Transcript Corruption - St Barnabas Bible Church

Corruption Mocking at Justice:
What is the Role of the Church
in Public Life?
PRESENTATION PLAN
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
An Overview and Context
Corruption: On Dealing with
a Social Sin That Kills From
Within!
Corruption And The Role Of
The Church In Public Life
Anti-Corruption Campaigns
In Tanzania: What Is The
Anglican Church Doing?
St Barnabas Bible Church And
Her Role In Public Life In South
Africa
Questions And Answers
Source: www.wissenladen.de/maps/map.phpTanzania 27/1/2012
Not easy to define corruption! However, an
internationally accepted working definition
reads: “the abuse of public office for
private gain” or “the misuse of one’s office
position for personal benefit” (World Bank,
Transparent International, EU, International
Development Agencies et)

“impairment of integrity, virtue, or moral principle”
Merriam-Webster Dictionary


“a failure of moral regard for the public interest”
Vito Tanzi
“a socially undesirable deviation (or decay) from some
ideal, norm or standard”
Banfield

“departure from accepted societal norms”
Windsor
 Biblical
Explanation of the Problem:
Corruption is sin! It is about moral depravity
(Gen 6:11; Ex 32:7; Hosea 9:9; Gal 6:8, etc.),
which ends in utter moral ruin and
hopelessness.
 Important
note: ‘Corruption’ is a very broad
term with many dimensions. It is not easy to
define a corrupt deal in a few words because
there are a number of elements to the
transaction.
Greed and selfishness,
abuse of power, lack of exemplary ethical
leadership, social cultural norms – nepotism
and favoritism, low public awareness,
political interference, moral decay, lack of
ethics, system deficiencies (systems,
procedures, guidelines), lack of rule of law,
poor condition of services, poor salaries,
name and shame, publish updated information,
prevent, criminalize – rigorous prosecution,
set codes of conduct, cooperate
internationally, support developing countries,
enforcement – law etc, raise public
awareness, deep democratization, legislation
and its implementation, gender, civil society/
religious? participation and oversight,
religion, faith people…

No question about the Bible’s opposition to
bribery (corruption) as an affront to the
character of God, the incorruptible one (Deut
10:17).

Hence a bribe is an “evil device” (Psalm 26:10;
see also Micah 7:3).

Corruption/Bribe is a “gain of oppressions”
(Isaiah 33:15), an “unjust gain” (Proverbs 15:27).
 Even
a small bribe (a piece of bread, a handful
of barley) has serious consequences (Prov.
28:21; Ezekiel 13:19).
 A bribe corrupts the mind (Eccles 7:7) and
blinds the eyes of officials (Ex 23:8).
 The Bible is particularly concerned about the
perversion of the course of justice through
bribery (Deut 16:18-19, 27:25; 1 Sam 8:1-3; 2
Chr. 19:7; Prov. 17:23; Isaiah 5:23; Amos 5:12).
 Ezekiel
22:12 includes bribery in a list of
the symptoms of serious societal breakdown,
 Proverbs
29:4 says that when national
leaders are implicated in bribery
the outcome is national ruin.
“the vice”, “a disease”, “a
tragedy”, “cancer”, “chronic
disease”,
“the most shameful”, “sin”,
“a sin that eats from within”,
“a problem”, “a culture”,
“a skin deep problem”
“fighting”, “eradicate”,
“curtailing”, “war against”,
“form and use anti-corruption
squad”,
“name and shame”,
“wipe out”, and “crackdown”,

“Its consequences are global; it’s hidden costs immense”!

Every second, Africa loses $5,000 to corruption (Tearfund)

It drives up food insecurity!

Translates into; a lack of access to basic services, a
reduction in access to justice and the abuse of human
dignity.

Undermines trust and social cohesion and perpetuates the
poverty of those who are already poor.
 It
deprives the majority of the enjoyment of
the fruits of democracy.
 Exacerbates
poverty (President Festus Mogae
of Botswana)
 Distorts
 It
factor prices
is a threat to security and peace! It is a
cancer that was eating away at the heart of
society!
 Affects
the distribution of seeds or
medicines, in street and market trading, at
police checkpoints and in many other areas
of activity. Former World Bank President
James Wolfensohn
 lost
resources, lost foreign investment,
distorted decision making, and failing public
confidence”. Former UN Secretary-General
Koffi Annan
 It
has critically hobbled and skewed Africa's
development," Former UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan
 Facilitates
human rights violations, market
invasion, and unilateral militarization.
Corruption: An issue of profound
biblical, theological and
ethical aspect
Two special calls
Justification for Church’s
involvement in anti-corruption
campaign. A Theological Analysis
Doctrine of
Doctrine of
Doctrine of
Doctrine of
God
Man
Salvation
God’s Kingdom
WHAT IS THE ANGLICAN
CHURCH OF TANZANIA DOING?
2.
1. What Framework? What Mandate?
Global Approach: Where are we competent?
3. Church’s Current Work and focus:
How should we do it?
Prophetic Role
Pastoral Care
Christian Advocacy and Citizenship
Successes
Challenges and
Opportunities
A Case of the
Anglican Church of Tanzania
The Role of St. Barnabas Bible Church
in Public Life in South Africa
Some points for consideration
1. South Africa is not Tanzania!
2. But our Gospel is the same!
3. You are the salt of the earth!
“…a church that doesn’t actually say to the
world, this is the new creation, this is an order
of justice, reconciliation, and a
counter- cultural movement.
That is not really a church”
(Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, 2008)
My Proposal for SBBC
Hope in God Restoring Justice
in the world free of corruption:
The Church in the Context of
The demise of corruption
Summary
1. Approaching God in the context of Corruption
2. Encountering the Word of God
3. Responding to God’s Word
4. The body of Christ in the World
5. Sending out
Questions and Answers