Globalisation is the process of life that gives rise to the reality and tangibility of our relatedness and interrelatedness with all that exists. This reality of our relatedness is contradicted by contemporary world capitalisation that is perpetuating inequalities among nations. The problem is that postmodern empire and globalisation do not only mean interconnectedness of the world, but it simultaneously contributes to and expands neoliberal capitalism. And the current global neoliberal capitalistic practices cause global problems such as poverty, global warming, rich and poor nations, like the militarisation of nations.
While globalisation implies interconnectedness, human beings, and in particular human leadership, has spectacularly failed to reflect, guarantee and practice this interconnectedness and interrelatedness. The sole reason for this failure is human ego-centrism in economic, political and religious practices. The ego-centrism of world leaders and nations has restrained humankind from expressing its interconnectedness and interrelatedness with each other as well as with our natural environment. Those countries and nations that are economically powerful do take advantage of our interconnectedness for the sole purpose of advancing their own economic, political and military ambitions and interests. It is for that reason that G Sauer Thompson, in his book, “Beyond Economics: Postmodernity, globalisation and national sustainability argue that globalisation and empiricism have become handmaids of capitalist expansion in the guess of market liberalism. The rich, efficient countries of the world have agreed to call themselves G 8 countries, and this they did to signify their solidarity in richness. But in the true sense of the world, these very countries are advocates for multinational companies and corporation. They very much rule these companies and corporations.
What the church should do
The church’s involvement in restraining and controlling empire globalization means the advocating of an integrated world order where all humanity participates in efforts towards the attainment of progress and development, prosperity and upliftment. The church should recommend and support an integrated world beyond individualism and nationalism, in which all human beings should participate and enjoy the fruits of human development and progress. The church should address and overcome the problems of inequality and dependency. The church globally should make it her task and agenda to motivate and encourage poor countries of the world to accept rich countries without begrudging or envying them, but instead to feel in union with these rich countries towards equal participation and contribution in global development, advancement, upliftment, prosperity, and progress of the human race.
The church should constantly emphasize and put to practice the words of Joseph Thompson as mentioned in his article “Globalization or Solidarity,” (printed September 1997) that “the combined wealth of the world’s richest men had the ability to wipe out the poverty and provide basic social services for the quarter of the world who live in severe need.” Furthermore, the church should put concretely in practice what was declared more than a decade ago at the council of parliament of world religions. These religious institutions said the following:” We are interdependent. Each of us depends on the wellbeing of the whole, and so we have respect for the community of living beings, for people, animals and plants, and the preservation of the earth. We must strive for a just and economic order (globally)”.
It is very clear that the advocates of the empire and globalization, the rich countries of the world, the G8 countries of the world, and the poor countries of the world should realize that our human existence is depending on the well-being of all, and that requires the advancement and the common good of the whole human race on earth, including nature- plants, trees, environment, animals. The church must plead, uphold and crusade in promoting that all societies do belong to each other and are bound to contribute to common global good and expression of their humanness.
Musa Dube, a prominent African women theologian, said the church should seek to offer solutions to troubled relationships and to encourage the creation and maintenance of life-affirming relations in societies.