Anglican Communion News Service - Digest News

"When I visited Swaziland last month, people said to me 'We hid you under our beds in your dark days. What are you doing for us now?'"

So said the Most Revd Njongonkulu Ndungane, the Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, in an address to Anglican bishops, clergy and lay representatives from all over Southern Africa on Monday night, meeting to plan for the July 2005 General Synod.

Archbishop Ndungane expressed his deep concern at conditions existing in some of South Africa's neighbouring countries. He said that on recent visits to Angola, Mozambique and Swaziland, he was horrified at the continued suffering in these countries. He noted that Lesotho is currently one of the ten poorest nations in the world. He blamed this on apartheid, which, he said, had had a devastating effect on the entire region.

"Here in South Africa, we are enjoying the fruits of 10 years of democracy and an advancing programme of reconstruction and development. But we are too easily forgetting our neighbours...The cost to these countries of apartheid, in terms of economies, human resources and the environment runs into billions of rands," the Archbishop said.

He encouraged the South African Government to continue their work in strengthening and developing all manner of direct and indirect support and, in particular, to reduce the growing trade imbalances, which currently cause tension in the region. He reminded business and civil society of their responsibility to our neighbours and urged all South Africans to play more of a supportive role by putting tangible programmes in place to improve the situation in these countries.

In his address the Archbishop also spoke briefly about the current row within the worldwide Anglican Communion. He said, "At heart, it is not about sexuality. It is about how we interpret scripture. If it forces us to read our bibles more deeply, to come with humility before holy Scripture - beseeching God to lead us into all truth - then this at least will be for the good."

He said that Southern African Anglicans had fought amongst themselves over many issues since the church's establishment in South Africa in 1848, for example: race, military chaplains, support for freedom fighters and sanctions but that the church had still hung on together. "There are important lessons for us and for the wider church," he said.

• The Anglican Province of Southern Africa, headed by Archbishop Ndungane, comprises South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and the Island of St Helena.
• The General Synod is the decision-making body of the Anglican Church in Southern Africa. It meets once every three years and is attended by bishops, clergy and lay representatives from all dioceses.
• The Anglican Communion row follows the blessing of same-sex relationships in one region in Canada and the election and consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in the USA. Many Anglican provinces have objected to this because Bishop Robinson is divorced and living openly in a committed relationship with another man. It is feared that this may lead to divisions within the Anglican Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has, in response, formed a commission to review the legal and theological implications arising from the situation. The Commission will report its findings in mid-October this year.

For further information or a copy of the full address, please contact Penny Lorimer, Media Liaison for Archbishop Ndungane on 082 894 1522