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January 4
Thomas Campbell, Kaj Munk, and Ogoni Day
David Barnhart
January 04, 2026
Moss growing on an old railway car. 2005, own photo.
Today is Ogoni Day, when Nigerian activists of Rivers State, Nigeria, demonstrated against the collusion of Shell Oil and the Nigerian government to pollute their rivers and land in 1993. The government mobilized against the Ogoni people and arrested many of their leaders, including Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was later executed on trumped-up charges.
Today marks the death, in 1854, of Thomas Campbell, an Irish-born Presbyterian pastor who started a movement that would become the Disciples of Christ. He and his followers attempted to overcome divisions among denominations by using reason to approach the Bible, and to pare down beliefs and opinions into “the essentials.”
Today also marks the death, in 1944, of Danish preacher and playwright Kaj Munk, who was arrested and murdered for preaching an Epiphany sermon against the Nazis.
References:
Part of the 1809 “Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington” a founding document of the Disciples of Christ movement:
“…We are also of opinion that as the Divine word is equally binding upon all, so all lie under an equal obligation to be bound by it, and it alone; and not by any human interpretation of it; and that, therefore, no man has a right to judge his brother, except in so far as he manifestly violates the express letter of the law. That every such judgment is an express violation of the law of Christ, a daring usurpation of his throne, and a gross intrusion upon the rights and liberties of his subjects.”
“Moreover, being well aware, from sad experience, of the heinous nature and pernicious tendency of religious controversy among Christians; tired and sick of the bitter jarrings and janglings of a party spirit, we would desire to be at rest; and, were it possible, we would also desire to adopt and recommend such measures as would give rest to our brethren throughout all the churches: as would restore unity, peace, and purity to the whole Church of God.”
This is part of the sermon that Kaj Monk preached the night he was arrested and murdered:
“What is, therefore, our task today? Shall I answer: “Faith, hope, and love”? That sounds beautiful. But I would say–courage. No, even that is not challenging enough to be the whole truth. Our task today is recklessness. For what we Christians lack is not psychology or literature…we lack a holy rage–the recklessness which comes from the knowledge of God and humanity. The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets, and when the lie rages across the face of the earth…a holy anger about the things that are wrong in the world. To rage against the ravaging of God’s earth, and the destruction of God’s world. To rage when little children must die of hunger, when the tables of the rich are sagging with food. To rage at the senseless killing of so many, and against the madness of militaries. To rage at the lie that calls the threat of death and the strategy of destruction peace. To rage against complacency. To restlessly seek that recklessness that will challenge and seek to change human history until it conforms to the norms of the Kingdom of God. And remember the signs of the Christian Church have been the Lion, the Lamb, the Dove, and the Fish…but never the chameleon.”
Finally, also related to speaking out against injustice:
I was somewhat surprised, when watching Ted Lasso, to see a subplot referencing the exploitation of Nigeria by oil companies. I was glad to see this as a way of raising awareness about the connections of capitalism and colonialism.
But I also realized that one of the reasons the creators of Ted Lasso felt comfortable writing a storyline about Nigeria is that it allows us in the United States to imagine alliances between corporations and authoritarians as something that happens in other places. This othering allows us to continue to ignore the way fossil fuel companies have treated us all like the Ogoni people. This is our world that they are destroying with their disinformation campaigns spreading skepticism about climate change. What happened in Nigeria is happening to all of us.
Ken Saro-Wiwa wrote this poem:
Fire
There is a fire in me
Burns all night and day
Flares at injustice
Leaps at oppression
Glows warmly in beauty.
Prayer: God of peace and justice, give us a holy rage that is rooted in passionate love for all your people and creation. Amen.