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Tag: Anglican

  • Fearon appointed world Anglican Communion’s Secretary General

    Fearon appointed world Anglican Communion’s Secretary General

    Bishop of Kaduna Anglican Communion, Bishop Idowu Fearon has been appointed ‎the next Secretary General of the Anglican Communion world wide with effect from 1st July  2015.

    The appointment which is the first in Africa is for seven years in the first instance and renewable. He will oversee as Secretary General of 38 provinces and six extra provincial provinces and four instruments of the Anglican Communion.
    According to a copy of the notice of his appointment posted on line and a hard copy obtained from him and as signed by Mr. Tim Trimble, Director for Finance and Administration of the Anglican Communion office said Bishop Idowu-Fearon was selected out of an initial field of applicants from O‎ceania, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
    Since 1998, the Most Reverend ‎Idowu-Fearon has been Bishop of Kaduna, and is the current Director of Kaduna Anglican Study centre. He served as Bishop of Sokoto, warden at Saint Francis of Assisi Theological College in Wusasa and provost of Saint Michael’s Cathedral in Kaduna.
    Responding to his appointment, Bishop Idowu-Fearon who spoke to journalists at his Kaduna Bishop Court‎ expressed appreciation to God.
    ‎”I am excited to take up the post of the Secretary  of the Anglican Communion, and to continue the fine work undertaken by my predecessors in the office.
    “It is a privilege to be so honoured and recognised by the Communion for this leadership position. I look forward to serving the Anglican family with my future colleagues at the Anglican Communion office and the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury.”
    According to the statement, the chairman of the Anglican Consultative Council, Bishop James Tengatenga warmly welcomed the appointment, saying, “I am delighted that Bishop Josiah has accepted the position. He will bring a vital new perspective on the Anglican Communion, it’s life and ministry. His experience and expertise in Christian -Muslim relations is particularly welcome at this time.”
    On his part, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said, “I warmly welcome the appointment of Bishop Josiah and look forward to working closely with him in the renewed of the Anglican Communion amidst the global challenges facing us today.”
    Bishop Idowu-Fearon who emerged among the 37 persons who applied is a PhD holder in ‎sociology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education form Ahmadu Bello University, an MA in Islamic Theology from the UK’s Birmingham University, and a BA in theology from Durham University in the UK.
    He has lectured and been published widely on the subject of Christian – Muslim relations . He serves on a variety of national inter-religious bodies and previously worked with the Anglican Communion Office and Lambeth palace on several projects.
    Bishop Idowu-Fearon has ‎been awarded the officer of the Order of the Niger,the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Cross of St. Augustine’s Award, and is a Canterbury Six preacher.
    Bishop Idowu-Fearon who is taking over from an Irish Bishop, Kenneth Kearon is married to Mrs. Comfort Idowu-Fearon and blessed with two children, Ibrahim and Ninma.
    His resignation as the Bishop of Kaduna Anglican Diocese takes effect from the 31st of June, 2015 and he is to resume his new appointment on the 1st July in London.
  • Anglican bishops hail Okorocha for retaining deputy

    Anglican bishops hail Okorocha for retaining deputy

    Anglican bishops in Imo State have hailed Governor Rochas Okorocha for retaining his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, as his running mate.

    They described the duo as a formidable team “that holds greater prospects for the state.”

    The clerics, who met the governor to discuss the issues affecting the state, said: “Madumere has worked hard and conducted himself well to deserve to be retained as the deputy governor.”

    The bishops, led by Archbishop Caleb Maduoma, also praised the governor’s landmark achievements and pleaded that the mission schools be released to their owners.

    Speaking on behalf of the League of Bishops, Rt. Rev. Bennett Okoro referred to the governor’s free education, massive infrastructural development, rural development, health sector reforms and security of life and property, adding that the achievements had deepened democratic culture.

    The issue of who would be Okorocha’s running mate was a subject of debate until after the display of candidates’ list by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    When the debate was on, the governor did not hide his preference for Madumere, whom he described as trustworthy.

    The religious leaders at the meeting were Archbishop Caleb Maduoma; Bishop of Orlu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Bennett Okoro; Bishop of Owerri Diocese, Rt. Rev. Cyril Okorocha; Bishop of Diocese on the Lake, Bishop C.B.N. Oti; Bishop of Diocese of Ohaji-Egbema, Rt. Rev. Chidi Oparajiaku and Bishop of Diocese of Oru, Rt. Rev. Godfrey Chukwunenye.

    Okorocha thanked the clergymen for their support, which he said encouraged his administration to achieve a lot in less than four years.

  • Anglican Bishop condemns corruption

    The Anglican Bishop of Enugu North Diocese, Rt. Rev. Sosthenes Eze has urged Nigerian leaders to shun corruption.

    He stressed the need for leaders to stop diverting Nigeria’s resources into their private pockets.

    This he stated at the second session of the second synod of the Anglican Diocese of Enugu North with the theme “The challenges of living in a corrupt generation” which took place at the Cathedral Church of St. Mary Ngwo Enugu North.

    Bishop Eze averred that corruption was a colossal problem, urging religious leaders to sit up and stand firm for the truth.

    The cleric further stated that in this synod the church preaches against corruption. “The church must preach against corruption and at the same time avoid being corrupt too. The church should also desist from honouring corrupt people and also refuse their gifts.

    The cleric stressed the need for all hands to be on deck in order to transform our nation, adding that God cannot come down to do it by himself.

    His words “corruption is a colossal problem and the church is preaching against it because the people in government also attend church. We need to sacrifice so as to transform our nation; God cannot come down to do it by himself. We must shun corruption at all levels, it has prevailed and nobody is asking about infrastructures, economy etc. It is redeemable if we are collectively willing. We cannot keep blaming the government”.

    He further urged the people to disseminate the news that corruption is bad and has devastating effects on our society. He went further to call on the EFCC and other bodies that deal with corruption to perform their duties to the later without fear or favour.

    Also speaking at the synod, the Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese and Archbishop of Ecclesiastical Province of Enugu, Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma kicked against the zoning of the governorship position by the Enugu state Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

    The Cleric further stated that no person or group of people can sit somewhere and restrict another person from contesting an election under the guise of zoning, stating that a political party should give all aspirants equal opportunity and conduct a transparent primaries, even as he added that only the citizens of the state can elect who they deem fit.

    “The governorship position is left for the people of Enugu State to decide and not zoning. Let the parties give level playing ground and transparent primaries to all its aspirants whoever wins, we vote for him. Politics should be open, people’s mandate should be respected. No preference to a certain zone”.

    The cleric insisted that the decision taken by the ruling party was not a step in the right direction, advising that the governorship race should be thrown open so that everybody would have an opportunity to contest.

    The synod was attended by numerous dignitaries including the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Anthony Ani.

  • Make Nigeria a secular state, says Anglican Cleric

    Apparently disturbed by the spate of insurgency in the country and the religious connotation attached to it, the Bishop of Owo Diocese (Anglican Communion) Rt. Rev James Oladunjoye has called on the federal government to declare Nigeria as a Secular State.

    Oladunjoye noted that the development would check incessant religious sentiments.

    The Bishop who gave the charge at the Second Session of the Eleventh Synod held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral Church in Owo, Ondo State stressed that late Bola Ige’s group were right in the last Constitutional Review Committee’s when they moved that Nigeria should be recognized as a Secular State.

    The Anglican Cleric noted that implementing the committee’s report, would make Nigerians to accept that the President or the State Governor could be an adherent of any religion and nobody can impose his/she religion on other people.

    He noted that the current insecurity challenge facing the country was the plan of some people to impose their religion on every Nigerian.

    Oladunjoye also said the country may only be fighting a lost battle against Boko Haram, if President Goodluck Jonathan decided not to mention names of their sponsors.

    He said some politicians were linked with the Boko Haram after 2011 general elections but are yet to be prosecuted by security agencies.

    He lamented the continuous stay of the over 200 Chibok’s girl in the hands of  the terrorist group Boko Haram wondering why the international community that had offered to help Nigeria in rescuing the girls appears helpless.

    Oladunjoye noted that if any of those in the corridors of power had their children among the

    abducted girls, they would have been moved to action.

    The Bishop observed that some of the girls would have died by now or been impregnated.

    The Anglican Bishop cautioned politicians, particularly incumbent governors and President against wasting public funds on elections in order to remain in power.

    He noted that if a political office holder has done creditably well for the masses, he did not need to spend heavily to secure another term.

  • Anglican Communion’s split deepens

    Anglican Communion’s split deepens

    Western churches risk widening a rift in the Anglican Communion if they follow North America by blessing same-sex marriages or allowing sexually active gays to be bishops, a leader of a traditionalist group said penultimate Friday.

    The global association of 80 million Anglicans has split deeply since Canada’s Anglican Church began blessing same-sex couples in 2002 and the Episcopal Church, its U.S. branch, ordained Gene Robinson as its first gay bishop in 2003.

    The African churches have been in the vanguard of opposition to same-sex unions and gay or women clergy.

    “There is no sign yet that there is any return to Biblical standards,” Peter Jensen, general secretary of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), told Reuters at the group’s second meeting since it first convened in Jerusalem in 2008.

    Traditionalist bishops formed GAFCON after refusing to attend the Lambeth Conference, Anglicanism’s 10-yearly world conference, in 2008 because then Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams had also invited the bishops who consecrated Robinson.

    Trying to hold the communion of churches together is the daunting task of Justin Welby, appointed last year to succeed Williams as spiritual leader of the global Anglican family.

    Jensen, former Archbishop of Sydney, urged other Western churches to “resist pressure” to follow North America’s example.

    Asked if the rift would widen, he said: “It will if the moves by the American Anglicans are transmitted to England, New Zealand, Australia, which is the next port of call.”

    The second meeting of GAFCON, held at All Saints Cathedral in Kenya’s capital, brought together 331 of the communion’s 700 or so bishops.

    “FALSE GOSPEL”

    Church leaders at the meeting insisted they were not a “breakaway group” seeking to split from the Anglican Communion but would continue to oppose what they saw as a “false gospel” being preached in the liberal western churches.

    “We came to Nairobi seeking God’s guidance for the future. Should we stop? Should we slow down? The bishops told us we must go on,” Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, primate of Kenya and GAFCON chairman, said in a statement.

    Welby, whose role as head of the Church of England carries no powers over other Anglican churches, visited Nairobi on Sunday but could not stay for the conference because he was due back in London for the baptism of Prince George last Wednesday.

    Jensen suggested traditionalists could consider trying to form their own “province” in the Communion, including those from countries such as the United States with liberal leadership.

    That would formally establish the split within the Communion, whose 34 provinces represent churches in single countries or in regions of several neighbouring countries.

    Jensen said the division was “very profound indeed” and the actions by the former Archbishop of Canterbury meant that his office had “lost some of its power to draw people together.”

    WOMEN BISHOPS

    The issue of female clergy has also driven a wedge through Anglicanism in recent years. A panel in Britain said on Friday the Church of England could allow women bishops in 2014, a year sooner than expected, if leaders agree new proposals including the appointment of an independent reviewer to rule on disputes.

    Women already serve as bishops in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States.

    Archbishop Welby supports women bishops but the Church of England, mother church for the world’s 80 million Anglicans, has struggled to unite reformers and traditionalists on the issue.

    Secretary General of the church’s General Synod, William Fittall, said he was cautiously optimistic that new measures hammered out since July by a 15-member committee could break the impasse and pave the way for an agreement next year.

    He warned another failure would be bad for the church after describing a lost Synod vote last year as a “train crash”.

    “We are at the beginning of a new and hopeful phase,” Fittall told a news conference on Friday. “This is clearly unfinished business and it would be very serious business if we got to final approval stage again and it went down.”

    The new proposals to next month’s General Synod include appointing an ombudsman to rule on complaints by parishes who do not want a woman bishop and guidance for bishops on how to deal with this situation.

    Culled from Reuters

     

  • Anglican Church may break up over homosexuality

    Three hundred and thirty one  Anglican Bishops worldwide have threatened to pull out of the church if the American and European communion refuse to renounce homosexuality.

    They gave the warning  at the second Global Anglican Future Conference, GAFCON,  in Nairobi, Kenya attended by  1358 delegates,  including 331 Bishops representing tens of millions of faithful Anglicans worldwide, including Nigeria.

    Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese and of the south-east chapter of the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma who disclosed the outcome on arrival at Akanu Ibiam international airport Enugu said different communion of the Anglican church may secede if they insist on imposing homosexuality on the church.

    Different Bishops of the Anglican Church from the South east that arrived the airport from Nairobi agreed that what Bishop Chukwuma said was their opinion, stressing that they will severe their relationships if their pro-gay Bishops do not back down.

  • Breaking News: Kidnapped Anglican Archbishop freed

    Breaking News: Kidnapped Anglican Archbishop freed

    The kidnapped  Dean of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Ignatius Kattey has been freed by his abductors.

    Kattey, who was abducted along with  his wife, Beatrice last week  Friday along Aleto-Eleme in Eleme Local Government Area of River State, was freed on Saturday night.

    His release  was confirmed by the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Angela Agabe, who said the cleric was rescued by the police and other security forces.

    Details later