West Africa denounces US, but will come to Lambeth: CEN 5.09.08 p 9. May 11, 2008
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Read it all in The Church of England Newspaper.
The Church of the Province of West Africa has denounced American and Canadian moves to affirm same-sex blessings, but will not withdraw from the Anglican Communion over the dispute.
In a statement released on April 11 following a meeting of the bishops and standing committee of the province held in Doula—see city of the missionary diocese of Cameroon, West Africa resolved to “continue to be in communion with the See of Canterbury as we unequivocally and unambiguously remain in the Anglican Communion.”
However, the dioceses in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gambia, Guinea and Cameroon said they “out rightly condemn and reject the unacceptable action” of some Western churches in blessing same-sex unions and ordaining and licensing non-celibate homosexual clergy.
While affirming the on-going need that homosexuals should be “treated pastorally,” the province said moves to give gay blessings and clergy “official recognition and acceptance by the Church of God as a standard form of life is quite another stand which we cannot and dare not accept.”
The provincial pre-Lambeth statement distinguishes West Africa from Nigeria. While sharing Nigeria’s distaste for the innovations of doctrine and discipline proposed by the North American churches, it differs in the proper response to the crisis.
“We further urge all members of the Communion to tread very cautiously in these trying and challenging moments” the province said, urging a halt to “name-calling.” “Reducing the conversation to Liberals versus Conservatives is not helpful; it only adds fuel to an already inflamed situation,” they said.
Ghana President praises church’s role: CEN 4.09.08 April 10, 2008
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| THE PRESIDENT of Ghana has commended the Church in West Africa for its commitment to education and the rural poor. President JA Kufour’s remarks came on March 29 at the opening of the Anglican University College of Technology in the rural Amansie West District of Ashantiland.
The first church-related university chartered since Ghana achieved independence in 1957, the new school will provide technical, scientific and engineering training for a region ill-served by higher education. Read it all in The Church of England Newspaper’s Religious Intelligence section. |
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The Archbishop of West Africa March 28, 2008
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The Most Rev. Justice Akrofi, Primate of the Church of the Province of West Africa and Archbishop of Accra
Liberian elections nullified: CEN 12.07.07 p 6. December 7, 2007
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The West African Church has nullified last month’s episcopal election in Liberia. The Nov 17 election of the Dean of Monrovia, the Very Rev. Jonathan Hart (pictured), as Bishop of Liberia was ruled void for not having conformed to canon law.
At a special diocesan convention held at Cuttington University College, Dean Hart, Dr. James Selle and Dr. Herman Browne—the international affairs secretary of the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, stood for election to succeed the current Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Edward Neufville.
Read it all in The Church of England Newspaper.
Gospel has ‘economic role,’ say Ghana leaders: CEN 10.05.07 p 8. October 6, 2007
Posted by geoconger in Church of England Newspaper, Church of the Province of West Africa, Development/Economics/Govt Finances, Global South.add a comment
The Gospel of Jesus Christ speaks not only of personal transformation, but of economic empowerment and community development, a gathering of Church leaders in Ghana stated last week.
Representatives from nine Provinces gathered in Accra from Sept 19-22 for the second Global South Economic Empowerment Consultation. Delegates from the Congo, Indian Ocean, Jerusalem and Middle East, Kenya, Nigeria, South East Asia, Uganda, Papua New Guinea and West Africa along with speakers from the UK, US, Tanzania and Kenya, and conference secretary Bishop Martyn Minns of CANA released a statement calling for the Church to develop the human capital found in the developing world.
Beginning their work with an examination of Scripture, the consultation observed Jesus “speaks more often about money and the right use of financial resources than he does about prayer.”
By building upon a Scriptural and moral foundation that honors God, the Churches in the developing world could develop their greatest resource: “the men and women, young and old, who make up its active membership and are the primary source of income for our churches.”
Business education and managerial training were essential tools for the transformation of the developing world, they argued. The consultation “developed specific action plans for Economic Empowerment for each Province represented” and called for the creation of “Peer Review Teams” to bolster oversight of the church’s economic redevelopment programs.
“We have gathered in Ghana, formerly the Gold Coast, as this nation celebrates fifty years of independence as a sovereign state after its years as a colonial territory of Great Britain,” the consultation stated. “At the time of independence there were high hopes for freedom and prosperity that are only now beginning to be realized,” they added, commending market-driven models of economic development that break with the failed policies of the last century that had squandered much of the continent’s resources.
