Leaders representing the religious based organizations and churches are happy with religious law confirming that it is going to reduce the chaos that was rampant in the many of the churches in Rwanda.
The new draft law is being under scrutiny by the parliament in collaboration with the religious leaders.
Pastor Prince John, of the End time Evangelical Mission, says, before the law is being thought of. That Chaos was intertwined and ‘synonymously’ could meant churches in Rwanda.
“There is chaos and the church, people could wake in one morning and start their own churches. It was like the businesses yet in Godly mannerism churches should be separated with commercials,” he says.
He adds that it created chaos internally in the churches and also to the general public. However, that accordingly to the biblical doctrine the church should be free of the chaos.
Pr. Charles Mugisha, of the New Life Bible church, also agrees that the new law will help much in orderliness and Honesty in churches since it requires at least one recommendation from the authority confirming that he or she must all requirements stipulated in the law to start a church.
Changes
The requirement of the one who want to start a church must be a person of integrity that means criminals will be out. This will help to limit all the people who would be showing the unreal pictures.
Usually, someone who wanted to establish a church could go to the RGB to get the authorizing permit and sometimes the local leaders could visit the place and inspect the construction.
Differently, to the new law where authorizing permit is no more but the church will first complete all the required needs.
Challenges
Joel sengoga, the vice president of the Peace plan Rwanda, an association of all religious churches in Rwanda, says, the law is timely and wanted.
He adds that among the requirements stipulated in the law. One must have the certificate of the theology.
However, that it’s abrupt and it would be better if they are given the time to sort themselves. He adds that the churches do Godly service because of the Godly call not like other technical professions.
“The law was not there for nothing there must something that it came to safeguard. The churches used to take the divinity as the shield to do what they want but that the law has come as a solution,” he says.
For Prof. Dr Rwigamba Balinda, the Vice-Chancellor of Universite Libre De Kigali (ULK), for him, the pastors preach targets the deepest inner persons and souls therefore, that it is unnecessary for the preachers to require them qualification since they are turning people to Christ and not training them for earthly wisdom.
“It’s different. Thus, this provision hinders the preachers but at least it will reduce the chaos, promote good infrastructure of the churches and legal personality issues will be no solved completely,” he adds.
Other challenges highlighted by the churches are having one school of the theology especially those attending seminary. Therefore, that in four years provided isn’t enough.
The Express News
