KOHIMA, OCTOBER 4: Describing ‘Religion’ in the Naga context as a double edged dao– one sharp side that engages with ending violence and the other blunt side whereby churches remain passive or indifferent to peace works, Dr. Eyingbeni Hümtsoe Nienu said Christian peace efforts should not be portrayed merely as a glamorous affair.
She was speaking as one of the speakers during a lecture on the ‘Role of religion in promoting inter-tribe harmony among Nagas’ at Jubilee Memorial Centre (JMC-KB), Lerie Colony, Kohima. The programme was an initiative of the Indigenous Affairs & Just Peace and The Morung Express.
The other speakers were Elias T Lotha, President of Catholic Association of Nagaland (CAN) and Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho, General Secretary of Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC).
Dr. Eyingbeni Hümtsoe Nienu, Senior Lecturer of Clark Theological College, stated that peace efforts should not be characterised by closed-door intellectual meetings constituted by high profile persons and conducted in expensive locations to discuss political problems and solutions. Instead, she advocated actual and lasting peace calls by formulating solid theological basis for engagement in inter-intra tribe peace works.
She said there was a need for shift in understanding of land from property oriented to people-oriented theology; from materialism to cosmic relationship and from progeny to divinity.Dr. Nienu also maintained that people in the community and grassroots level should be taken into confidence as she pointed out that they live with the consequence of either peace or violence and their stories and viewpoints are essential to building and keeping peace.
She suggested instituting Peace Committees/Departments under every Church Association to promote, sustain and safeguard peaceful existence among Naga tribes. She also recommended reviving of the Nagaland Christian Forum and auxiliary bodies organised in every district. However, she also maintained that all committees should comprise of equal male-female ratio in the executive besides fair tribal/district representation.
‘Mission as peace work,’ she said is achievable when every Christian and every local church, collectively and individually, engage in the ministry of reconciliation by viewing it as a joyful duty to God and to each other.
CAN president, Elias T Lotha, noted that Nagas have numerous faith based organisations that do not truly converge in the translation of the way of the Lord. He added that with the strong presence of tribalism and grouping, ‘we are consciously or otherwise bracketing each other into tribe pockets and not as Christians.’
Also noting the fragmentation and divisions in the social and political front, which presents a gloomier picture, Lotha maintained that the church in the Naga society does not signify holiness as desired and the explicit gesture of its embodiment becomes a fallacy in many facets.
Sensing the urgency to bring about changes, Lotha said ‘we truly and very urgently need to transform our own selves including our attitude first, before we take on matters beyond us.’
He asserted that the church must take the lead and come out from its ‘conformistic milieu’ to a transformative and rewarding mission for positively impacting the society through the practice of Christian values.
However, he also reminded that the journey of the church does not end in establishing inter- tribe harmony alone. Harmony amongst the tribe, he said, should be the beginning of a new journey which needs to be pursued and accomplished as members of the Naga tribes and as members of the Christina community.
Expressing concern on the fragmention and divisions in the Naga Christian majority society, General Secretary of NBCC, Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho maintained that each Naga tribe, with its own distinctiveness in terms of culture and practices, should learn the art to forge ahead where we find our similarities and not major on our differences.
While stating matter of fact that the church is not free from tribalism, Rev Keyho said the church must take her faith seriously and take her teaching ministry seriously and not just be preaching ‘feel good gospel.’ He also strongly suggested that the church must make positive influence to the society and not be influenced by the society by becoming part of the problem.
The church, he said, must teach the gospel, moral laws, moral responsibility and biblical ethics without compromisation. He said purity and morality must not just become good principles and be kept in the closet but must be taught with all seriousness in the pulpit.
Rev. Keyho asserted that the church must avoid unholy alliances with unhealthy forces to run their agenda, be it the ‘state or tribal organizations’ but stands above those elements and promote conducive co-existence.
Further, elaborating his point, Keyho said ‘If the church does her task well the member constituents will do well and when they do well there will be harmony in the society.’
