Dr Williams: African summit 'significant'
Episcopal News Service
| 25 Aug 2010
Print This
TEXT
Top News...
- Latest
- Most commented
The All Africa Bishops Conference comes at a "significant moment ... with Anglican churches in Africa putting development issues at the top of their agenda," Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said on his return from a three-day visit to Uganda.
More than 400 Anglican bishops from Africa are being joined by international partners, diplomats and representatives from relief and development organizations for the Aug. 23-29 conference in Entebbe, Uganda, to focus on issues of conflict, poverty, corruption, disease, and effective leadership for sustainable development.
Dr Williams said the bishops' desire to make development issues a priority "has been welcomed by other churches and politicians in the region and internationally, as they recognize that the African church has the willingness and the skills to make them best placed to set their development agenda. Their challenge will be in finding the imaginative opportunities for unlocking this potential."
Convened by the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa, the conference theme is "Securing the Future: Unlocking our Potential," based on the biblical text from Hebrews 12:1-2.
"I valued opportunities to hear from bishops ministering in the heart of conflict situations in countries such as Sudan, DR Congo, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, and learned much from presentations on the serious threats to the well-being of women and children, as well as the potential of the church to respond to these issues."
Dr Williams also met with Uganda President Yoweri Museveni and visited children at the Mildmay HIV Centre outside Kampala.
Among those attending the conference are the Rev. Canon Petero Sabune, Africa partnerships officer for the Episcopal Church; six staff members from Episcopal Relief & Development; and staff from Trinity Church, Wall Street.
Editors' Picks
'Horrific' violence against women
Violence against women in the Pacific is “horrific” and must be addressed, says an Australian...
Back to the community – every day
What we need is a "Back to the Community" campaign, says the vicar of a quake zone.
Cathedral bells bound for UK
The ChristChurch Cathedral bells will soon be enroute to England for testing and repair.
New guidelines for marriage rites
A “consensus description” of Anglican theology on marriage rites is being finalized by the Int...
A unique and final honour
Sir Paul Reeves is accorded a unique last honour. He is laid to rest on the gentle north-facin...
Decision time on gay ordination
The question of whether openly gay and lesbian people can be ordained should be settled s...
© Anglican Taonga
ANGLICAN TAONGA is the communications arm of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia / Te Haahi Mihanare ki Niu Tireni, ki Nga Moutere o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa. TAONGA magazine is published three times a year and distributed to all Anglican ministry units and agencies. TAONGA also publishes occasional booklets on church, ministry and sacraments. The General Editor of TAONGA is accountable to the Communications Commission of General Synod / te Hinota Whanui, 200 St Johns Road, Meadowbank, Auckland 1742.
Comments on this story
Ronnie Smith
Tuesday 31 August 2010 5:54:05 pm
Log in or create a user account to comment.