After Shuttering 700 Churches, Rwanda Proposes Stricter Clergy Guidelines

NAIROBI, Kenya — After closing more than 700 churches and some mosques in March, Rwandan government officials have moved to institute guidelines for how faith groups operate in the majority-Christian East African country.

Rwanda's minister in the office of the president has brought to Parliament a draft law that would require Christian and Muslim clerics to attain university education before preaching in churches or mosques. The law would require clerics to have a bachelor's degree and a valid certificate in religious studies. It would also bar clergy who have been convicted of crimes of genocide, genocidal ideology, discrimination or other sectarian practices.

"I agree with the law. Some of our church groups have been operating in a dangerous manner," Evalister Mugabo, bishop of the Lutheran Church in Rwanda, told Religion News Service.

Churches and mosques would also be required to institute an internal disagreement resolution body to complement the work of their umbrella organizations and the government's dispute resolution authority, which resolves conflicts involving different faiths.

The measure, according to government officials, will bring order among churches, some of which are suspected of misleading people.

Judith Uwizeye, minister in the office of President Paul Kagame, presented the draft law. "Everyone would wake up in the morning and call people to start a church. Setting up a faith-based organization didn't require anything. We want to bring about better organization on the way faith-based organizations work," she is quoted as saying.

The draft law received wide support from most legislators in Rwanda's Parliament. It will move to the committee stage, after which it will be brought back to Parliament for endorsement.

I know a missionary in Tanzania who among other things operates a training school for evangelists and native church planters. I think they have a small operation in Rwanda.

This would be devastating to them and the overall Christian church there, which is growing. I can’t put my finger on any part of scripture that requires a college degree to preach the Gospel.

You may recall the Bible account of the man with countless demons who Jesus delivered him of by sending the demons into a herd of wild pigs who then drowned themselves. That man became a huge evangelist of the truth of what happened to him to the people of his village. All without a college degree.

Our church has sort of adopted a guy from Rwanda who became a pastor - he runs services in one of our buildings on Sunday, and sometimes his church joins our services.

They are mostly all from Africa - but all different tribes and countries. It is growing by leaps and bounds. Pretty amazing knowing their history of hatred between some of the tribes - and now they are worshiping together!

There must be a balance btwn academia substituting for anointing, and aberrations supposing anointing.

Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. (John 7:45-49)

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16)

That's rot

Germans (including Dutch, English, Scandanavians) were exactly like that 1400 years ago, the Slavs were like that 1100 years ago and the Baltics were like that as late as 700 years ago.

The sub-saharan Africans with the NOTABLE exception of the Ethiopians who were civilized before many European nations are behind the curve but there is no difference between them and the other peoples at points in history

Furthermoe, the EDUCATED in Europe are the ones who convince people to genocide -- look at Lenin or Rousseau for instance.

I can’t put my finger on any part of scripture that requires a college degree to preach the Gospel.

The new law would pertain to setting up a faith-based organizations for profit, not preaching the Gospel (which was and still can be illegal in the United Kingdom, for example).

As for college, they were generally first established in order to train clergy. To assert that American colleges generally are no longer religious, and therefore college is unnecessary to train clergy, would be myopic.

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Second Timothy, Catholic chapter two, Protestant verses fourteen to twenty six,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

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