New archbishop for Central America: The Church of England Newspaper, April 23, 2010 p 6.

Archbishop Armando Guerra of Central America

First published in The Church of England Newspaper.

La Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central de America (IARCA)—the Anglican church in Central America—elected a new primate last week at its April 15-17 synod in Panama City.

The Bishop of Guatemala, the Rt. Rev. Armando Guerra was elected to a four year term of office as primate and will succeed Bishop Martín Barahona of El Salvador, who has served as primate for the past eight years. Archbishop Guerra will be installed on June 12 at the cathedral in Guatemala City.

Bishop Guerra’s election was welcomed by members of the Global South coalition meeting in Singapore, seeing in the Bishop of Guatemala a kindred spirit on the theological and doctrinal issues dividing the Communion. One bishop told The Church of England Newspaper the new archbishop was a “humble” and prayerful leader who would pursue the mission of building up the church across Central America.

“Thank you for this support. It is an extremely difficult task, beginning a new era in a new place,” Archbishop-elect Guerra told the synod, according to a press statement released by the province.

Elected Bishop of Guatemala in 1982, Archbishop Guerra (60) has overseen a rapid expansion of his diocese and is presently assisted by two suffragan bishops, Virgilio Arreaza and Enrique Lanfiesta, in overseeing the diocese.

The Panama City synod also elected Bishop Julio Murray of Panama vice president of the House of Bishops and elected Bishop Héctor Monterroso of Costa Rica as provincial secretary.

In 2004 Bishop Guerra and the Diocese of Guatemala standing committee denounced the consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, and chastised Archbishop Barahona for taking part in his consecration.

The Diocese of Guatemala stated it “hereby disassociates herself from the action of the Primate of IARCA, specifically in his participation in the consecration of Gene Robinson, recognizing that such a wanton act willfully causes a certain degree of impairment within IARCA.”

However, the diocese would agree to disagree with its primate and would “uphold the ecclesiastic unity” of the province.