Over the last 30 years, the churches in Fiji have been confronted with burning moral and theological questions that demanded some responses. Though these responses may be painful, if sincerely answered based on inner convictions for a renewed Fiji the journey towards rebuilding will indeed be rewarding. Fiji has reached a momentous point whereby we all need to look back at our past to redirect our present journey for a better future. Fiji’s situation over the past years has been caught between the crossroad of two worlds; a world that is dying and the world that is to be born. Therefore the task to answering the moral and theological questions is made even more vital and urgent for church leaders in Fiji to do.

In enduring hope for a new Fiji, the Faith and Society Programme (FSP) of ECREA will be running a three days seminar in Savusavu from today, Monday 27th to Thursday 29th July with the theme on “Sustained Dialogue on Interaction between Bible and Culture”. This seminar is aimed at 25 to 30 Christian church leaders from Levuka, Taveuni, Savusavu and Labasa. According to Programme Coordinator Mr. Sirino Rakabi, FSP hopes that at the end of the seminar church leaders will be able to rediscover and reaffirm principles, values and guidelines present in cultural and religious traditions that have capacity to build just, compassionate and inclusive communities; to have, through dialogue, a deeper understanding of the challenges involved in the different readings and interpretations of the bible in relation to social, cultural and political issues in Fiji; and to develop a ‘common ethos’ based on moral teachings and practices capable of motivating people in communities to work towards creating a renewed Fiji.

The topics for the three days are as follows: i). Are Churches for Social Justice or for Spiritualisation of Social Issues; ii). Idol Worship in Religion and Culture; iii). Challenges related to the Christian Religion being part of the I Taukei Identity; iv). Church Practices and Cultural Traditions mutually re-enforcing Discrimination against Women. Mr Rakabi said that speakers will try to respond to the understanding and interpretations of scriptural texts in the Bible and cultural practices that were used in the past that have contributed to some of the problems Fiji has been experiencing over the years. Mr Rakabi is hopeful that the churches in Fiji can play a very important role in this task.

For more information, please contact Sirino Rakabi on 9925026