenge that I have for you is that of the prophetic voice. Very often people say: "all this talk of reconciliation is not complete unless we address and deal with the injustice of the world." And so the Anglican Communion must articulate this prophetic voice regardless of where we serve in the world. Now as many of you will be aware, the prophetic voice has two strands, and it is imperative that these strands are held together. The first is the prophetic voice is a voice for the voiceless. There are those who for political reasons, cultural reasons, economic reasons, military reasons, cannot speak for themselves, or if they do, they do so at tremendous risk. And so the Anglican Communion must speak on their behalf - whether it is the crisis in Sri Lanka, whether it is the crisis in Zimbabwe, or Sudan, or Afghanistan or Iraq.
The voiceless must be given a voice through the leadership of the Anglican Communion. The second strand that goes with a voice for the voiceless, is the calling into accountability of those who abuse power: authoritarian regimes who oppress and suppress the people. The prophetic voice will ask poignant, relevant questions: "why", and sometimes, "how dare you?"
Two other comments about the prophetic tradition - in a sense the prophetic voice is monotonous. It's the same thing as long as the problem remains. And so, you don't need to worry if you're not saying anything new. Relentless monotony. And the second feature is that there is no self-interest in the prophetic tradition. We speak for justice and order in God's world, and we speak on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves.
I want to conclude by quoting one of my favourite Archbishops - Archbishop William Temple, who once said: "The Church is the one institution that does not live for itself." My dear sisters and brothers, as we move from this wonderful retreat, through this beautiful eucharist into our conference, let us hold on these word. For here is the crux of Anglican identity, and here is the crux of Anglican spirituality. We do not live for ourselves, and all our energy, all our gifts are directed to abundant life for the other. Amen.
| Bishop Duleep is currently in the UK with his wife, attending the Lambeth Conference. He will be travelling to our link Diocese of Ripon & Leeds on Friday 11th July. Bishop Duleep will be preaching at the official opening service of the Lambeth Conference on Sunday July 20th at Canterbury Cathedral. Media Freedom Must be Ensured with Security |
| A Statement by the Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo |
| CEYLON 080707-1 July 7, 2008 |
|
