Dear Editor,
Liturgical worship has been in the news recently and erroneously characterised as European Christianity.
There is no such thing as European or African Christianity. The same Christianity, with its form of worship, was given to the whole world by the Apostles whom Jesus commissioned to teach all nations (Matthew 28:19-20), and instructed us to obey their teaching (Luke 10:16).
If we look at the churches established by the Apostles in the ancient world, we will find that their modes of worship are alike. We can use the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which we have among us as an example. It originates from the encounter between the Ethiopian eunuch and Phillip, the deacon, Acts 8:26-39, and the Apostle Matthias spent the rest of his life preaching and teaching in Ethiopia. Ethiopia has never been under the control of Rome.
The difference between Europe and Africa is that Europe embraced Christianity fully and benefited from its civilising influence, while Africa did not. Europe was no more civilised than Africa at that time in history, but Christianity changed it. I strongly recommend reading How the Catholic Church built Western Civilisation by Thomas Wood.
Some time ago an African diplomat gave a speech in which he said that he was in sympathy with West Indian people because what they are copying from African people as culture are simply habits and customs resulting from poverty and ignorance, as Africans improve their standard of living, they are going to find themselves in the lurch. It seems as if that is happening right now.
It is on record that when the Spaniards colonised Jamaica they taught the natives Christianity and a bishop was sent from Cuba and ordained two Tainos. The Spanish king gave instructions that slaves should not be separated from their families and that they should be taught the faith.
When the British drove out the Spaniards, the Church of England took over, so people devised their own way of worship; with the advent of better educational facilities, one is inclined to think that people would be more informed and leave behind the superstition and ignorance of our foreparents who knew no better. Worship is what God commands not what we feel like doing.
I recommend young people to get on the internet and read the writings of the early church fathers and try to understand the Bible better. They will be well rewarded.
A James
alvalj@cwjamaica.com
Try to understand the Bible better
-->
Liturgical worship has been in the news recently and erroneously characterised as European Christianity.
There is no such thing as European or African Christianity. The same Christianity, with its form of worship, was given to the whole world by the Apostles whom Jesus commissioned to teach all nations (Matthew 28:19-20), and instructed us to obey their teaching (Luke 10:16).
If we look at the churches established by the Apostles in the ancient world, we will find that their modes of worship are alike. We can use the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which we have among us as an example. It originates from the encounter between the Ethiopian eunuch and Phillip, the deacon, Acts 8:26-39, and the Apostle Matthias spent the rest of his life preaching and teaching in Ethiopia. Ethiopia has never been under the control of Rome.
The difference between Europe and Africa is that Europe embraced Christianity fully and benefited from its civilising influence, while Africa did not. Europe was no more civilised than Africa at that time in history, but Christianity changed it. I strongly recommend reading How the Catholic Church built Western Civilisation by Thomas Wood.
Some time ago an African diplomat gave a speech in which he said that he was in sympathy with West Indian people because what they are copying from African people as culture are simply habits and customs resulting from poverty and ignorance, as Africans improve their standard of living, they are going to find themselves in the lurch. It seems as if that is happening right now.
It is on record that when the Spaniards colonised Jamaica they taught the natives Christianity and a bishop was sent from Cuba and ordained two Tainos. The Spanish king gave instructions that slaves should not be separated from their families and that they should be taught the faith.
When the British drove out the Spaniards, the Church of England took over, so people devised their own way of worship; with the advent of better educational facilities, one is inclined to think that people would be more informed and leave behind the superstition and ignorance of our foreparents who knew no better. Worship is what God commands not what we feel like doing.
I recommend young people to get on the internet and read the writings of the early church fathers and try to understand the Bible better. They will be well rewarded.
A James
alvalj@cwjamaica.com
Try to understand the Bible better
-->