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Communion sponsored mediation proposed for South Carolina: Anglican Ink, November 21, 2012 November 21, 2012

Posted by geoconger in Anglican Ink, South Carolina, The Episcopal Church, Windsor Continuation Group.
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The Most Rev. Bernard Ntahoturi

Resolution of the South Carolina standoff would best be served by an international intervention of the type proposed by the Anglican Communion’s Windsor Continuation Group, the Anglican Communion Institute (ACI) said last night in a paper released on its website.

The American-based church think tank has proposed the national Episcopal Church and the Diocese of South Carolina take up the recommendations of the Windsor Continuation Group formed by Dr. Rowan Williams.

The ACI stated the WCG recommended that in cases of theological dispute between a diocese and province “a provisional holding arrangement” for the diocese be crafted that would “enable dialogue to take place and which will be revisited on the conclusion of the Covenant Process.”

Read it all in Anglican Ink.

CAPA assembly celebrates growth: The Church of England Newspaper, February 10, 2012 p 6. February 17, 2012

Posted by geoconger in CAPA, Church of England Newspaper.
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Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi

First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.

The Archbishop of Burundi, the Most Rev. Bernard Ntahoturi has been elected chairman of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) at the organization’s 11th assembly in Bujumbura.

Delegates from the Anglican Communion’s 12 African provinces met in the Burundian capital from 4-8 February 2012 to elect new leaders, review on-going projects, and coordinate African wide programmes for the church.

In his presidential address to the meeting, the outgoing chairman, Archbishop Ian Ernest of the Indian Ocean stated that CAPA seeks to be a “facilitator and a powerful instrument that our provinces and dioceses may use to enhance the quality of their ministry. We all need each other.”

A statement released during the gathering said the bishops and delegates discussed the wide spread growth of the church in Africa in recent years, but noted this growth had to be supported through the training of Christian teachers, leaders and clergy to guide new believers.  The formation of the new republic of South Sudan, the plight of the Christian minority in northern Sudan, and the “on-going challenges in Zimbabwe and North Africa” were also among the issues discussed in formal plenary meetings.

The Archbishop of Canterbury sent greetings and promise of his prayers for the meeting. Dr. Williams commended the work of CAPA. The work of CAPA for “holistic mission and development, grounded in the Good News of Jesus, is an inspiration” to Anglicans across the globe, he said, adding that CAPA’s “witness to Christ in so many situations that are both materially and spiritually challenging is a gift from God.”

In addition to a new chairman, delegates elected a standing committee and new vice-chairman, Archbishop Albert Chama of Central Africa and agreed to meet in the Congo in four years time for their next meeting.

‘Don’t make Burundi an aid orphan’, archbishop tells Parliament: The Church of England Newspaper, July 29, 2011 August 3, 2011

Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Burundi, Church of England Newspaper, Development/Economics/Govt Finances.
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Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi of Burundi

First published in The Church of England Newspaper.

Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi of Burundi appeared before the House of Commons’ International Development Committee urging a rethink of the Department for International Development’s (DfID) closure of its aid programme in Burundi.

Cutting support to Burundi would make it an “aid orphan,” the Archbishop said on 5 July, as Western support for Africa has been cut sharply in the wake of the global economic downturn.

Committee chairman, the Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce, the member for Gordon (Lib-Dem) opened the meeting asking if the Archbishop could explain why the British government would end support for Burundi’s poor. “Given the fact that Burundi has absolutely clear developmental needs, right across the spectrum by almost any criteria you care to select, why do you think the UK Government decided that it should bring the programme in Burundi to a close and, at the same time, increase the contribution it is making to all the neighbouring countries?,” Mr Bruce asked.

Archbishop Ntahoturi responded that this “question actually is at the core purpose of our visit.”

The DfID has proposed ending its £12 million in aid to the East African nation. Archbishop Ntahoturi noted that “in Burundi is a lot of money” even though the total “given to Burundi by UK standards was relatively small.” It was nonetheless a necessary component in the democratic and economic redevelopment of the country.

Burundi was one of the “poorest countries” in the East African Community the Archbishop said and was “also coming out of a 15 year war.” “We are still suffering from the impact and consequences of war” that ended two years ago, the Archbishop said.

However the peace was fragile. “I am worried,” the Archbishop said, by what he was hearing from the poor that “people are not at peace. The signs that we see show that, if we are not careful, there might be another war in Burundi, because most of the young people who were demobilised do not have jobs.”

Patrick Watt of Save the Children testified before the committee that Burundi made good use of the funds given by the DfID. “Burundi has scored fairly highly” and its programmes provided “value for money” based upon DfID criteria for aid, Mr Watt said. “It was difficult to see why Burundi was having British aid withdrawn.”

Ending British aid will mean “almost 70,000 students-children who will not be able to go to school. That would mean almost 45,000 women who were helped by the maternity services, who will not be assisted. That will mean that justice, in a country that has been at war, the police and others will not be accompanied and not be helped.”

The member for Watford, Mr Richard Harrington (Cons.) questioned the Archbishop’s figures, asking how the withdrawal of £12 million would cause such chaos. The Archbishop responded that “the World Bank, the UN, the EU, the French, the Belgians and the Luxembourgers have never decided, have not told us, that they will take over from what DfID was doing.”

Sweden has “also withdrawn its aid, and other donors are thinking” of pulling out, the Archbishop said. “When the programmes are cut off, there is a void. That void will affect the wellbeing of the people,” Archbishop Ntahoturi said.