News
By Manuel Quintero (*)
Rev. Assir Pereira, president of the Presbyterian Independent Church of Brazil, talked with Manuel Quintero about his church newly joining the World Council of Churches. Rev. Pereira attended the WCC Central Committee meeting, held in Geneva from 13 to 20 February.
I understand that the affiliation of the Presbyterian Independent Church of Brazil as a full member of the World Council of Churches has been a long process, which took several decades.
As a matter of fact, our church participated in all WCC assemblies since New Delhi (1961), always as an observer. Since the '60s my generation has been seeking full membership with the Council, but it was not possible. Only in our last Assembly was the decision taken, almost unanimously, to request full membership with the Council.
It is somewhat interesting that the Presbyterian Independent Church of Brazil was always present in ecumenical initiatives and organizations: in the Latin American Evangelical Commission for Christian Education, in the Ecumenical Coordination for Service (CESE) in Brazil, in the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI). Actually, our church was among the founders of CESE and CLAI, as well as of the Latin American Alliance of Reformed and Presbyterian Churches (AIPRAL) and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC).
Maybe because of that, my generation sometimes felt frustrated by the delay in making this decision. Yet today I understand that a sensitizing process was needed, a gradual growing up of our church, before we could achieve it. And it is important that the decision was made with such broad support, without a split, with the awareness that the moment was ripe to make this commitment to contribute to the ecumenical movement through the World Council of Churches.
Was the delay a consequence of theological factors?
The delay was mainly due to certain "myths" about the World Council of Churches, not due to theological reasons. Our church believes in all biblical and theological aspects that call us to unity, and that unity is a mandate of our Lord. But the flavor of radicalism that wrapped the Council in the '60s and '70s had a negative impact on conservative sectors of our church; and there were people from the older generations that ended up identifying the (current) WCC with those myths.
This decision takes place at a time when the ecumenical movement is going through a serious crisis in Brazil.
We have the Methodist Church severing its ties with the National Council of Christian Churches (CONIC) and the Ecumenical Coordination for Service. The Presbyterian Church of Brazil has abandoned the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. Other historical churches have experienced problems due to their involvement with charismatic renewal trends, which brought with them a load of fundamentalism.
In contrast, our church is affirming its ecumenical principles and commitment today. Last year our general assembly decided to receive Roman Catholics as members without the requirement that they be baptized again. We also approved that children have the right to partake in the Eucharist. And for many years we have ordained women to the ministry. I am pleased to see that we have moved ahead with all those decisions without conflicts or divisions in our church.
Can you reflect on the situation of Brazil?
The economic situation in Brazil is fairly good in its main aspects. It is true, on the other hand, that the big gap between rich and poor is still there, and this is a discussion that is taking place in the country right now. The government is criticized for having achieved very little to narrow that gap. Yet it is not possible to accomplish, in comparatively such a short time, changing the legacy of inequality that resulted from the oligarchic groups who ruled Brazil and Latin America for so many years. There are also those who criticize the government's programs to combat poverty, arguing that they have a charitable nature that furthers the poor's dependency.
Do you have a final message?
It is important to express our joy, our happiness, for being received as full members of the WCC. As the Presbyterian Independent Church of Brazil we hope to contribute to the progress of the ecumenical movement.
(*) Manuel Quintero, from Cuba, is director of the Frontier Internship in Mission programme, based in Geneva, Swiitzerland.
More information on the Independent Presbyterian Church in Brazil