Akinola interview: Credit where credit is due.

Archbishop Akinola is often the subject of critical comment here on Preludium, and for good reason. But there have been times when we have urged people to look also at the Archbishop's willingness to speak out against the corruption of the state and corporations and against the excesses of certain church practices.

In an interview for the Church of Nigeria webpages, Archbishop Akinola speaks to several state and religious issues with force and humor. It is worth the read.

Here are some tidbits from the interview:
About the "Gospel of Prosperity":

"A large number of preachers today do not seem to see anything wrong in proclaiming what they call the gospel of prosperity and lay emphasis from the beginning to the end of their sermons, on how to make so called break through, get their miracles and getting more money and all that. I am not against earning money nor getting wealth after all, we all need money to do what we need to do both for ourselves and the Church of God. But when that becomes the focus of our message, the pivotal of our service and the centre of our lives, it is wrong."

About church silence concerning the wrongdoing of public officials:

"And concerning politicians, how many leaders in the Church do we hear in recent times telling them that what they are doing is wrong. Very few, if any. That is what I call conspiracy of silence, not just by the Pastors but all other stake holders like the media, lawyers, engineers, accountants among others."

About Pentecastalism:

"Our Church has always been a Church led by the Holy Spirit. We believe very firmly in the authority and supremacy of the scriptures. We also believe very firmly and strongly in the historical establishment of the early Church. Anglican Communion did not just fall down by the corner yesterday. We have been part of the Catholic i.e. Universal Church for the past 2,000 years.

So we have history and antecedents. Therefore as an offspring of the early Church, we try not to over-emphasize one thing over and against the other. We maintain a very lively balance between what is scriptural, historical and reasonable. You will not see us rolling on the floor, doing acrobatic claiming to be under the power of the Holy Spirit.

Everything we have ever done in this Church and still doing today has been made and still being made possible by the Holy Spirit. He is the way and without Him, we have no way. So, we believe very strongly that this manifestation of the Holy Spirit is always there and always guiding, leading and enabling the Church to grow and move on. The Holy Spirit cannot be caged for anyone to say this is the particular way He should operate. He moves as He pleases and does what glorifies our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and not individuals.

Sometimes, He enables people to pray and healing happens. In another place, He enables people to preach the Word and sinners are converted. We have heard testimonies from some of our new dioceses where they preach and those into idolatry brought out their shrines and destroyed their idols. Without the Holy Spirit, this is practically impossible. We have also heard testimony of communities that had been at war for years, reconciled. All these are by the power of the Holy Spirit. So, in the Anglican Church, we try to maintain a balance. They Holy Spirit enable all that we do and we try not to over emphasize a particular way of the work of the Holy Spirit by making special reference to what is called Pentecostalism or whatever."

Read the interview.