Queer for Christ

So the Church of Nigeria changed the “no comment” of Archbishop Akinola (regarding his alleged association with the perpetrators of anti-Muslim retributive violence) to a denial; he now says he had nothing to do with the massacre of Muslims in 2004.

Well, I actually have no idea if he did or not. But if not, what in the name of David Livingstone does THIS statement by Akinola mean:

“I’m not out to combat anybody. I’m only doing what the Holy Spirit tells me to do. I’m living my faith, practicing and preaching that Jesus Christ is the one and only way to God, and they respect me for it. They know where we stand. I’ve said before: let no Muslim think they have the monopoly on violence.”

Now I understand the Nigerian Church’s moral position so much better! It seems to go like this: “Christianity has a monopoly on the truth. If you are not a Christian you are going to hell. Muslims say the same thing about their faith, so we both understand and respect each another’s desire to kill one another. You Northerners just don’t get it.”

It gets better. Akinola’s spokesman later said that Akinola’s reference to violence quoted above involved a time in 2006 “when Nigerian Christians were being slaughtered because of some cartoons published in Denmark.”

“The Western press should learn from the Danish cartoons saga that articles they publish, whatever the motive might be, can be responsible for the death of many innocent lives hundred of miles away,” he said in conclusion.

So now, not only does Akinola bear no responsibility for the violence in 2004, apparently no one else in Nigeria is, either! It’s the Danes! Now I get it.

Listen, I realize it’s easy for me to write about this from the relative safety of my New York apartment. I have no idea what it is like to live in Nigeria and face death for my religious beliefs. But I do know this: the root of all religious violence is the claim of exclusivity, that your tradition has a monopoly on truth. If Peter Akinola, and all the other Anglican separatists in the world fear the Northern liberals because we have departed from this theology, one that invariably breeds violence, then we are well rid of one another. Well rid, indeed.