ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS IN SOLOMON ISLANDS Sample Clauses

ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS IN SOLOMON ISLANDS. 2.1 The advent of Ecclesiastical Institutions in Solomon Islands If one could properly articulate the coming of Christianity in the Solomon’s, it would be better said that it was the responsibility of all the churches that have collectively contributed in one way or the other in this historic evangelical process. The advent of Christianity into the shores of the Isles of Solomon was made by the Catholic Spanish Explorer named Xxxxxx xx Xxxxxxx xx Xxxxx in 1568. Whilst others in the Expedition endeavouring their interest in pursuit of finding gold and building wealth, Xxxxxxx was more ambitious to converting islanders to Christianity. Interestingly, without knowing what it was all about, the Explorer baptised some Makira Islanders at that time. After around 200 years later, in 1795 a group of evangelical Christians of different denominations met in England to form the London Missionary Society (L.M.S.). They collected money and chose the Pacific as their mission field.1 Then came the epoch of whalers and traders visiting the islands who were not missionaries. The first wave of missionaries came in 1845 by the first Catholic Xxxxxx of Melanesia and Micronesia named Xxxx-Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx arrived in Xxxxxx and was killed, and the mission withdrew.2 The second wave of missionaries was in 1852, under the Melanesian Mission, led by the Anglican Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx who brought natives to be taught in New Zealand to evangelise their own people upon their return. Upon their return, mission schools were established in Makira, Gela, Malaita and Xxxxxx. Similarly, a native Solomon Islander, Xxxxx Xxx’xxx working in the Queensland Kanaka Mission in Australia brought the South Seas Evangelical Mission (SSEM), which was formally established in 1907. Both the Methodist Mission arrived in 1902 followed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDAC) arrival in 1914 in the Western Province. The Assemblies of God of Solomon Islands (AOGSI) arrived in 1971. Over the years, the Churches built mission schools and hospitals and other related infrastructures to supporting the work of the missions throughout the country. Seeing the contributions made by these churches in the human resource development, health, shipping (transport) sectors, the Government supported mainly the schools and hospitals in the past century up to this day. These Churches ought to make available room for concerted efforts better said today as ecumenism to strengthen involvement and participation in the c...