19 Aug 2003

Opposition to Fiji Methodists' drive on Christianity claim

7:25 am on 19 August 2003

Fiji's Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Fiji Council of Churches have both opposed the proposal to declare Fiji a Christian state.

Fiji's Methodist Church has pressed for such a declaration since the military coups of 1987 and it was reiterated this week by its general secretary, the Reverend Jione Lagi, who says God would be in favour of this.

But the Fiji Times quotes the general secretary of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Usala Baravi, as saying Fiji should not be declared a Christian state because the church should always be independent.

Pastor Baravi says the church can interact with the government but it should not try and run the nation.

The chairman of the Fiji Council of Churches, Ben Bhagwan, says it would be a gross violation of human rights to declare Fiji a Christian state.

Mr Bhagwan says the church should first worry about being true servants of Christ before thinking of turning Fiji into a Christian state.

Mr Bhagwan says the church should first worry about being true servants of Christ before thinking of turning Fiji into a Christian state.