JORAS - Nigerian Journal of Religion and Society

Building sustainable peace in places violently torn apart is essential to Christian identity. Hence, this contribution offers that the Body of Christ in Nigeria, attentive to her ethical responsibility in the light of advances in critical criminology, especially Victim Studies and Restorative Justice, must move beyond its current acrimonies to evolving structures and habits that care for victims and perpetrators of violence so as to build just peace. Africae Munus notes that the search for reconciliation, justice and peace in Africa cannot be an exclusive search. It must be ecumenical and interreligious (nos 88-96). The post-synodal exhortation, however, does not proffer areas of ecumenical actions for reconciliation, justice and peace. This limitation becomes clearer if one compares it with WCC's resource book, Participating in God's Mission of Reconciliation, which also focuses on reconciliation and justice in Africa. The article seeks to contribute to ecumenical dialogue of life, and particularly to suggest missing ecumenical structures in Nigeria. The Body of Christ united in suffering must respond ecumenically to heal Nigeria's past and present to realise a future hoped for.

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