KWIBUKA 25: What is the role of Church in reconciliation?

Despite the number of Churches and their followers in the country 25 years ago, the church failed to play its role to teach people about love. Had it been active and preaching accordingly, it would have been done something to sow love instead of hatred.

Past can not be forgotten, but it can help you to decide where you want to go. Today, the church has a big task to boost reconciliation among Rwandans.

As Rwandans and friends worldwide are observing the 25th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Christian Non-Government Organisation, Rabagira, official encourages the church to put more efforts in reconciliation programs.

They say that it is important for the church to foster forgiveness, unity, reconciliation among Rwandans.

” Unity should break differences which may be based on religion, or ethnicity among other things.”

Pastor Joseph Nyamutera, the founder of the organisation, said that though there are usual reconciliation programs conducted by churches, more efforts need to be injected in commemoration and reconciliation.

He also said that religious dogmas taken without proper understanding and good wisdom can be dangerous. In this, it is proper for people to read the Bible and understand the whole of it, not just picking up a small part. For instance, he said that, people should believe in mercy and forgiveness, but should also believe in justice.