The Role of Christians in National Reconciliation

SUNDAY SERVICE 22 SEPT 2013
SPEAKER: DATUK DR DENISON JAYASOORIA
TEXT: 2 COR 5:16-21

Malaysia celebrated the 50th Malaysia Day recently amid controversy and anxiety over the country’s future. Is there a role for the church to play in nation building towards national reconciliation?

In a message that Dr Denison had previously shared at DUMC (see YouTube below), several points were presented anew to us at Hope EFC.


Denison drew attention to his text for the day and looked at the larger implication of Paul’s words for answers.

"God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors..."

As Denison explained, the “in Christ” experience of believers includes the ministry of reconciliation. This work is the expression of new life/new creation, the outflow of spirituality and salvation. Just as we have been reconciled to God, we are now commanded to extend reconciliation within the community we live in: we have been reconciled to be reconcilers.

Animosity and division among people - such as Malaysian society – arise as a result of many reasons. Hostility towards people of different race and religion may come out of ignorance and prejudice. How do we overcome this state of affairs? When a person has peace with God within himself, he will extend peace to others.

Jacob and Esau –Jacob’s deceit drove the two brothers apart. An encounter with God brings peace to a person and enables Jacob to make peace with his brother.
Zaccheus – Luke 19 records how the tax collector’s conversion led him to return money that he had gained through cheating. An encounter with Jesus leads to restitution as a way forward towards reconciliation.
Nelson Mandela – After 27 years in jail, Mandela learnt to surrender fear and anger to serve his own community and work towards national reconciliation.

An outstanding local example of the ministry of reconciliation is found in the work of William Shellabear. Shellabear came back to Malaysia and Singapore where he had served as an army captain and became a missionary. He mastered the Malay language, wrote books in Malay including Sejarah Melayu, a dictionary of the Malay language as well as a guide to Malay grammar. (Note: Shellabear was also the founder of MPH Bookstore in the 1890s)

According to Shellabear’s biography by Robert Hunt, the former army captain turned Methodist missionary left an exemplary legacy for the Malaysian church because of a genuine love for the people, motivated by religious conviction and not exploitation or fear.

Denison reflected on the Malaysian church’s entire focus on the Chinese and Indian population during pre- and post-war Malaya and asked: would not ethnic relationships have been better today if God’s people did not neglect the equally suffering Malay community then? 

What can the church do to foster reconciliation today? 

1. Although our personal identity may be multi-faceted, acknowledge that we are Malaysians first.
2. Appreciate diversity and avoid feelings of ethnic superiority. Learn language, food habits, and cultural practices of our neighbours.
3. Avoid being judgmental and do not respond out of prejudice and limited information.
4. Work to resolve ethnic conflict through relational synergy and partnership.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:9 
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DATUK DR DENISON JAYASOORIA is the Principle Research Fellow at the Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA), National University of Malaysia (UKM) and Secretary-General of PROHAM (Society for the Promotion of Human Rights). He maintains a blog at denisonbooks.blogspot