Updated again Friday morning
Several of the presentations made to the conference are now available from the Downloads page of the conference website.
ACNS “Climate change will kill more Africans than malaria or AIDS,” Anglican church warned
Update 3 pm
Lambeth Palace has just issued this press release:
Archbishop reflects on CAPA meeting
The Archbishop of Canterbury has today returned from a three-day visit to Uganda where he attended the All Africa Bishops Conference on effective leadership for sustainable development, convened by the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA).
He also had the opportunity to meet with the President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni and to visit children at the Mildmay HIV Centre outside Kampala. Details and images of the visit to the Mildmay centre can be found here: http://archbishopofcanterbury.org/2974
Dr Williams said:
“I very much appreciated the invitation to hear the challenges facing my brother bishops in Africa, and also to spend some time in prayer and fellowship with them.
“This conference comes at a significant moment in the life of CAPA, with Anglican churches in Africa putting development issues at the top of their agenda in Entebbe. Their willingness to do so has been welcomed by other churches and politicians in the region and internationally, as they recognize that the African Church has the willingness and the skills to make them best placed to set their development agenda. Their challenge will be in finding the imaginative opportunities for unlocking this potential.
“I valued opportunities to hear from bishops ministering in the heart of conflict situations in countries such as Sudan, DR Congo, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, and learnt much from presentations on the serious threats to the well-being of women and children, as well as the potential of the Church to respond to these issues. I also welcomed the opportunity to meet and speak with the President of Uganda.”Friday update
The Church Times carries a news report, Dr Williams warns African bishops to listen and take risks and scroll down for a sidebar by Bishop Michael Doe which is headlined Bishops seek Africa focus.
CNN Belief Blog African bishops chide Anglican leader on homosexuality
I’m a bit confused here–they trust the science that demonstrates climate change but not the science that demonstrates sexual orientation?
The bishops have been briefed on two gargantuan issues, HIV and Climate change. It will be interesting to see how these issues are reflected in closing statements, and what kinds of questions that may raise for the Communion as a whole.
Why don’t they just declare climate change an abomination and refuse to believe it exists in Africa? And refuse to be in communion with any church which attempts to deal with climate change?
I hope – but do not expect – that at some time in the near future the ABC will respond vigorously to the vicious anti-gay rhetoric he [and we] were subjected to by the African prelates. At the very least he could hold up modern science to refute some of the premises behind the hateful rhetoric. But as I’m not holding my breath.
Possibly hostile question: does anyone know if he spent time with Dunkin’, Minns, or the other ex-TEC people? Just curious.
“Science on sexual orientation?” Such as… the twin studies?
Are the bishops of Nigeria and Uganda aware that the same right-wing American political interests that support their anti-gay agenda are likewise vehemently opposed to doing anything to reverse or even slow down climate change? That, in fact, most of them deny it is even happening?
Rob+, I know I’ve asked this before, but haven’t seen an answer. In what ecclesiastical body are you a priest?
Cynthia, I’m disgusted that he didn’t even mention the hateful rhetoric, or the threats to expand the Global South™ into Europe. He seems incapable of taking any bull by the horns that is not the consecration of a gay or lesbian bishop.
Mr. Nyabera’s Paper “Nurturing Harmonious and Dignified Communities” (Downloads page) is highly engaging, and something of a portal ajar. He writes:”Respecting a culture however, means that one does not dismiss it out of hand, that one owes it an obligation to understand it in its own terms that one does not self-righteously take one’s own culture as the standard for judging all others, and that one credits its members with enough intelligence and good sense to be able to explain why they hold certain views and to change those that are indefensible. Respect in this basic sense is owed to… Read more »
Sorry, but I saw the title “African bishops conference: day three”
and all I kept hearing Tom Brokaw in my imagination saying ” . . and they are still no closer to breaking their deadlock with Jesus’ demands.”
@ Pat, the phenomenon is called compartmentalisation; the ability to hold diametrically opposing views simultaneously. It’s regarded as a main function of the reactionary mindset.
Simon, on point re: Pat O’Neill’s remarks,
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_mayer
Hmmm – African Bishops’ campaigning homophobia and global warming endangering so many African people. If I were a selective fundamentalist like so many of those Bishops, and believed that the story of Noah’s ark and the flood was historical I could have great fun with this. Alas, I am not, don’t and can’t.
But what of the real problems of Africa…
inequality.
regimes headed by despotic elites, subjecting the populations to worse inequalities than in colonial times.
The racism against the white Zimbabwean farmers.
The Aids crisis.
For a supposed vibrant growing Church, these Anglicans have had precious little impact. Their salt has lost its savour.
The truth is , even the Mormons are growing in Africa. A growing Church does not necessarily mean an orthodox one.
From the CNN blog:
“Bishops from Singapore, Southeast Asia and Africa told Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams in closed-door sessions Tuesday and Wednesday that there should be no more diplomacy on homosexuality”
That really shows up how one-sided the rhetoric on “bonds of affection” is. They want LGBT Anglicans and their allies to be bound and yet show affection, which would no doubt be very Christ-like; but they have no intention of reciprocating.
“A growing Church does not necessarily mean an orthodox one.”
And an “orthodox” one doesn’t necessarily mean one that has anything to do with Jesus, God, or Truth.
Still, one has to wonder, with the “orthodox” presence of the Roman denomination in Africa – *why* again is it unable to accomplish anything? Other than, apparently, throwing people off land it owns, which was a big concern back when Herr Ratzinger took power.
Robert, correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t there any Roman Catholics in Africa? If so, how do you explain all the ills you list?