June 2, 2008

Reformed Christians around the world are living out their faith in a variety of relevant ways, says Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC).

Nyomi told the Synod of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland on 29 May that the Reformed churches of the Alliance are engaged in spiritual renewal, mission and prophetic action in more than 100 countries.

"We do this out of gratitude to God and out of conviction that our Lord Jesus Christ calls us to be the salt and light in our communities," Nyomi said.

"Believing in the God whose love caused him to be crucified for us and the transformation this brings into our lives leads us to gratitude which is evidenced in how we proclaim God's wonderful words and actions."

Nyomi spoke on the theme, "How is Reformed faith expressed in the global church today?" He thanked the Swiss churches for offering the world its Reformed ancestors, including Ulrich Zwingli, Heinrich Bullinger, John Calvin, Marie Dentiere and others.

He said the Christian evangelism, mediating efforts in the world and examples of Christian love are all important proclamations of God's love that Reformed Christians carry out around the world today.

"As Reformed people, we are called to work together for the transformation of the world. Our world is broken in many ways. The injustices in the economy, racism, sexism, poverty, suffering, diseases, conflicts and war are common in many parts of the world.

"Are we simply to fold our arms in despair when we see the world slip into chaos? The Christian's answer ought to be: â*˜no.' In the face of what is happening in Zimbabwe as the democratic wishes of people are frustrated by the powerful, and in Myanmar as people struggle with a major devastation and the powerful think only of their own interests, are we supposed to be simply silent? No!

"Believing that the salvation we have and that the Holy Spirit is in our lives means we are called to make a difference. Reformed faith has always beckoned us to do something about societal problems – to be God's agents of transformation, to be the salt and light of the world."

This same sense of commitment called Reformed churches in the 1930s to stand up to the Nazis, to declare apartheid a heresy in the 1980s and call in the Accra Confession for the fullness of life to be available for all at WARC's 24th General Council in Ghana in 2004.

Nyomi also lamented the ideological divisions among churches today. "On the basis of these ideological differences, we allow different government players to see us as people who are for or against them. This is inconsistent with our calling."

He added: "I am glad that when the World Alliance of Reformed Churches acts, we do so, not on the basis of ideologies but on the basis of struggling with the question of how we respond to what God calls us to do today, even if that makes us uncomfortable."

World Alliance of Reformed Churches