My personal Appeal: As you came to the church leadership with no bloodshed, exit the throne peacefully without bloodshed in Jonglei state

My dear brothers and sisters, I have written this four-page document concerning our current church issue. Please take your time and look at it; then share it widely with our people, and good richly bless you all!

By Rev. Stephen Mathiang Kuch, Bor, South Sudan

Saturday, 12 August 2023 (PW) — This personal appeal goes to the youths, church leaders, chiefs, politicians, opinion leaders, and all the people of Bor, Twic East, and Duk Counties. But it also goes to other interested people in and outside South Sudan. For those who don’t know me, I am Pastor Stephen Mathiang Kuc Alier. I was ordained on 12 August 1991 in Kapat in Bor by the retired Bishop Nathaniel Garang Anyieth, then the diocesan Bishop of Bor Diocese. Now I live in Bor.

Before I proceed with my writing, be informed that I am neither a part of the decision-makers in the church nor a part of the decision-makers in the community or the government. But I always feel compelled to share my personal opinions with others whenever an issue is facing my people, either in the church or community, as is the case now. I tend not to believe that my opinions or suggestions are better than the ones of others. Although I write, talk and do other things, the final decision is with the decision-makers. Yet I always feel good volunteering my personal points of view instead of keeping quiet while the house burns. 

To find a better solution to this crucial ECSS issue about the Diocese of Bor and Jonglei Internal Province, I addressed my first appeal to Private Justin and Archbishop Akurdid on 21 January 2020, sharing my viewpoints. It was copied to others. Thereafter, I wrote further appeals to them and copied them to more people. I also verbally talked and prayed about it. I know that others, including our President Salva Kiir, have tried their best to get a better solution but in vain. Today my personal appeal takes the following shapes:

I. Archbishop Reuben Akurdid and Archbishop Moses Anur

A. Archbishop Reuben Akurdid, I met you in 2019 at Bor Airport. While waiting to board the plane to Juba, you told me that you had written a letter and shared it with all Bishops of the Jonglei Internal Province, informing them of your request for retirement, which was to occur in the following year. Based on this information, I believe by this time; you would have been living now as a retired Archbishop if the current church problem was not there. But all in all, you are still going to retire. My personal advice is that as you came to the church leadership with no bloodshed, exit the throne peacefully without bloodshed.

B. Archbishop Moses Anur, you have been consecrated and given powers and authority as the Archbishop of the Jonglei Internal Province. Of course, the seat belongs to one person, who is now you. Because Archbishop Akurdid will no longer share the same seat with you, as it is legally and logically yours, don’t usurp it by force. Be very careful and very patient. Don’t shed innocent blood to ascend to the holy seat of Christ’s church. Let our elders see how to resolve the problem speedily and peacefully. Archbishop Akurdid is going out, and you remain to govern the church of God. Patience pays. 

II. Pastors

My fellow pastors in South Sudan and the diaspora, I hope you are well in the Lord. The humiliation of our bishops is our humiliation, and their honour is our honour. Archbishop Akurdid, Archbishop Anur, Primate Badi, and all other Archbishops and Bishops of the ECCS are our leaders. Our primary role is to help them in words or deeds to excel in their leadership positions. We have to support them until they successfully complete their office tenures. 

As the church is now in the present crisis, some or a few of us seem to have lost their neutrality as God’s shepherds by aligning themselves with Archbishop Akurdid or Primate Badi and Archbishop Anur. Not only that, this unhealthy division among us, the priests, appears to have divided both the church and the relevant communities. 

This has given room for some of the community members to jump into church affairs to try to help the church solve its own problem. Of course, the church is the body of Christ, including those in the community. Such division among pastors has complicated the issue and made it hard to solve it quickly. 

Now as we are on the verge of getting an amicable solution to the problem, and because of our love and respect for our church leaders, those above us, let us try to narrow our differences, come together, and see how to help Archbishop Akurdid to exit the throne and Archbishop Anur to come to power peacefully. In fact, we will not have two archbishops sitting on the same seat in the Jonglei Internal Province. The seat is for Archbishop Anur, and Archbishop Akurdid is leaving sooner rather than later. 

For the sake of the unity of our church, for the sake of the peaceful coexistence of our communities in peaceful bomas, payams, counties, states and nations, and above all, for the sake of God’s name, we should harmonise ourselves and see how to come out of this problem in a very peaceful manner. Let us not use our innocent youths to cause havoc in the church and in the community. Let us protect God’s name and our image, as priests, in the eyes of community members and others.  

III. Youths

My dear youths, my children, you are the current and future leaders of our young nation, communities, families and churches. Our future squarely rests in your hands. I joined social media in 2016 not for fun but to share my personal knowledge and viewpoints about our nation, the church, spiritual life, etc., with those interested. And I have been enjoying that since then. Because others learn from me, and I learn from them, too. 

But when the current church crisis came up in 2019, your usual friendly moods took a negative trend on social media and along the streets. I am always unhappy when I see and hear some of the undesirable messages and reactions from some of you concerning our present church issue.

Some of you have taken it personally by talking ill of others, using divisive language, and so on and so forth. By the way, you are destroying personal relationships instead of building them among yourselves. This crucial church problem will peacefully finish very soon in God’s name.

But your present and future need your togetherness for a healthy, solid church, communities, counties, state and country. To live well in this world, people form blocks like NATO, EU, USA — The American slogan is: “United we stand, divided we fall.” Please build bridges but not diving walls among yourselves. 

Your good history, especially of Twic, Nyarweng, Hol and Bor, is cemented with blood relations and other good social fabrics. I humbly implore all of you in the Lord to desist from negative talks and violence. Learn how to address all your issues peacefully for God’s glory and your own benefit. To reiterate my advice, never destroy your oneness; see each other as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

After all, Archbishop Akurdid Ngong, Archbishop Anur Ayom, Bishop Thuch Agoth, Bishop Joh Mayom, Bishop Manyok Biar, Bishop Achiek Mach, etc. are all our brothers, the branches of the same Vine. Let no one use you to use violence in God’s church.

Be patient! It is just a matter of time! Archbishop Akurdid is going out, and Archbishop Anur is coming in very soon. Actually, you all are children of one people of one nation. Don’t belittle and destroy yourselves. I know some of you are highly educated and well civilized. 

IV. Community Elders

I hope this appeal finds you well, my dear community elders, including the chiefs. You have been trying your best to help the church solve its problem in a very peaceful way. Without your concerted efforts, things would have gone out of hand by now. 

Let no one allure you to take a side in this crucial church problem. But maintain your impartiality and see all the youths as your own children and all other members of the communities as people under your care. As elders, you have a wealth of experiences, and you must use such vast experiences and wisdom to assist the church in addressing its problem peacefully. 

The church is the people, and you are responsible for the people, and whatever affects the church affects you and all the people under your care. Maintain law and order; prevent youths and others from taking the law into their own hands. Archbishop Akurdid, Archbishop Anur and other pastors are all your people, and you must admonish them when they are wrong somewhat.

Archbishop Anur is now taking over from Archbishop Akurdid as the prime leader of the Jonglei Internal Province. Ensure that Archbishop Akurdid leaves peacefully and Archbishop Anur takes over peacefully. 

V. Politicians

First of all, I very much appreciate how our dear President Salva Kiir tried his best to provide fair advice to the ECSS leadership to peacefully and amicably solve their crucial problem. Although the church did not implement your advice in letter and spirit, bravo, you have done your part as a leader of the people. We hope and pray that this problem will finish in the right way.

To my dear politicians and other government officials, I highly commend how you have relentlessly tried to help the church solve its problem calmly. I know you have had a rough journey along the meandering road of peace, though that is always expected of good peace negotiators. 

This church problem tried to create an unnecessary rift among you. As representatives of the people, you attempt now to assist in solving their problem; you should not lose your minds and hearts but maintain your solid cohesion.

Your unity and peaceful coexistence mean unity and social coexistence in the church, societies, other social organs, and the nation. If minute internal forces defeat and fit you against one another, how will you withstand enormous external forces on your own behalf and on behalf of your people?

If this church problem has caused some differences among you, narrow them, join your hands and see how to immediately put it to rest for the common good of all and for God’s glory. Please try to see how to bring it to a peaceful end very soon. Don’t sleep on it! We need Archbishop Akurdid to depart for Archbishop Anur to peacefully take over peacefully.  

VI. Conclusion

The Church, the body of Christ, is the salt and the light of the world. (Matthew 5:13-16). As the body of the Prince of Peace, it is the oasis of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal.5:22-23). As the salt, it is the one to preserve ethical values among the people; it is the one to shed light on the dark corners of any society below the sun.

It is the only place where people love their enemies as themselves and pray for those who persecute them. (Matthew 5: 43-48). Let us not burn down our church on the thorny ground of hatred, jealousy, envy, and ignorance.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance” (Ps.33:12). 

“Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25). 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). 

Thanks a lot for reading it, sharing it and acting upon it! I love you all as myself! Have a blessed day in the Lord. 

Yours truly Christ’s servant, 

C.K. Alier 

The Rev. Stephen Mathiang Kuc, PhD

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