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Akinola
and Ndungane meet
A
meeting took place between the Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane,
Primate of Southern Africa and Archbishop Peter Akinola, Primate of
Nigeria, and the following press release was issued on 29 March.
The
meeting was held at Kwa Malusi, 18 Stanley Road, Irene, Pretoria. In
attendance were Dr Jo Seoka, Bishop of Pretoria, and Dr Peter
Adebiyi, Bishop of Lagos West.
The
meeting started with a Holy Communion Service presided over by
Bishop Jo Seoka who also facilitated this meeting as the Liaison
Bishop for Southern Africa to CAPA. This meeting was called primarily
to discuss the way forward for the Anglican Church in Africa and
globally on how to work out issues about what affects the church in general.
We
agreed that there had been a communication gap between the
leadership of the Church, and this meeting resolved to remove
obstacles that make communication impossible and thereby be able to
fight against any forces that seek to divide us. It also agreed to
share information about various meetings that will take place in
Africa, for example, the All Anglican Bishops’ Conference to be
held in Nigeria in October 2004; and the Lambeth Conference to be
held in Cape Town in 2008; and to assist African nations to be
self-reliant - and thereby reduce disease and poverty among the
nations of Africa.
1
We concluded to work together to strengthen the position of the
Church in Africa on the issue of Human Sexuality. We uphold the
Lambeth resolution on Human Sexuality as passed at the 1998 Lambeth
Conference and subsequent Primates' Meetings which categorically say
no to same-sex marriages or unions.
2
We are committed to work together with the African political leaders
on conflict prevention and resolution and to facilitate the success
of NEPAD.
3
We are committed to work together to eradicate poverty and diseases
- most especially HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Most
Revd Njongonkulu Ndungane, Primate of Southern Africa
Most
Revd Peter Akinola, Primate of All Nigeria.
Letters
to the ed
The
editor wishes to remind readers that Iindaba does not print
anonymous letters. Iindaba has to have the full name and address of
the writer and only in exceptional circumstances will letters be
printed with the writer’s name withheld.
Upholding
scriptural truths
Thank
you your latest offering. I too believe in the Scriptures as they
are written and in context and feel the archbishop is being
politically, rather than scripturally correct.
In
my younger days, I had bisexual relationships and could not, under
any circumstances have been called a prude. I only became a Christian
at the age of about 30 and since then have read the Bible from cover
to cover several times. I have a deep love and compassion for
homosexuals, but can find no reference in the Scriptures that
indicates that homosexuality is anything but anathema to God.
I
can appreciate that many homosexuals can feel a calling to the
Ministry and that some may even be called to the Episcopate, just as
many adulterers or thieves may have the same calling. But, I cannot
accept that an openly practising adulterer (or homosexual or thief)
can possibly claim that there is nothing wrong with his or her way of
life and openly declare that he or she is unrepentant.
I
have personally done many things in my life that are outside the
will of God, and I am sure that there is not a single ordained
Minister who can claim otherwise however, just because I do it, is no
reason to say that there is nothing wrong!
Carl
Griffiths - Natal
Informed
discussion needed
In
the April Iindaba, there is a great deal about homosexuality. It is
right that there should be, as it is very much a subject for concern
and discussion. But it must be informed discussion.
When
I was back in South Africa recently I was lent a book written by a
Dominican priest in 2002. Its title: “A Question of truth”,
published by Continuum. I do not know its price.
In
the blurb on the cover it is stated: “Gareth Moore challenges
the teaching of the Catholic Church on its own grounds. He scruinizes
the Church’s arguments, which are based both on the Bible and
natural law, and finds them wanting. He subjects the Church’s
beliefs to meticulous and scholarly examination and concludes that
there are no good arguments ... against what are known as homosexual
relationships. To a greater or lesser extent, all the Christian
churches consider scripture and natural law to be of vital importance
to the debate surrounding homosexuality. Gareth Moore’s work is
therefore highly relevant to all Christians.”
I
believe that anyone who wishes seriously to understand what the
Scriptures are saying should read this work: not to be
‘converted’ to his point of view, but see how he gets
there. He peers behind the ‘obvious’ meaning of words and
practices to see what they meant to the original writers themselves.
It would be strange if, over the centuries, there were not different
understandings, not only of the words, but of the practices to which
they refer. To take a simple example (mine - not his): if you were to
call someone a ‘red’ a couple of hundred years ago, it
would have had no political significance at all - it would merely
refer to the persons skin colour, or hair.
But
Fr Moore is far more erudite than that. His arguments must be
scrutinised by scholars of language, history, etc. I am not in a
position to do so, nor would I, even if I were, attempt it in so
brief a space as this. All I can do is encourage those who wish to be
faithful teachers of God’s word to read this book.
Abp
Philip Russell
Philip
was the first Bishop of this diocese and was translated to Natal
then to Cape Town as their archbishop. In his retirement he lives in
Adelaide in Australia.
RIP
Shirley Brough
Canon
Peter Bowen remembers
Many
members of the diocese will have been saddened to learn of the death
in England of Shirley Brough in her 66th year. Shirley was a very
prominent member of the diocesan staff when this diocese was in the
process of being born under the wise oversight of its first Bishop,
Philip Russell. Those were the days of what some wag termed
“salvation by newsprint and koki-chalk” when Shirley helped
the new diocese to elicit from its members, the information needed to
work together as a team, towards common goals.
As
Diocesan Education officer she did a tremendous job before moving
off to the UK. Schooled at Sydenham Primary and Pearson, Shirley had
distinguished herself in the classroom and on the sports field, being
a very promising athlete and hurdler, as well as one of the leading
junior provincial tennis players.
In
the world of commerce she had risen to be personal secretary to the
MD of Ford, Port Elizabeth, and later rose to the same capacity for
the Managing Director of Ford Europe. In following the Lord’s
guidance, she gave it all up to work for the proverbial Anglican
peanuts in the Diocesan Office!
Shirley
spent her latter years in the little village of Boreham near
Chelmsford. There, with her friend Dorothy Boocock, another ex CPSA
Diocesan Education officer, she has been of inestimable help to the
local Bishop at many levels.
Fourteen
years ago Shirley was forced to undergo major surgery, the results
of which were the final cause of her recent death. To her many
brothers and sisters (one of whom is the well known Matron of MOTHWA
Haven), the diocese offers its prayerful condolences.
Book
review
"Travelling
Along the Anglican Way" by Fr Roy Snyman tssf
In
the foreword to this book Bishop Bethlehem writes, “The
Anglican church embraces at least three traditions, which are
Anglo-Catholic, Evangelical Living and Charismatic Renewal. They
complement each other when their origins are known, questions are
answered and points of contact clarified. This is the result of
continual refreshment of faith in workshops, retreats, quiet days and
many times of prayer, especially in daily offices and meditation.
This book draws together the strands of Anglicanism and will enrich
such times of prayer, especially for confirmation candidates when
used in conjunction with the Catechism in the Anglican Prayer Book
(1989). I also believe that those in positions of influence and
leaders in church circles will find this book to be the source of a
wealth of knowledge, thus making our own journey of faith more
meaningful and exciting.”
Three
of our clergy comment -
Shane
Fraser, Lay Minister Chaplain:
This
book is a wonderful tool to have. Roy Snyman deals extensively and
well with varied topics pertaining to our Anglican tradition /
historical roots of the Ecclesia Anglicanae.
I
find this book helpful and inspiring, and recommend that all our lay
ministers (in fact all the laity) should obtain a copy and have at
their disposal this well put together handbook for ongoing study and inspiration.
Sharon
Nell, Priest in charge of Sunday School Teacher Training:
“This
book offers ordinary people an understandable explanation of
Anglicanism and what we believe. The value of the book lies in its
simplicity of writing for all to understand and in the author’s
explanation of Anglican terminology and beliefs. From the first
chapter the author explains the meaning of theological terms and
offers clarity on church language, which at times can be confusing.
Consisting
of 21 chapters, the book offers the reader chapters relating to the
history of the Anglican church, chapters on the sacraments -
especially the understanding of holy communion, chapters on healing,
dying, marriage, ordination, on lay ministry and a chapter explaining
some of the questions people have asked regarding Anglican liturgy.
This well written book is a wealth of information. Diagrams,
illustrations and drawings by retired priest, John Dunn, assist the
reader in understanding and explanation of Anglican liturgy.
“Travelling
along the Anglican Way” is a tool which all clergy can put to
use as part of the preparation for confirmation course. It is a book
which the lay person will find of great value as it can serve as a
refresher course or provide information, which they never knew, with
regard to their church. “Travelling along the Anglican Way”
is a book which will assist all Anglicans to have a better
understanding of their Church, the liturgy but more importantly, this
book will assist all along their spiritual journey, as it gives life
to the faith which we confess.
David
Grobbelaar, the priest in charge of Training of Laity:
May
I from the outset, congratulate Roy who had the vision to publish
(as he termed) “a simple handbook for the average layman.”
I am convinced that this most informative work and comprehensive and
up to date reference book by Roy will go a far way to develop the lay
folk in our diocese. Further, it is a pattern for ministry of which I
am convinced is both distinctively biblical and productive for both
the clergy and the laity.
May
I, in the words of Bishop Bethlehem’s forward, also commend
this book to all clergy and the laity who have a love for the
ministry and a desire to broaden their under-standing of the Anglican Church.
Copies
are available at R35 (postage included) from:
Fr
Roy Snyman tssf,
C/o
Diocesan Office,
P
O Box 7109, Newton Park,
6055
Roy’s
telephone/fax no is: 041 373 1283
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