PHOTO: Bishop Jensen Seyenkulo, LCC Vice President
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Liberia Council of Churches has strongly reacted to recent claims by Liberia’s Solicitor General, Cllr. Syrenius Cephas that the LCC’s President Bishop Kortu Brown is a “faceless politician, warning that it “will not be intimidated by anyone”
He was reacting to calls by the Council of Churches for the government to address growing insecurity reported around the country, including mysterious disappearances/deaths and ritualistic killings.
Recently, SG who had earlier been accused by Ellen Corkrum of involvement in sacrificing virgins for ritualistic purpose, Cllr, Cephas claimed that Bishop Kortu Brown was using his religious connection to conceal his mendacious posture as a faceless politician because of his hatred for the CDC government of President George Weah. The SG has since denied Corkrum’s allegations linking him to ritualistic killings.
But at a press conference in Monrovia on Thursday, LCC’s First Vice President Bishop Jensen Seyenkulo pointed out that the church will remain the prophetic voice of the voiceless and will not be intimidated by anyone to demean the hard earn respect for religious leaders.
“Our culture and religious values teach us to be obedient and respectful every authority,” he said; adding: “the church has not and is not opposed to any political leadership of the country.”
Cllr. Cephas Bishop Kortu Brown
Bishop Seyenkulo urged the Liberian government to see the church as a true partner and a great collaborator in progress and most of the officials of the government are members of the Christian community.
“We hold to supporting the government in all lawful actions to uplift good governance and the progress of the country,” he told the press conference.
Cllr. Cephas also accused the LCC President of using the religious community in his alleged campaign to get even with anyone who has been through his hypocrisies and viciousness.
The allegation of Cllr. Cephas was followed by additional accusations by the Assistant Information Minister for Information Services, Daniel Nuxe Thomas and Liberia National Police Inspector General, Colonel Patrick Sudue that the LCC President was misleading the public about ritualistic killings in the country,
But the Council’s First Vice President, Bishop Seyenkulo told the news conference that such statements coming from high profile officials of government is worrisome and counted as an affront to the morality and distressful to the Episcopal leadership.
According to him, these statements from government officials portray an unfriendly atmosphere between the church and the state, which is far from the truth.
Bishop Seyenkulo, who is the head of the Lutheran Church in Liberia, said the church has been and is the champion of good relationship and upholds to its mission that foster partnership at national and international levels.
The First Vice President of the LCC noted as the country is approaching 2023 presidential and legislative elections there is a need for collaboration as a priority, negating the ‘scape goating’ and ‘mischaracterization’.
The LCC used the occasion to call on all stakeholders up hold to the rule of law with specific reference to forced conscription of persons in to traditional societies, the respect of the rights of all persons no matter their age, creed, faith or cultural orientation
The council again condemned all acts of ritualistic killings and called on those involved to refrain from the further destruction of lives of God’s children
Bishop Seyenkulo also called on all Liberians to recognize that life belongs to God and anyone who takes life is an enemy of God.