In 2011 the people of South Sudan voted in a referendum to separate from Sudan as an independent nation. South Sudan is a member state of the United Nations and the African Union among other organizations. However, almost since its inception, South Sudan has been in a civil war. The UN considers South Sudan to be a fragile state, formerly known as a failed state. The Anglican Church of Sudan was renamed the Anglican Church of South Sudan and Sudan (ACoSS&S) after the vote for southern independence. The primate of the church, the Most Revd Daniel Deng, found himself attempting to administer a church in two countries that did not have the best of relations. The Anglicans of Sudan became an internal province of the Church. The ACoSS&S has approximately 4.5 million members. The majority of the membership is in South Sudan. In 2016, the Primate of the Church made a formal request to the Anglican Consultative Council to create Sudan as an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. In JUL 2016 the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion led a team to Sudan to explore the possibility of its autonomy as a province of the AC. After the visit, the team recommended that Sudan Anglicans had sufficient resources to be an independent province.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will travel to Sudan to celebrate the new province at its inception of 30 JUL 2017. At this point, there has not been a lot of further information about the future province released. One supposes that much groundwork is being laid as July approaches. Various Anglican leaders have expressed their joy and support regarding the province in Sudan.
I send my warmest and heartiest congratulations to the Church of Sudan on your inauguration as the 39th Province of the Anglican Communion. The birth of a new member province brings not only joy and excitement to the global Anglican family but also richness, encouragement and hope. We look forward to walking together closely with you to serve as light to the world that leads many into the Kingdom of God and to enable the Word of our Lord to be proclaimed to set many free.
– The Most Revd Paul Kwong
The Archbishop and Primate of Hong Kong
The Chair of the Anglican Consultative CouncilI would like to say that the Christians and the entire people of Sudan are very much looking forward to welcoming the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby and Mrs Welby to inaugurate the New Province of Sudan, number 39, which represents 39 Articles of faith of the Anglican Church and the 39 books of the OT! It is my prayer and hope that the occasion will strengthen the church in Sudan for God’s glory and extension of His Kingdom.
– The Rt Revd Ezekiel Kondo
Archbishop of Khartoum
Archbishop of the Internal Province of Sudan ACoSS&SIt’s a welcome development that we now have another Anglican Province in a predominantly Muslim country. We hope the Province will stand and proclaim Christ in a way that will be meaningful in that context. Having Sudan as a separate Province of the Communion will benefit Christians in Sudan; now they will know they are not alone, that they are a part of the worldwide Anglican family, a family of 85 million believers.
– The Most Revd Josiah Idowu-Fearon
Secretary General of the Anglican Communion
Facts for this story were gathered from Wikipedia and the Anglican Communion News Service. The main image is the Rt Revd Ezekiel Kondo, Archbishop of the Internal Province of Sudan.