“You cannot serve both God and mammon." These are the prophetic words of Jesus Christ in the famous ‘Sermon on the Mount’ that encapsulates the central tenets of Christian discipleship. This emphatic exhortation of Christ has been long forgotten by the Church, if one looks objectively at the way it functions today.
Who or what is mammon? Mammon has a Latin etymology. It is a term used to mean money, the greed for money, and the debasing influence of material wealth.
Christ was always on the side of the poor and the dispossessed, whereas Church today is unabashedly on the side of the rich and the powerful. The quintessential teaching of the master is all but forgotten by the self-anointed custodians of the faith. Suffering and sacrifice are no more worthy options in Church life. Serving the poor and the downtrodden is on the backburner and is just cosmetic in nature.
The Church today is immersed in the creation and worship of wealth. There are noble exceptions here and there, but the general trend is one in which money plays a significant, if not central, role.
There have been reports of financial malfeasance involving different denominational churches in recent times. There was even an aborted move by the present government in Kerala to enact a law to make churches financially accountable to the government from time to time. The result -- all the churches united and rose in protest, exhibiting a rare sense of unity and solidarity. Why are churches reluctant to be transparent?
Another shocking report is about a recently established church in Kerala with a modern medical college under its aegis being raided by the Income Tax department, unearthing several millions in hard currency stashed away in cellars, unused cars parked in their warehouse, etc. This church has been in the news more than once for alleged foreign exchange violations and ownership of lands and estates in various parts of the country.
Magnificent churches and priestly extravagance are a visible manifestation of the new generation leadership’s misplaced priority. ‘Mission’ is a word still used but it sounds hollow in reality.
Bishops travelling in opulent cars is a common sight. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a Bishop boarding his official ambassador car after we attended a function together. I am told that his successor has chosen to retain the same car. The exemplary conduct of these Bishops is praiseworthy, but not emulated.
Christ’s mission is abundantly clear, and so the Church has a ready ‘manual’ available. The manual is in the form of the gospel where Christ’s invocations are stated in unambiguous terms. Service to the poor is equated to worship of God.
‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (St Matthew 25:40). Is the Church today practising this covenant with the Master?
Greed for others’ wealth, or covetousness, is condemned in the Bible. Churches are obsessed with amassing wealth, and raising funds for different causes, chiefly to construct buildings. Then, there are instances of alleged misappropriation and unauthorised use of Church property and funds.
Let me cite two clear instances to show how far removed the Church is from the avowed principles of a true Christian life and witness.
A classic case is what is happening in the Orthodox Church in Kerala. They are poised to annex all the Jacobite churches, their erstwhile fellow-believers, on the basis of a court judgement. Be that as it may, can’t they give up the claim and be magnanimous enough to not grab what’s not theirs? If they do so, the decades-old, expensive court battle and the resultant bitterness and enmity will all come to a pleasant closure. Why can’t the Orthodox leadership see this God-sent opportunity and rise to the occasion?
The second example is about Church’s role in education. Christian institutions undeniably have played a stellar role in shaping modern India through their schools and colleges. The missionaries of yore reached the remotest parts of the country and spread the light of learning. Even to this day, they are a byword for quality education. People of all religious backgrounds seek to educate their children in Christian schools and colleges for this very reason. It’s all very well, but the crux of the matter is whether this distinctive role is played responsibly by the Church today. We hear about many institutions that take advantage of their reputation and demand capitation fee for admissions. They also extract money for job appointments.
These are not compatible with Christian ethos. If Christian values of truth and charity are to be imparted to the students who study in these institutions, these corrupt practices have to be stopped.
The Church can reclaim its pristine glory only if it comes away from its propensity to serve mammon. The sooner it happens, the better.
(The writer is Director, Little Rock Institute for Educational Leadership, Udupi)