Cancellation of Fiji Methodist Conference 2009

Under huge and targetted pressure from the Interim Regime led by Commodore Bainimarama, the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma has cancelled this year's Conference. Whatever the circumstances that may justify a decision, those responsible for it should understand the consequences of their actions. When the Conference was held up in 1987 because of the Coup events then, that decision was made by the Church unilaterally. This time, the Church has bowed to secular authorities some of whom are taking great satisfaction from their persecution and building new religious followings of their own, the genuinenes of which has to be questioned.

The key principle in this whole affair was set down a long time ago, in 1839, by the celebrated missionary John Hunt. When faced with the determination of a high chief (the secular authority)to alter decisions taken at the Annual Meeting of the missionaries [known then as the District Meeting but today as the Bose Ko Viti], John Hunt stated quite categorically that the deliberations and decisions of the Bose Ko Viti came under the direct ordinance of God and as such could not be changed because of providential "interference" as he called it in those very church decisions. This is the principle that has been compromised by today's Methodist Church.

This was the time when they had to take the harder road - to say, in an adaptation of Martin Luther's words: "Here We Stand, we can do no other".

Church State Crisis

In all its 174 year history, the Methodist Church has never failed to meet as a Conference. This is a major gathering that stands at the centre of church life and organisation. It appears now, in 2009, that the Conference tradition is to be broken by the strong-armed tactics of the current military ruler. The claimed sticking point is the failure of the Methodist Church leadership to do the regime's bidding and dismiss Revs Kanailagi and Lasaro for alleged "political" comments ; failing that the Methodist Conference would be banned. Quite correctly, the Qase Levu, Ame Tugaue, the GS Tuikilakila and the Assoc GS, Tevita Banivanua - all well-educated, moderate and respected men - replied that ministers cannot be dismissed at the will of any particular individual or administration but that certain processes, involving fairness and justice, must be followed. Yet the army gave the church one hour to act on its demand! The Methodists must stand together in solidarity and seek the religious freedoms that they are entitled to from any reasonable secular dispensation.

2009: Launch of Next Part of 1847 Fijian New Testament

Welcome to the new year - 2009. A very important Fiji Methodist Conference will be held this year at Rewa. It was here in 1839 that the Methodists started a mission station, staffed by Thomas Jaggar. He was both an ordained minister and a printer. He came to Rewa with his family, bringing with him also a rudimentary Printing Press which was immediately put to work, printing catechisms, hymn sheets, school work books and segments of scripture

Thomas Jaggar was also a scholar of the Fijian language and he translated the Gospel of John. He sent it to his colleague at Viwa, the now celebrated John Hunt, who was working on a full translation of the New Testament into Fijian. Hunt accepted Jaggar's translation of John's Gospel and it was the only book in the 1847 NT not translated by Hunt.

At the Rewa Conference, three of the books of the 1847 NT will be re-published: Luke, John and Acts. This follows the publication of the books of Matthew and Mark in 2005 (see illustration).

It is significant that the fine work of Jaggar will be recognised at the place where he first carried out his printing, translating and mission work.