Mark Harris in his blog, Preludium has an excellent roundup of the news from the Province of Central Africa. Citing his earlier comments on the seeming break down in relationships between the dioceses Harris reports on what the various news sources are saying. The central issue is homosexuality and how gays and lesbians are to be treated in the Province of Central Africa. Ranging from the calm pastoral presence of Bishop Trevor Mwamba of Botswana to the hate-mongering of the bishops of Harare and Nike it does not seem that the Province can hold together with the current leadership.
In the earlier blog, Mark said:
The Province of Central Africa is a mess. The Dean is cast out, the bishop –elect of Lake Malawi is cast out, the Bishop of Harare is accused of complicity in criminal actions of the President of Zimbabwe, and the whole Province is set to split into three provinces.
The news sources seem to be coming together as to what is happening according to Preludium:
(i) The Diocese of Harare is quitting the Province of Central Africa, thereby raising questions about the disillusion of the Province. The ENS article reported leaders of the Synod saying that if Harare wants to go it can go, but that this does not mean all of Zimbabwe goes. The Bishop of Harare seems to think otherwise. The Archbishop, according to the interview with David Virtue, says both: “First of all, let me say the province is intact. We have not fallen apart or cracked up as one African newspaper reported we had. However, we have decided that come January of 2008 we will become three new provinces and we have set the wheels in motion to do that.” The upshot seems to be – no, we are not now broken up, but we shall be.
(ii) Bishop Mwamba has been relieved of duty as Dean of the Province of Central Africa. Whether or not he was fired, the Archbishop again had the definitive word: “He was simply not re-elected, and there is little likelihood he will now become the new archbishop of the province because of his liberal views.” The Archbishop said, “My disappointment is that one young man, now a former dean (Mwamba) got ideas that are not in line with my own thinking which as you know are very orthodox and conservative. His liberal ideas were quite disappointing coming at the end of my ministry.” Mwamba’s possible reelection was thwarted by the Archbishop and it would appear that he is no longer a player in provincial affairs.
(iii) According to the Harare Herald, the Bishop, Nolbert Kunonga, is ready to form a new province in Zimbabwe. He says, “We are out of the Province of Central Africa right now, we are going to form a new province. It’s true that there are five here in Zimbabwe. Three of them — that is the Diocese of Manicaland, the Diocese of Harare that I lead and the Diocese of Central Zimbabwe — are very clear and resolute, very firm that they reject homosexuality.”
Read it all here.
We reported in September 14 in The Lead that the Province is not breaking up – just reorganzing into provinces similar to the Episcopal Church. Time will tell.