Progressive churches world-over are never silent when governments commit crimes and immoral acts against citizens. Often though, conservative churches fail to speak out against immoral and violent acts by governments. Even worse, some churches defend the wrong side of the moral issue. In such cases, the church becomes complicit in injustice, as happened in some South African churches who supported aparheid.
Dr. David Himbara
In South Africa, the single most known religious activist is Desmond Mpilo Tutu, the retired Anglican bishop. Tutu rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as a formidable opponent of the cruel and racist apartheid system that discriminated against Africans. Bishop Tutu famously organised peaceful marches which often brought thousands upon thousands of people onto the streets against the racist apartheid regime.
Tutu did not end his activism after the fall of apartheid system. Even after his retirement, Tutu remains a global activist on issues pertaining to democracy, freedom and human rights. He is also one of the toughest critics of the South Africa’s black political élite, because of its failure to alleviate poverty two decades after the collapse of the apartheid regime.
Rwanda is very religious nation in which 56.9% of population are said to be Roman Catholic; 26% is Protestant; 11.1% is Seventh-day Adventist; 4.6% is Muslim; 1.7% with no religious affiliation; and 0.1% practices traditional indigenous beliefs. These numbers show why the church is a force to reckon with in Rwanda. Where Are Rwandan Religious Leaders And Activists To Lead Us Out Of Darkness?
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