Presbyterian Church of Brazil prays for its prodigal mother
By Angela R. Treadway, The Layman Online, June 17, 2005
EDINA, Minn. – Many parents can relate to the story of the prodigal son, as often they must deal with their own prodigal children and wayward teenagers. But imagine for a moment a different scenario, the prodigal story turned inside out. Imagine a mother giving birth to a daughter, giving her life, loving her, nurturing her, guiding her, and teaching her to walk on the path of Christ. Then imagine the anguish the daughter would feel if that very same mother then turned her back on everything she had taught the daughter to hold dear.
Ludgero Morais
A broken family
Such was the painful story recounted by Dr. Ludgero Morais, the executive secretary (stated clerk) of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, the largest Presbyterian denomination in his country, in an address Thursday evening to the participants of the New Wineskins Initiative Convocation.
Morais spoke in the lyrical, legato rhythm of his native Portuguese tongue, his Christian passion evident. With the assistance of an interpreter, Morais recounted the story of how the Presbyterian Church in Brazil had to break relations with the United Presbyterian Church (UPCUSA) in 1973 because the UPCUSA, the “mother” church whose missionary efforts seeded the Presbyterian church in Brazil 150 years ago, began exporting liberation theology and post-modern politics instead of a passion for evangelical Christianity.
A thriving progeny
“Presbyterian churches in America have many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren in Brazil,” Morais said. “You have a daughter in Brazil with 800,000 members.” From the efforts of the first Presbyterian missionaries from America, the Presbyterian church in Brazil has blossomed to 275 presbyteries and 62 synods. The churches planted in Brazil are among the fastest growing in the world, and there are now over 4,000 local Brazilian Presbyterian churches. The church also has many hospitals and schools, including the largest, most important university in South America, McKenzie University.
“Churches of Brazil are praying for this very precious mother,” said Morais. “The sacred Scriptures are for us the Word of God.” He emphasized the importance of the centrality of Scripture to our lives, and cautioned against making two primary errors regarding Scripture.
The Word of God
The first error he described is treating the Bible as if it were a “museum piece,” as if God spoke to us at one time but does not speak to us any more. The second error is “existentialism,” a view that God spoke to us in the past, and continues to speak, but without any contact with his creation.
“For that reason,” said Morais, “we need to revive the doctrine of the inspiration of the Scriptures. God spoke, and continues to speak. And he has always spoken through the Word of Scripture.”
“All of the religions of the world are an expression of the will of man, and I include with that false Christianity. But Biblical Christianity is not by the will of man, but by the will of God. It is not a human invention, but divine invention. God planted his Church by his sovereign will.”
In but not of the world
Morais expounded on the theme that God has separated us so that we might live a life of holiness in this world. We are not to be a part of the world in which we live, but are called to be counter-cultural. As Morias explained, “We work with our hands to be a blessing in the lives of other people. At one time we had a behavior contrary to the Word of God, but now we have a holy life before him. For that reason the world does not want us. Our presence is not a beloved presence in this world. But ours is a vital presence in the world, and we are called to be salt in this world, and like light that illuminates. And so our life is completely different from the life of the Gentiles.”
Morais addressed the difficulties facing the PCUSA and encouraged the audience to take heart from current conflicts focusing on whether the PCUSA will succumb to prevailing cultural norms, or stand as healing salt and light to a lost world. Using the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors, Morais was able to paint a picture of God’s divine sovereignty over every aspect of our lives. “Peace does not mean that everything is going well in your life. But peace comes in knowing that God is in control. Some things in our lives are very perturbing. But God remains in control of everything.”
The peace and purpose of God
“If it hadn’t been for the coat that incited so much jealousy among the Joseph’s brothers, that brought about their hatred, that motivated them to sell their brother into slavery, and if Joseph hadn’t been sold, and then propositioned by a vile woman, and then thrown in prison where he had opportunity to interpret dreams for the Pharaoh; if it hadn’t been for all those terrible things, the family of Joseph would not have been saved from the famine, which was the salvation of the nation of Israel. That preservation was important because out of the nation of Israel was born our savior Jesus Christ. Oh, what a wonderful coat Joseph wore!
“So maybe you are thinking about the horrible things in your denomination, but in the infinite mercy of God, God has his purpose. Who knows? Maybe this purpose of God is being born right here.”