...THE HAREST IS TRULY PLENTEOUS; BUT THE LABOURERS ARE FEW – MATT.9:37
By Winstanley R. Bankole Johnson (JP; CO)
In a matter of hours, the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion – encompassing Freetown, the North and Bonthe – will be voting in a replacement Lord Bishop to the current substantive Julius Olotu Prince Lynch COR etc, who retires on 24July this year, the precise date on which he will attain the age limit of three scores and ten (70 years) for that position.
Following a snap primary conducted by our Chancellor and former Chief Justice of the Judicature of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ade Renner-Thomas, three shortlisted candidates emerged front runners for that coveted position – (1) Rev. Can Emmerson Thomas (2) Rev. Can Thomas A I Wilson and (3) Rev. Can Kweku B C Hagan – and from among whom only one will be elected substantive Bishop, through the Grace of God.
This piece therefore is informed by the fact that from among all three fully qualified and eligible candidates, Rev Can Emmerson Thomas in my personal view is the only one that has publicly elicited my votes and who, in addition to the qualities listed in 1st Timothy. 3:1-7, epitomizes family values, proven administrative savvy and competence, academic prowess, and can better hold his own in any forum, in addition to his greatest advantage of being at the “appropriate age” of 63 years. And I stress the words “appropriate age” here, knowing full well that in the next eight years at most, he will be exiting the stage – just like Pope Benedict XVI – instead of remaining in office for twenty or more years, long enough to further accelerate the further decline of our diocese to near extinction.
In a recent article published in various newspapers, erudite scholar, engineer and Diocesan Lay Reader Andrew Kamor Keili amply dilated on the key prerequisites or eligibility criteria for anyone to be elected a Bishop, and ended up requesting all and sundry to pray for the Diocese at large so that God in His own wisdom and direction will identify a “suitable lamb for the sacrifice” (Gen.22:8). And I couldn’t agree more with him.
Suffice it to say, though, that as Mr. Keili is very much aware, such prayers no matter how fervent, must be complemented with “works”, as “faith without works is dead” (James 2:17). That is to say because the choice will be arrived at after a due process of open secret balloting, the three short listed candidates and their respective supporters must do their utmost to canvass votes in the same way politicians do at elections.
It must be clarified at this stage that again of the three aspirants, I have far greater proximity to and affiliation with both the Rev Cans. Thomas A I Wilson and Kweku B C Hagan than I share with Rev Can Emmerson Thomas, and stand a far better chance of advancing within the Lay Anglican hierarchy under the episcopacy of the former two than under Rev. Can Emmerson Thomas. But I am talking here about the advancement of the Gospel, and in which case all other personal expectations and considerations are “sinking sand”. This goes for those who may want to feel I entertain personal grudge against the other two contenders. That is why I have not used a pen name for this article. To hide and defend one’s conviction for Jesus Christ is as good as being ashamed of Him.
Empirically, any incumbency that stretches beyond the optimum human productive performance tenure of ten years, loses focus and direction and quite explicably degenerates into lethargy and enforcement of the divide-and-rule tactic to hide away incompetence, in much the same circumstance we have witnessed in our diocese in the last eight years. The situation is no different from what obtains among mainstream political leaderships, which is why the tenure of a Head of State in many countries is restricted to no more than two 5-year terms. Accordingly risks inherent in a shorter term episcopacy of no more than ten years can be more effectively managed than that of a longer one of up to say 20 or 22 years.
After ten years, the rights of vocal Priests either begin to be trampled upon or they are relegated into obscurity by unexplained transfers. Open defiance and manipulation of an already tired Bishop by a powerful Dean and or Archdeacon becomes the order of the day.
Noticeably, respect for hierarchy disappears and Priests who are supposed to still be on “milky administrative diet” are catapulted into prominent Parishes by powerful “Camp Leaders” over and above their seniors who through years of toil and experience are capable of chewing “strong administrative meat”. As you read this, the pristine and once reverent “Bishop’s Court” is a drab, understandably so as most of the present workers are non-Christians. In fact, never in the history of the Anglican diocese has Jesus Christ been so mercilessly and unconscionably divested of assets (lands, buildings and congregation/flock) than in the last 17 years.
But of course this is not to suggest that the episcopacy of the outgoing incumbent was all gloom and doom. God forbid!!! To suggest that would simply imply an indictment on all of us past and present Standing Committee members for tacitly betraying the trust of those who voted us into “God’s Holy Parliament” in this part of His Vineyard at periodic Synods. In fact just this month, Bishop Lynch re-dedicated and re-consecrated a Parish Church within the Macdonald axis that was newly refurbished by an illustrious son of the soil and veteran Journalist, Brother Philip Neville. God bless his purse strings!!
The fact though is that in the formative years of his tenure, most of those Bishop Lynch chose as lieutenants stayed on for mercenary or other unworthy intentions, refusing to own up to charges of gross betrayal, and by the time he “wizened” up, many had fled to other denominations, sometimes leaving once pious and united families broken, with parents and children worshipping at different denominations. Those who stayed behind did so more out of natural default to, and respect for Anglicanism than in obedience to the Bishop.
Now is the time to rectify all past errors and defects, by electing Rev. Can Emmerson Thomas as Bishop, so as to properly re-position this Diocese to meet future challenges. It is equally the time to identify, take inventory of and “legally register” all Anglican Church property vested in our Bishop as the “Corporate Aggregate”. The time to revisit all lease deeds with a view to exiting dubious middlemen Church Officers who sublet at a fortune but pay pittance to Parishes, leaving Priests and vicars in perpetual penury.
Now is the time to restructure the Anglican Church hierarchy, so that merit can be rewarded over and above “Connectocracy”. The time to rekindle family values among our Clergy, and further regain lost sheep. The time to remind our Clergy that in addition to conducting worships, funerals, christenings and marriages, they also have a “pastoral” obligation to lead the flock. And we can do all of the above without importing resources from the sub-region.
This is the time to re-link our diocese with the Church Missionary Society (CMS) of England, who broke away from us because of proven fiscal mismanagement and failure by the establishment to penalize known miscreants. Finally, electing Rev Can Emmerson Thomas as our next Bishop will also be the time to take back and manage our mission schools in a strictly Anglican pattern – and even possibly compliment government efforts to access education by opening more Junior Secondary Schools, just like the Madras Islamia has achieved.
But I fully appreciate why there seems to be much greater dread for an “Emerson Thomas Episcopacy”, because many know full well that it certainly will not be business as usual. Do you now see why I based this piece on Matthew 9:37 – “The harvest is truly plenteous; but the labourers are few?”
From a business perspective, no Bishop-elect – young or old – can produce any diocesan development plan (short/medium/long) that will span beyond the expected tenure of Rev Can Emmerson Thomas as Bishop. Accordingly his election will in no way stifle development, but rather allow for other contenders (who no doubt still have much time on their side God willing) to sufficiently prepare themselves for this onerous task in say 8 -10 years’ time.
But there are those who argue that the cost of enthroning a new Bishop after every eight years (conservatively now put at Le100 million) far outweighs the benefits of such short incumbencies and that a much younger candidate should be sought instead. I cannot disagree with them more, because they are not only limiting God’s potentials, but as with Rev Can Emmerson Thomas, there is no guarantee from God that any or all of them could live beyond a particular time.
And my choice for the position of Archdeacon, if you asked me, is Rev Can Joseph M Khamara of course!!! No culture of ethnicity has monopoly over any faith, and unless we condescend to begin to “launch out into the deep for a draught” our survival as a diocese or chances of “hauling a great catches” (Luke 5:4-6) beyond year 2025 will remain an illusion.
And what if Rev. Can. Emmerson Thomas (my candidate) does not win? I shall “give thanks unto God”, and exhort all others as Paul did to accept and support whoever wins as the “will of God in Christ Jesus concerning our diocese” – (1.Thess.5:18)
Floreat Anglicanism!!!!
Editor’s Note: By Winstanley R. Bankole Johnson (JP; CO) is a former Mayor of the Freetown Municipality. His endorsement of one candidate in the election of the next Anglican Bishop does not necessarily represent the views of Politico Newspaper.
