Evangelicals rebuild a Candomblé place of worship
The National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil decided to create a Solidarity Fund for Confronting Religious Violence.
Contemporary Brazilian religious scenery is marked by acts of violence perpetrated by fundamentalist Christian groups against members of Candomblé religion and their places of worship. Candomblé is a religion brought to Brazil by African people who were enslaved and is composed by a majority of Brazilian black people.
Religious violence acts have become frequent in Rio de Janeiro city and state. In the last couple of months several terreiros have been invaded by extremist groups armed with rifles forcing Candomblé priests to break down their religious symbols and places of worship. They do it “in the name of Christ” in order “to expel demons”, as they say it.
In June 26 2014, a terreiro named Kwe Cejá Gbé was burn by one these extremist groups. To respond to such a violence, Rio de Janeiro State Council of Christian Churches (CONIC-Rio) backed up the idea of its President, Lutheran Pastor Lusmarina Campos Garcia, to rebuild the terreio. A campaign was started in June 2015 with the support of the National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil (CONIC). Communication between CONIC-Rio and Kwe Cejá Gbé terreiro was intermediated by Babalawô Ivanir dos Santos, representing Commission on Combating Religious Intolerance.
Donation Campaign initiated in June 2015 collecting about US$ 700. CONIC-Rio´s extra-ordinary Assembly in September 2015 elected a new board which interrupted the campaign. However, one of the church members continued mobilized and recently offered US$ 3,200 allowing that an amount of US$ 3,900 could be transferred to Mother Conceição d´Lissá, chief priest of Kwe Cejá Gbé terreiro in November 22 2017. This amount is insufficient to rebuild what was destroyed. But, as Mother Conceição declared during the Act of Solidarity in which she received the donations, “what matters is the symbolism of this gesture. This gesture is a singularity that becomes a watershed”.
Acts of violence perpetrated by Christian fundamentalist groups result from a combination between a “theology of war” and racial plus religious hatred. 2016 Brazilian democratic rupture exposed deep racism present in Brazilian society and intensified intolerances. Demonizing people belonging to Candomblé religion it is an attempt to withdraw humanity from them. And when humanity is taken away from another person, anything becomes possible.
However, Gospel´s logic is neither based on belligerence or dehumanization of the other. Gospel is about welcoming differences, dialoguing, practicing solidarity, searching for justice and loving. Wounds opened and relations broken by violence can only be healed and restored when those deep values coming from the Gospels are lived out.
Welcoming differences is fundamental for peace between religious and non-religious people, between religions and societies. Respecting differences as a foundational value it is a requisite for the functioning of institutions, organizations, groups and movements that form democratic societies and human community.
“Unity in diversity” is a central precept embraced by ecumenical movement. Worldwide and Brazilian ecumenism is characterized by its commitment to human rights, democracy, peace, social justice, gender justice and religious dialogue. Ecumenical movement rejects all forms of intolerance and racism.
As Religious violence is not circumscribed to Rio de Janeiro, but it is spread throughout the whole country, the National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil decided to create a Solidarity Fund for Confronting Religious Violence. To make this Fund operative, CONIC asks for support to organizations and people who believe that through solidarity it is possible to build a just and loving society.
Details for donations can be found at: http://www.conic.org.br/portal/noticias/2421-fundo-de-solidariedade-para-o-enfrentamento-das-violencias-religiosas
Thank you.
[1] In Portuguese, the name for a Candomblé place of worship is terreiro.
