The CAPA Primates, meeting at Entebbe, have issued this Communiqué. Please note this is a separate document from the Conference Statement of the Second All Africa Bishops Conference.
1. In a spirit of unity and trust, and in an atmosphere of love the Primates of the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA) as well as Archbishop John Chew, the Chairman of the Global South, which represents the majority of the active orthodox membership in the entire Anglican Communion, met during the 2nd All Africa Bishop’s Conference in Entebbe, Uganda. We enjoyed the fellowship and the sense of unity as we heard the Word of God and gathered around the Lord’s Table.
2. We gave thanks to God for the leadership of the Most. Rev. Ian Ernest, Archbishop of the Indian Ocean and Chairman of CAPA and for the abundant hospitality provided by the Most Rev. Henry Orombi, Archbishop of Uganda and the entire Church of Uganda.
3. We were honored by the presence of the His Excellency General Yoweri K. Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, for his official welcome to Uganda and for hosting an official state reception for the AABCH. We are very grateful to him for his support of the work of the Anglican Church in Uganda and for his call to stand against the alien intrusions and cultural arrogance which undermines the moral fiber of our societies. We recall his admonishment to live out the words and deeds of the Good Samaritan. We are also grateful to the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of Uganda for his presence and words of encouragement to us.
4. We were very happy and appreciated that the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Dr. Rowan Williams, accepted our invitation to attend the 2nd All Africa Bishop’s Conference. We were encouraged by his word to us. We also appreciated the opportunity to engage face-to-face with him in an atmosphere of love and respect. We shared our hearts openly and with transparency, and we have come to understand the difficulties and the pressures he is facing. He also came to understand our position and how our mission is threatened by actions which have continued in certain provinces in the Communion. We therefore commit ourselves to continuously support and pray for him and for the future of our beloved Communion.
5. We were very saddened with the recent actions of The Episcopal Church in America who went ahead and consecrated Mary Glasspool last May 2010, in spite of the call for a moratorium (1) and all the warnings from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion and the 4th Encounter of the Global South.
This was a clear departure from the standard teaching of the Anglican Communion as stated in Lambeth Resolution 1.10. We are also concerned about similar progressive developments in Canada and in the U.K.
6. Being aware of the reluctance of those Instruments of Communion to follow through the recommendations of the Windsor Report (2) and taken by the Primates Meetings in Dromantine (3) and Dar es Salaam (4) we see the way ahead as follows:
A. In order to keep the ethos and tradition of the Anglican Communion in a credible way, it is obligatory of all Provinces to observe the agreed decisions and recommendations of the Windsor Report and the various communiqués of the past three Primates Meetings, especially Dar es Salaam in 2007. We as Primates of CAPA and the Global South are committed to honor such recommendations.
B. We are committed to meet more regularly as Global South Primates and take our responsibilities in regard to issues of Faith and Order. (5)
C. We will give special attention to sound theological education as we want to ensure that the future generations stand firm on the Word of God and faithfully follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
D. We are committed to network with orthodox Anglicans around the world, including Communion Partners in the USA and the Anglican Church in North America, in holistic mission and evangelism. Our aim is to advance the Kingdom of God especially in unreached areas.
E. We are committee to work for unity with our ecumenical partners and to promote interfaith dialogue with other faiths in order to promote a peaceful co-existence and to resolve conflicts.
F. We are committed to work for the welfare of our countries. This will involve alleviating poverty, achieving financial and economic empowerment, fighting diseases, and promoting education.
7. Finally, we are very aware of our own inadequacy and weaknesses hence we depend fully on the grace of God to achieve his purpose in the life of his church and our beloved Anglican Communion.
FOOTNOTES:
1. The Windsor Report Section 134.1 The Episcopal church (USA) be invited to express its regret that the proper constraints of the bonds of affection were breached in the events surrounding the election and consecration of a bishop for the See of New Hampshire, and for the consequences which followed and that such an expression of regret would represent the desire of the Episcopal Church (USA) to remain within the Communion (2) the Episcopal church (USA) be invited to effect a moratorium on the election and consent to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate who is living in a same gender union until some new consensus in the Anglican Communion energies.
The Windsor Report Section 144.3 We call for a moratorium on all such public Rites, and recommend that bishops who have authorized such rites in the US and Canada be invited to express regret that the proper constraints of the bonds of affection were breached by such authorizations.
2. Windsor Report. Section D. 157 There remains a very real danger that we will not choose to walk together. Should the call to halt and find ways of continuing in our present communion not be heeded, then we shall have to begin to learn to walk apart.
3. The Communiqué of the Primates Meeting in Dromantine (2005) Section 14. Within the ambit of the issues discussed in the Windsor Report and in roder to recognize the integrity of all parties, we request that the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada voluntarily withdraw their members from the Anglican Consultative Council for the period leading up to the next Lambeth Conference.
4. The Communiqué of the Primates Meeting in Dar es Salaam in 2007. If the reassurances requested of the House of Bishops cannot in good conscience be given, the relationship between The Episcopal Church and the Anglican communion as a whole remains damaged at best, and this has consequences for the full participation of the Church in the life of the Communion.
5. Lambeth 1988 Resolution 18.2(a) Urges the encouragement be given to a developing collegial rule for the Primates Meeting under the presidency of the Archbishop of Canterbury, so that the Primates Meeting is able to exercise an enhanced responsibility in offering guidance on doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters.
Lambeth 1998 Resolution III.6 (a) reaffirms the Resolution 18.2(a) Of Lambeth 1988 which “urges that encouragement be given to a developing collegial role for the Primates’ Meeting under the presidency of the Archbishop of Canterbury, so that the Primates’ Meeting is able to exercise an enhanced responsibility in offering guidance on doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters”.
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” In order to keep the ethos and tradition of the Anglican Communion in a credible way, it is obligatory of all Provinces to observe the agreed decisions and recommendations of the Windsor Report and the various communiqués of the past three Primates Meetings, especially Dar es Salaam in 2007. We as Primates of CAPA and the Global South are committed to honor such recommendations.”
Well, they remain committed to honor such recommendations, except the ones that apply to them.
Notice there is no mention of the moratorium on cross-border intrusions in this communique.We ignore the bits we don’t like and only follow those bits we do agree with.
Not to mention that such statements from the primates and Lambeth have no legislative or canonical standing. They are recommendations, not fiats.
So despite the fact that “the Gay Issue” was absent from the conference agenda, a group of attending primates seized the opportunity for another round of fag-bashing. Who actually signed the document? Or is it issued unsigned to give the impression that it was approved by all attending primates?
I have seen no list of signatures, but there is a report which says that Central Africa and Southern Africa have issued a letter, which appears to indicate a degree of dissent from the communique.
See
http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2010/08/29/entebbe-two-african-anglican-provinces-say-abandoning-us-episcopal-church-is-wrong/
If I get the full text of this letter, I will of course publish it.
If they demand that the Episcopal Church submit to their Dar Es Salaam demands, then we are out, and cheerfully. It’s probably time to go, in any case.
Re-hashing Dromantine and such, again… Maybe they shouldn’t for their own credibility.
So, this is not what it claims to be …… again.
But from Rowan and the Lambeth/ACO perspective if only S Africa and Central Africa dissent then they have lost five Primates/Provinces to the ACNA led split.
Just who is buying all the Mercs these days?
Striking that “moral fiber” in paragraph 3 is spelt as only North Americans spell it. Every other English speaking region, including Africa, spells it “moral fibre”.
(The speling “fiber” was an innovation by the American lexicographer Noah Webster)
“our mission is threatened by actions which have continued in certain provinces in the Communion”
I regret to say that it’s probably best for the furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that CAPA’s mission IS threatened.
“Striking that “moral fiber” in paragraph 3 is spelt as only North Americans spell it.”
It is, but where is the text being pulled from? If the answer is “David Virtue’s site”, then it might simply be a bit of editing, conscious or unconscious, or the work of a spell-check program. Or it could be a typo in the original; Global South language skills are not perfect. It doesn’t *necessarily* mean an American wrote it.
“(The speling “fiber” was an innovation by the American lexicographer Noah Webster)”
Innovation? You mean correction!
>>>Striking that “moral fiber” in paragraph 3 is spelt as only North Americans spell it. Every other English speaking region, including Africa, spells it “moral fibre”. Oh, there’s little doubt that American schismatics are behind this communique; after all, they seem to have written all the others, and we know that someone with very deep pockets indeed is required to pay for 400 bishops to spend a week in a five star hotel discussing homosexuals. It’s worth remembering, though, that every step of the way Rowan Williams has empowered the American schismatics by acting as though they and their alphabet… Read more »
“…it is obligatory of all Provinces to observe the agreed decisions and recommendations of the Windsor Report and the various communiqués of the past three Primates Meetings, “
So all Africa will now rise up and demand that homosexuality is decriminalised to abide by the Dromantine Anathema. Now all Africa will abide by the principle laid down in paragraph 146 of the Windsor report that sexuality is not a finally defined issue…..
Everything else I read wants to work against this (amongst other things).
This document is ill thought out.
“It’s probably time to go, in any case.” -Charlotte.
I have come to the point where I have let go of what I think has been a fantasy for many of us – namely, that the Anglican Communion is somehow similar to the Roman Church in its “universality.” The Three Branch theory, and all that. But that idea only held water for a very brief time. When I said this to a priest just this morning, he replied, “As o’er each continent and island.” Exactly. I agree with Charlotte. It’s probably time to go, in any case.
It would appear that all or most of the letter is displayed below the fold on the VOL site:
http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=13186 .
It’s worth remembering that the CAPA Primates don’t speak for the meeting. This is the usual slight of hand from these folks. Give the false impression that there is a movement underway, when it is just the same old guys saying the same old stuff.
Well noticed, badman. Cherchez la Femme?
Section 3 has the Americanism “honored;” wouldn’t the non-American spelling be “honoured”?
It really would be interesting to know where the American spelling came from in the Communique…
@Jim Naughton: It looks as though they fooled me, at any rate. So are we to understand, then, that the “CAPA Primates Communique” was an unofficial document pretending to be an official document, issued by a minority masquerading as a majority? (And probably written by North Americans?)
Bill posted “Section 3 has the Americanism “honored;” wouldn’t the non-American spelling be “honoured”? It really would be interesting to know where the American spelling came from in the Communique…”
I don’t know Bill. Canadian usage for spelling is British, but I use American spelling as a matter of preference, and have my word processor and spell-check set that way.
I find it interesting that both the Americanisms show up in the same section. It almost looks to me as if it was drafted by Americans, but then tweaked for style, as it were, by people whose first language was not English (this because of the large number of constructions which are either awkward or wrong in English, either side of the Atlantic).
The official copy of the CAPA Primates Statement, available from the conference website contains this statement: — This document was agreed upon by the Primates and the representatives of Primates who were not able to attend, of the following provinces: Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, Indian Ocean, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa and the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa. Thus Southern Africa is not claimed as a signatory. However, Central Africa is claimed, despite the emergence of a separate letter from both Southern and Central Africa dissenting to a degree from this… Read more »
To those of us – Africans who attended this conference, it was very clear that the American – African Bishops though silent during the proceedings, had their hand in the eventual conference communique. These people must know that they are not helping Africa to face its challenges in the 21st century, but they are actually fooling people like Orombi and the Nigeria Primate to help them fight a war which has nothing to do with Africa. Homosexuality is not the overriding problem affecting Africa at this crucial time.