How awful this must be for the Anglican faithful…!
April 21st, 2007
In contrast to the Catholic Church, African Anglican Bishops have issued a pastoral letter which appears to broadly toe the government line. It is totally shameful, but perhaps not surprising given the track record of Nolbert Kunonga, the Anglican Bishop of Harare.
This is a man who has not only accepted a farm from Mugabe (40 pieces of silver aren’t the going currency among the Zanu Pf elite), but he has also used government militia to drive the farmworkers and their families off the farm. And in 2005 he appeared before an ecclesiastical court to face 38 charges arising from scores of complaints [including] … incitement to murder, intimidating critics, ignoring church law, mishandling church funds and bringing militant ZANU PF politics to the pulpit .
A man of God….? A moral authority…? I don’t think so!
This latest via The Guardian:
African Anglican bishops have issued a message to Zimbabweans that was broadly supportive of the government, sharply contrasting with an earlier call from Catholic leaders for President Robert Mugabe to step down.
An Anglican pastoral letter released to coincide with this week’s independence celebrations acknowledged Zimbabwe’s economic crisis “rendered the ordinary Zimbabwean unable to make ends meet.”
The 14 Anglican bishops blamed the worsening plight of poor Zimbabweans largely on Western economic sanctions.
“So-called targeted sanctions aimed at the leadership of the country have affected the poor Zimbabweans who have borne the brunt of sanctions,” the bishops said after a meeting of the central African Episcopal Synod.
I would love to know how targeted sanctions aimed at the leadership affect the poor….? And I wonder if Mugabe will convert from Catholicism?
Update: not to much has more on this story.
April 22nd, 2007 06:53
Kunonga’s reputation is well known, but it seems odd that Bishops from elsewhere in the Anglican Province of Central Africa should support the Mugabe regime. The Province includes Zambia, Malawi and Botswana, as well as Zimbabwe. Is the report accurate? Who actually signed this disgraceful letter?
April 22nd, 2007 15:38
That is simply scandalous.