Towards a Practical Hope-Giving Theology: An Assessment of the Revitalizing Model of Arche de l'Alliance Goma in the Context of the Eastern Congo Crisis

Abstract

The Congolese of Eastern Congo have experienced many years of war and continue to live in poverty in a renowned, naturally rich country. In this part of the country, wealth is concentrated in the hands of an upper class constituted of government officials, military commanders, militia leaders (also known as warlords), and some businessmen and merchant women who work in connivance with the politicians. The lower classes, formed by most of the population in urban centres and rural villages, struggle to survive. Many Christians have joined Pentecostal churches, including Arche de l'Alliance Goma, because their message promises change amidst a desperate situation. This article proposes a theological reflection on hope amid suffering based on the question: How does a hope-giving theology, advocated by Arche de l'Alliance Goma, help Christians face the Eastern Congo crisis? Also, with the comparative method, the case study method is chosen to gather and report the findings based on research conducted 2019 through interviews and document analysis. The research finds that a practical hope-giving theology encompasses worship celebration, theological reflection, and social action engagement. Thus, hope is restored when Christians meet to listen to sermons during church services. A Pentecostal theology reinforces the aftermath of these gatherings focused on God's intervention in the human situation and a call to action to change uncomfortable conditions engendered by the long-persisted Eastern Congo crisis. Therefore, this study examines a revitalizing model that has served Christians in some churches to find ways of surviving amid suffering from the Eastern Congo sociopolitical and economic crisis.