What does a “decolonized church” look like? Consultation explores
What does a “decolonized church” look like? Consultation explores
iku
Fri, 08/28/2026 - 15:52
The 23rd Academic Consultation of Societas Oecumenica, under the theme “ Churches in the Midst of Polarisation,” included a paper by Dr Masiiwa Gunda, WCC programme executive and Ecumenical Institute at Bossey adjunct professor.
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Participants of the 23rd Academic Consultation of Societas Oecumenica, gathered under the theme “Churches in the Midst of Polarisation” in Utrecht, Netherlands from 21-25 August 2026.
Photo: Societas Oecumenica
The consultation was held in Utrecht, Netherlands from 21-25 August.
Gunda spoke on "The Paradoxical (Colonial-Decolonial) Church: Toward an Anti-Racism, Decolonial and Inclusive Church.”
His paper addressed the church as a contested and polarized space historically and presently.
“ Polarization within churches mirrors wider societal fractures—racial, gender, social, and political,” he said. “ A legacy of colonization and enslavement is a central cause.”
He asked: How can the church be both a colonizing and decolonizing force?
“ The church is complicit in colonial domination…
