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A Wind Through The Andes
By Andrew Stirling
This essay is based on research
conducted in Chile in February 2005 in preparation for a course on ‘Great
Christian Thinkers’ to be taught at the School of Continuing Studies at the
University of Toronto in the Fall of 2005. Thanks are expressed to the Santiago
Community Church and Mr. David Libby of AUR resources for making the visit
possible.
I
He was an unassuming looking man
dressed in a plain golf shirt and well worn slippers. Upon greeting me with a
warm handshake he directed me into a small room furnished only with a couple of
chairs and a picture of Pope John Paul II hanging on the wall. My host’s command
of the English language was superb, “I am Jose Aldunate and I am pleased to meet
you. I have only visited Canada once and that was to present a paper in Edmonton
and my only lasting impression, apart from the cold, was a very big shopping
mall with a lake in it!” he said with a glint of humour in his eyes. “Hardly the
height of culture” I thought, but at least he was somewhat familiar with our
nation. As I came to discover over the next two hours, this gentlemen who lived
in a residence on the Alonso de Ovalle Boulevard in Santiago, Chile was one of
the most influential figures in the Church’s struggle for justice and peace. He
had recently authored Cronicos de una iglesia liberadora and is
considered by many to be one of the leading Jesuit theologians in South America.
He told me that he had been an adviser on the writing of the morals and ethics
portion of the Second Vatican Council. There was no doubt from our conversation
that I was in the presence of a great mind and a courageous soul.
The purpose of my interview was to
meet with influential Chilean Christians to discover how they were reacting to
the changes taking place in their country and to discern what lessons the
Canadian church can learn from their experience. Furthermore, next year will be
the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the
Vicaria de la Solidaridad and I was intrigued to know what lasting affects
this profound mission had on the church’s witness. Aldunate was frank and open
with me. He recounted the days when under the rule of the Pinochet regime many
Roman Catholics and Protestants had resisted the government’s policies. They did
so in a practical and positive manner by creating the Vicariate. The purpose of
this organization was to assist labourers who had lost their jobs for political
reasons and to support political prisoners who were victims of government
oppression. At the height of the conflict, it employed 400 administrators,
lawyers, doctors and social workers and its influence spread from the Catholic
Diocese of Santiago to 15 other diocese in the country. As an integral part of
the organization, Aldunate expressed particular gratitude for the financial
support of ecumenical agencies from overseas such as the German Bishop’s Fund,
the World Council of Churches and the United Church of Canada who helped
them through the difficult years. The development of the Vicariate was so
expansive that they eventually created the Vicaria de Pastoral Obrera
(the workers ministry) that employed lawyers to make inquiries, file petitions,
visit detainees and comfort friends and families of those who were imprisoned
for their political opposition to the government. No other organization in the
country was able to speak so cogently on the issue of human rights and by the
mid 1980’s the Vicariate had assisted 30,000 people, and via their department of
communications eventually reached 700,000 people who became involved in parish
based communities of support. They achieved some of their goals by enabling the
poor to work together in faith communities by producing goods which they
eventually sold in the marketplace. This provided a means for the unemployed to
support themselves financially while at the same time maintaining their dignity.
I heard the same account from
another leader in the movement, Monsignor Sergio Valech who was arrested by the
Pinochet regime for his work with the Vicariate. He allowed me to tour the
archives of the organization which houses clearly catalogued correspondence,
records, arrest warrants and financial records of the Vicariate’s ministry.
However, the most touching part of the archival materials are the photographs of
the tortured, imprisoned or “missing” members of the Vicariate, some of whom
were eventually buried in a dilapidated mine shaft. I left the premises
emotionally and spiritually exhausted and found it hard to imagine that all this
took place as recently as 15 years ago. As a former member of the confessing
church movement in South Africa, I found considerable similarities with the
church’s struggle under Apartheid, particularly the work of the Black Sash
movement and various committees of the South African Council of Churches. During
the most oppressive period in South Africa’s history these church and para-church
organizations were the only sources of peaceful resistance. It is not
surprising, therefore, that Aldunate was overjoyed when Archbishop Desmond Tutu
won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1989 for both had been voices for Christ and
the dispossessed in the midst of political oppression.
What lessons can we learn from their
experience and why is it necessary to revisit an antiquated institution? The
answer lies in the nature of Christian ministry. It is interesting to note that
during the military rule of Pinochet, attendance at church services increased,
particularly in Roman Catholic parishes. The facts speak for themselves. During
the last year of the Allende regime (which preceded the Pinochet coup) only one
hundred and twelve priests were ordained. This is in stark contrast with 1982,
the zenith of Pinochet’s rule, when 895 men were brought into the priesthood.
Similarly, attendance at Mass increased mainly as a result of poor parishioners
turning to the church in their time of need. This does not mean, however, that
all Catholic Chileans opposed the regime for many benefited from its policies
and found Pinochet’s opposition to the growing threat of communism to be a
source of stability. Many, therefore, found the Vicariate and its supporters to
be politically subversive and they actively sought to undermine its mission to
the poor through cuts in funding to the organization. Even today the remnants of
the feud between the pro Junta and anti government activists are still in
evidence. There is still a latent tension between sincere Christians on both
sides and this is seen most clearly in debates regarding the current charges
against Pinochet who is now in his dotage. Nevertheless, I was impressed with
the way that Chile, like South Africa, has dealt with former atrocities and
there seems to be a general spirit of reconciliation at work in the country.
At the time of the cuts to the
funding, however, the opponents of the government were not deterred from their
mission. This was evident in the tacit support the Vicariate received from
Cardinal Silva, who was the primate of Chile at that time. He tried to protect
the church from Pinochet’s wrath and even had frequent meetings with the
president. He realized that the mission rested on a knife’s edge. However, as
Aldunate said, “The Cardinal had tea with Pinochet in order that he could get in
as many kicks as possible under the table!”
II
The new, post Pinochet era has created a very different context for the Church.
In contrast to the Pinochet era, Chile is now a progressive and affluent nation
with a democratically elected government, a thriving mining industry, a
burgeoning salmon producing industry and the production of some of the world’s
finest wines. While the poor exist, particularly in the rural areas, average
Chileans are turning their backs on the Catholic Church. As an alternate
expression of their faith, they are turning to Pentecostal and evangelical
Protestant churches. This movement is so great that according to Paul Hoff, the
head of the
Instituto Biblica Nacional de Chile
(the bible college that trains Pentecostal pastors), the need to educate
ministers has reached a crisis point. This situation was foreseen by Bishop
Francisco Anabalon the charismatic leader of the National Evangelical Pastor’s
Council who created the Institute in 1978 and today there are over 5,000
churches seeking trained pastors. The prodigious growth of these churches is the
product of a spiritual revival which began in 1909 and has developed through the
creation of small cell groups (locales) which meet in homes. The revival
originated in Valparaiso during a Methodist service. The worshippers were
overcome with an emotional experience of the Holy Spirit that led to the
conversion of 6,000 people. Today this movement flourishes in the thriving
economy of the new Chile. According to Philip Jenkins,[i]
Chile is the home of the Jotabeche Methodist Pentecostal Church which has over
80,000 members whose cathedral can seat 18,000. Many such denominations place a
great emphasis on personal responsibility and religious freedom which intersect
with the
zeitgeist
and political philosophy of the country.
What makes this movement so powerful and why such a mass appeal? Is it just a
matter of good technique with its emphasis on small-group development or is it
more a sense of its theological impact on people’s lives? The answer is both.
The revival appeals to people who have lived under the influence of neo-pagan
beliefs which were wedded to Roman Catholic eschatology. The syncretistic blend
of native rituals and Catholic views of the afterlife tended to oppress people
with its emphasis on fatalism and divine punishment. The poor often believed
that they lived in that condition by virtue of something that they, or their
ancestors, had done wrong and they felt the constraint of guilt. The revival
offers people an alternative which promises them an unmediated experience of the
Holy Spirit and an assurance of divine salvation through the grace of Christ
alone. This bypasses the intermediary cosmology of the Animistas and gives them
a source of freedom from fear and obligations to the dead. It also empowers the
poor who have no earthly power or wealth. By becoming leaders in the church and
actively participating in the religious life of the community, they experience
the joy and freedom of service. Furthermore, becoming a pastor grants a person
recognition within the faith community even with little or no academic training.
Therefore, the theology of the revival and the ecclesiology which it creates
enhances the lives of the people and gives them a sense of worth and belonging.
Many Pentecostal leaders, however, are deeply concerned that this movement must
develop along sound trinitarian theological lines and not stray into a highly
subjective path where personal experience is elevated above biblical revelation.
The dangers of this can be clearly seen in North America with the rapid growth
of the Lakewood Church which downplays doctrine and denigrates the need for
sound biblical theology.
III
What lessons can the Church in
Canada learn from the experience of the Chilean Christians? Clearly there are
similarities and differences between the two movements that I have outlined and
while neither adheres to the Protestant tradition, some of the underlying
principles speak to us with clarity and are an inspiration. The Vicariate was a
politically left of centre movement driven by a theology of liberation which
borrowed from neo-Marxist political theory. The Pentecostal revival is more
economically conservative in its views and is deliberately apolitical. The
former arose within the context of a hierarchical ecclesiology that became more
egalitarian while the latter arose in base communities and has become more
authoritative. However, despite these differences both the Vicariate and the
revival have developed in small communities of faith where shared experiences
and bonds of fellowship have created strong spiritual ties between their
members. They are also both very biblical and Christ-centred. While they might
not see it in each other, they both subscribe to a vision of the kingdom of God
that is rooted in the cross. They simply stress different aspects of the same
Gospel.
The Vicariate found its courage
through the power of the Spirit and prayer which enabled it to share in Christ’s
preferential option for the poor. Its proponents left me humbled by their
willingness to suffer imprisonment or death for sake of standing with the
oppressed. They clearly believed the words of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and,
driven by a commitment to the cross, created the Communialis de Base as
expressions of Christ’s presence among the poor.
The revival, on the other hand,
stresses the power of Christ’s resurrection and the salvation which He brings
through the power of the Holy Spirit among His people. The home churches are a
refuge for the poor, lost, and lonely people, providing them with a sense of
worth in the midst of an increasingly materialistic and commercialized world.
Both of these groups, therefore,
turned to Christ in their need. During politically dangerous days when Chile was
a pawn in the game of the Cold War, the church was a source of justice for the
oppressed and in these days of increased affluence it is a haven to lost souls
who are seeking meaning in their lives. I found the exponents of both movements
to be remarkably orthodox and humble in their assessment of their respective
roles in society.
In North America we are beginning to
drift away from such an attitude towards the faith. With the rift that exists
between the “left” and the “right” we overlook the Spirit’s presence and His
call for faithfulness and reconciliation. In our affluent society we have the
luxury of dealing with penultimate rather than ultimate realities and this is
reflected in our obsession with styles of worship, numerical growth and lax
moral teachings. We have become captivated with a market-driven faith that seeks
to appeal to a culture that is, as one of the leading Anglican leaders I
interviewed in Santiago suggested “returning to its pagan roots by endorsing
sexual immorality, turning its back on Jesus Christ and worshipping at the alter
of materialism and hedonism”. Rather than growing in the likeness of Christ and
having the courage to stand against the tide of culture, he believes that we are
regressing and acting as if Christ had never come in the flesh. A damning
indictment by any standards!
To be an authentic church we can
learn much from our brothers and sisters in Chile, and while they are not the
paragons of all virtue, they are certainly a sign that faith is a powerful
reality. I left Chile with a number of concrete lessons for our own context.
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If the church is to grow, small
fellowship groups will be a necessary part of the church’s ecclesiology. The
Chilean church in both its forms created small and intimate gatherings as a
means of spiritual support. The mainline church in Canada is rapidly
becoming what William Willimon and Stanley Hauerwas called resident
aliens in our culture. No longer can we expect our society to adopt our
values, beliefs and ideas just because we are an historical and physical
presence in our nation nor are people turning to our churches to perform
social rites of passage. This should not discourage us because as we saw
with the Catholic Church in the 1980’s, losing social influence can actually
enhance church growth. Large congregations may thrive and flourish in some
situations, but the need for people to connect in an intimate way with other
Christians necessitates the existence of small groups where believers can
receive mutual support and nourishment. It is through the development of
these fellowship groups where learning and growth can take place in a less
threatening environment. However, the warning is clear from the revival
groups in Chile, these groups must be led by trained people and remain
centred on biblical teaching and stay connected to a larger community of
faith.
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For the church to be relevant it must be
faithful. In Canada we feel the need to make Christianity relevant in order
that it might be accepted by our culture. In Chile, the opposite is true.
Chileans believe that the Gospel is relevant and is the incarnation
of the truth. Therefore, for society to rest on a foundation of love,
forgiveness, hope and justice, it must be called to adopt the relevance of
the truth through conversion to the Gospel. They see human identity as
distorted through sin and corruption unless it is transformed through the
power of Christ’s spirit. Only then can humanity live in a state of grace.
That was central to the teachings of members of the Vicariate and is at the
core of the revival experience. To deny the reality of Christ’s cross and
resurrection is to take a backward step and return to the myths of a pagan
world which stressed earthly power, superstition and fear. This should be
something that is taken into consideration by any group or church who wants
to create a new statement of faith.
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For the church to be prophetic it must
practice what it preaches. Faith and deeds must go together. While all human
attempts to imitate the divine are fraught with failure due to our sin, the
Chileans realize that an authentic proclamation must be embodied in a church
that practices justice, peace and reconciliation. In that regard it has
played an active role in bringing a deeply divided culture together. We must
do likewise. The world in which we live might lack a moral centre and lapse
into ethical relativism, but it still recognizes hypocrisy when it sees it.
The church in Canada has a less than stellar history in many ways and
therefore, believers need to be vigilant in looking to Christ Jesus alone as
its guide and example. As Martin Luther said crux probat omnia (the
cross is the test of everything) and that includes our behavior and values.
As my interview with Jose
Aldunate came to a close I asked him what advice he had for myself and my
ministerial colleagues in Canada. His answer summed up the man, his mission and
the church in Chile, “Make sure you have a faith you are willing to die for.”
Such a perspective is clear evidence that the wind of the Spirit blows through
the Andes.
[i] Philip Jenkins,
The Next Christendom, (Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press,
2002), 63.
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