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“God’s justice is not secluded but inclusive. Love is woven tightly with justice, faith and hope”. These remarks were made recently by the Former Permanent Representative of the World Council of Churches to the United Nations, Rev. Dr. Lawrence K. Bropleh when he gave the keynote address at the launching of the Faith and Justice Network (FJN) Liberia at the S. Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church in Monrovia on May 3, 2018. FJN is an advocacy initiative by churches in the Mano River Basin (MRU) countries.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of FJN, Archbishop Jonathan B.B. Hart, in his opening address said that the launching of the Faith and Justice Network Liberia was a historic moment that brought pride and joy to the ecumenical movement; adding, FJN is not here to duplicate what trailblazers in the business were already doing. Neither is the Faith and Justice Network here to compete but to collaborate, complement, and cooperate.
The occasion was graced with the presence of senior church leaders including Bishop D. Jensen Seyenkulo of the Lutheran Church. The Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Msgr. Gabriel Jubwe and The Very Rev. Fr. Charles Boyce of the Catholic Church, Bishop Rudolf J. Marsh, Sr., Rev. Dr. Herman Brown, President of Cuttington University, President of the National Christian Council of Liberia, Rev. Dr. Jasper Ndaborlor, President of the Pentecostal Fellowship Union of Liberia, Bishop Josiah Pah of the Church of God in Christ International, Cllr. James Verdier, Chairman, Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, and Commerce Minister Wilson K. Tarpeh among others. The Liberia Council of Churches and Association of Evangelicals were represented by their respective General Secretaries.
The Secretary of the Interreligious Council of Liberia, Imam Musa Bamba, and the Chief Imam of Liberia, Ali Krayee, were in attendance. Moderating two panels were Rev. Dr. James Sellee of the Episcopal Church of Liberia and Rev. Foday E. Karpeh of Oasis. Rev. Dr. Sarwolo Nelson of the United Methodist Church spoke on “Putting Faith into Action”. Also, Nimba County District 8 Representative Larry Younquoi and Rivercess County District 1 Representative Rosanna Schaaks were panelists in two of the six-panel discussions. Other panelists included Mr. Wellington Kollie of the World Hope International, Rev. P. Fahn Kollie of the Wesleyan Church, Rev. Dr. Katurah York-Cooper of the Empowerment Temple, Dr. Mosoka Fallah of the National Public Health Institute, Mr. Sam C. Jalwood as well as human rights lawyers Taiwon S. Gongloe and Dempster Brown among others. Distinguished participants Like Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh of the Movement for Justice in Africa, Amb. William R. Tolbert, III, and Dr. Benjamin Dorme Lartey were in full attendance. About eighty-five (85) senior church leaders, church-related institutions, government officials, members of the Muslim Community, and civil society were in attendance.
The Guest of Honor for the launching of the Faith and Justice Network Liberia was Her Honor; Justice Sie A. Nyene Youh-Snowe who indicated that the Constitution guaranteed the rights of citizens to participate in the formulation of government. Justice Youh-Snowe then welcomed FJN as they join in teaching civic education to citizens.
The Regional Executive Director of FJN, Rev. Dr. Thomas Tolbert Jallah, Jr. explained that the Faith and Justice Network plan to set up anti-corruption clubs in sample church schools, send monitors to the National Legislature, and send monitors to sample courts and prison compounds to monitor the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in how prisoners are treated among other projects.
