“Faith Without Works Is Dead”: CSI, Nigerian Church Leaders, And Baroness Cox Respond To Lambeth Conference Statement
This week, the 2022 Lambeth Conference, the once-a-decade gathering of bishops of the Anglican Communion from around the world, came to an end. Among the Conference’s concluding statements issued on 8 August was a “statement of support for Nigeria,” sponsored by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.
The statement expressed concern about Nigeria's "security, economic, religious and political challenges" and promised support and prayer.
However, several Nigerian Christian leaders and religious freedom activists from abroad did not think the Conference’s statement went far enough.
Rev. Hassan John, Jos, Nigeria:
"We will ask for your continuous prayers but also ask for your advocacy and to be the voice of the persecuted, anywhere in the world, and help correct the narrative of politicians."
Baroness Caroline Cox:
"I do think the international church needs to know the scale of the suffering of the Nigerian people. When I speak in churches here [in the UK], there is widespread ignorance of the scale of persecution of Nigerian Christians. We need to know the scale of suffering in order to pray appropriately."
Archbishop Ben Kwashi, Jos, Nigeria:
"The communion cannot now and only now be claiming support verbally and without action. ...What practical support has the communion shown?"
Dr. John Eibner, president, Christian Solidarity International:
"Such pious sentiments are not commensurate with the catastrophic extent of the human suffering and violent persecution of Christians, especially the religious cleansing of Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. ...'Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead'. (James 2:20)"
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