Day 2 of Global Ministries Gathering Examining Nationalism, Resistance, and the Meaning of Belonging
The second day of the Global Ministries Cross-Regional Gathering in Johannesburg, South Africa, continued the conversation on “Identity and Belonging: Nationalisms and Resistance in the World Today,” exploring how nationalism shapes communities, influences who is considered to belong, and challenges the church’s commitment to justice, peace, and human dignity.
Presenters from the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Sri Lanka, and the United States shared perspectives shaped by their countries’ histories and contemporary struggles. Across these diverse contexts, a common concern emerged: nationalism can be used to consolidate power, exclude marginalized communities, and deepen divisions when national identity becomes a tool for discrimination rather than a source of shared responsibility.
Mr. Muyunga Brian from Uganda serves as the Executive Secretary for Youth at the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and began the day by speaking about the impact of colonialism, which fostered exclusive nationalisms, and continued by citing examples from Kenya, Madagascar, and Burkina Faso of what he termed “legitimate state nationalism,” as manifested in youth movements that led to positive outcomes. He spoke of resistance against exclusive nationalism and Pan-African solidarity, highlighting the “Africa My Home and Future” Campaign of the All Africa Conference of Churches.
Rev. Wella Hoyle-De Rosas, an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and faculty member at Silliman University Divinity School, emphasized the church’s prophetic responsibility to speak truth to power and stand alongside people experiencing injustice. Drawing on the UCCP’s history of resistance during martial law and her work coordinating the university’s Justice and Peace Center, she described how churches and communities continue to advocate for human rights, accompany vulnerable populations, and protect the environment, despite risks and pressure. She challenged participants to understand resistance not as rejection of one’s country, but as an expression of love for its people.
Mr. Lorenzo Mota King from the Dominican Republic is the executive director of Global Ministries’ partner, the Dominican Churches’ Social Service (SSID). He examined the relationship between national identity, citizenship, and belonging, particularly in the complex history shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. His presentation highlighted the struggles of people affected by questions of nationality and documentation, emphasizing the need to defend human dignity while encouraging dialogue, justice, and peaceful coexistence.
Rev. Charlotte Fischer of Germany reflected on the resurgence of far-right nationalism and the lessons of German history, including the failures of the church during the Nazi era. She challenged churches to examine their own political loyalties and moments of silence, particularly when the dignity of marginalized people is threatened. Sharing her congregation’s practice of providing sanctuary to people facing deportation, she called for resistance rooted in hope, compassion, and a commitment to human dignity that transcends national borders.
Rev. Preman Rajan Rohaan, a peacebuilding leader with the Church of the American Ceylon Mission in Sri Lanka, addressed the lasting effects of ethnic and religious nationalism. He described how exclusion and discrimination have affected Tamil, Muslim, and other minority communities, contributing to conflict and unresolved wounds long after the Sri Lankan civil war ended in 2009. He emphasized the church’s role in reconciliation through interfaith dialogue, community empowerment, solidarity with vulnerable populations, and the pursuit of justice and healing.
Heather Rodenberg, a doctoral researcher at the University of California, San Diego, explored how nationalism in the United States has historically been used both to exclude marginalized people and to inspire movements for change. Drawing on examples from the nation’s history and contemporary protest movements, she highlighted the importance of social connections across community divisions in building resilience. She encouraged participants to question whose interests nationalist narratives serve and to recognize the power of relationships, education, and collective action in challenging exclusion.
In the panel discussion that followed, the focus was clearly on how youth and younger generations are involved and what their engagement might look like. Rodenberg asserted that younger generations feel frustration with climate, poverty, and racism, while Brian noted that young people do not want to be sidelined and bring a different perspective to age-old issues. He said youth need to be trusted and to feel a sense of urgency. Hoyle-De Rossas added that there is much to learn from youth and that she looks to them for inspiration.
Following the plenary presentations, participants visited the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto. The visits offered opportunities to reflect on South Africa’s history of apartheid, the struggle against and resistance to apartheid, and the ongoing work of building a society grounded in justice and human dignity. The story of the Soweto Massacre of 1976 became real in its telling by a local guide, and the visual images of the state response to the organized resistance by young people were deeply haunting.
Together, the day’s presentations and visits underscored the importance of examining national identity through the experiences of those whose voices are too often excluded. For churches and ecumenical partners, the challenge is to cultivate communities where difference does not become a justification for division, where faith inspires accountability and courage, and where belonging is grounded in dignity, justice, and mutual care.