Ian Ellis: Churches reflect on how they can help tackle the causes of world hunger and malnutrition

​One was the general council of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), of which the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is a member. The October 14-23 meeting was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The term “Reformed” refers to a particular branch of the 16th century reformation which took three main trajectories – Reformed (originating in Switzerland), Lutheran (originating in Germany) and Anglican (originating in England).

The Chiang Mai general council marked the WCRC's 150th anniversary. Today, the Hannover, Germany-based organisation represents more than 100 million Christians.

The Irish Presbyterian representative at Chiang Mai was the Rev Dr Liz Hughes, a former convener of the denomination's Council for Global Mission and currently chair of Christian Aid Ireland.

A press release from the Chiang Mai general council meeting indicated that, during its proceedings, the theme of food was raised by a Methodist pastor from Tonga, Rev Jione Havea. He drew a connection between food and family and stressed that eating together together strengthens relationships. He also noted that sharing meals fosters connection, particularly during times of crisis, when poor or displaced people rely on one another just to survive.

Referring in particular to images from Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, he commented that they “show people coming to get food, and the media wants us to see their desperation”, but added that the media do not “follow the families when they go back to their tents”, when, he suggested, it would be seen how poor and hungry people know how to respond to one another's needs.

The speaker also reportedly challenged the modern “disconnect” between people and the sources of their nourishment and warned that the source of food is threatened by a lack of care for the environment.

Another speaker at the WCRC meeting, Rev Bridget Ben-Naimah, of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ghana, called on churches to be proactive in lifting people out of adverse circumstances by practical acts of “compassion and advocacy”. The call to action was clear, going far beyond words only.

Speaking to me for this column, Dr Hughes indicated how the WCRC's 2004 Accra Confession had challenged the powers that be over how the world's economies adversely affect poorer countries, and said that the Chiang Mai meeting had reaffirmed the Confession.

The 2004 document notes how the global economic system “defends and protects the interests of the powerful”, at the expense of the poor.

Dr Hughes also stressed how adverse climate conditions can have a particularly serious impact on poorer countries. Difficulties are naturally only exacerbated by such nations' lack of resources to take remedial action.

The other international church gathering that focused on food issues was a joint meeting, on October 22 in Rome, of representatives of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Caritas Internationalis, and World Vision International, when they together launched a “hunger statement” at the October 21-25 UN food security meeting in the Italian capital.

The Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland are two of the 356 WCC member-churches; Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of Roman Catholic charitable organisations; and World Vision International is a Christian humanitarian organisation.

A press release indicated: “The joint faith statement commits faith communities to address root causes of hunger and malnutrition, use evidence-based solutions, and hold governments accountable for pledges to end hunger.”

It added that organisers plan to sustain momentum “through virtual sessions, national dialogues, and shared learning platforms”.

The emphasis, again, was clearly on being proactive in tackling world hunger.

There is no doubt that many charities are doing exemplary work in trying to reach the hungry, but greater resourcing is needed from developed countries' aid programmes. The scale of the need makes it impossible for charities on their own to provide what is required.

The WCRC's Accra Confession placed all of this in a theological context, stating: “We believe that God has made a covenant with all of creation (Genesis 9.8-12). God has brought into being an earth community based on the vision of justice and peace. The covenant is a gift of grace that is not for sale in the market place (Isaiah 55.1). It is an economy of grace for the household of all of creation. Jesus shows that this is an inclusive covenant in which the poor and marginalized are preferential partners and calls us to put justice for the ‘least of these’ (Matthew 25.40) at the centre of the community of life.”

Appealing to such religious values may be lost on some, but there is no doubt that faith is one of the most motivating factors in life. It inspires people to action and has every right to bring its perspectives to bear in critiquing world affairs.

It is sometimes said that charity begins at home and it is certainly true that people are most conscious of need when their loved ones are affected by adversity and when it is clearly visible to them.

Yet this cannot be a reason for failing to respond adequately to the global need that is known to exist and that causes so much suffering and illness. l Canon Ian Ellis is a former editor of The Church of Ireland Gazette.