Denise Reid, Freelance Writer
Lord Bishop Alfred Reid addresses the 138th Anglican Synod which commenced Tuesday at the Parish Church of St Peter the Apostle in Falmouth, Trelawny. - photo by Denise Reid
WESTERN BUREAU:
Stating that the Church has lost perception of its mission, Lord Bishop Alfred Reid, head of the Anglican Church in Jamaica, says it needs to take a more active role in dealing with social issues that affect the nation.
Likening the Church of today to 'the Church of yore', the Lord Bishop said even though it does not now enjoy the royal patronage of the government, churchgoers still tend to leave important societal issues to be decided on by the state.
138th Anglican Synod
The clergyman was speaking at the commencement of the 138th Anglican Synod of the Church in Jamaica and The Cayman Islands, under the theme, 'God's Mission, God's Theme, God's Power'. The service was held at the St Peter's Anglican Church in Falmouth, Trelawny, on Tuesday afternoon.
Touching on two popular debates which have recently sparked national controversy, the Lord Bishop said: "Even now that the Church has lost its power, we don't feel that we have the ability to persuade people not to gamble, we are depending on the government to legislate. We don't feel we have the power to preserve life, the government must legislate against abortion."
Reid said the nation was facing "different days", as he explained that we are no longer living in times when we can expect the government to enforce the rules of the Church in society.
"We must now go back to the real power that was given to the Church, which is the power of God and not secular power."
The 138th Anglican Synod continues until tomorrow and will focus on the passing of the Budget, as well as issues of communication and advancement in the ministry, and how the mission will go forward. In addition, the synod will focus on the preparation for the new generation of leadership within the Church.
The synod will also be launching the 50th anniversary of the Church Army in Jamaica. There are 303 persons attending the event, 109 of whom represent bishops and clergy islandwide.
