Archbishop Akinola and the Global South Primates (now 9) Dump.

Posted November 7 on the Church of Nigeria and The Global South websites are two articles: (i) a Communique from the Global South Primates, or at least those who could meet in Shanghai, and (ii) An Open letter of the Primate of Nigeria to fellow primates. Thinking Anglicans carried both today.

On October 31 there was, for a brief period, there was news of a Communique from the Global South Primates but it was withdrawn leaving a statement about the meeting within which there was this comment: " Ed: A communique will also be released soon. News was released earlier that it was posted but it was held back as some parts of it were still being revised." The Statement had some interesting points of its own. It was signed by ten primates:

1. Most Rev Dr Peter J. Akinola (Nigeria)
2. Most Rev Dr Bernard Amos Malango (Central Africa)
3. Most Rev Dr John Chew Hiang Chea (South East Asia)
4. Most Rev Ian Ernest (Indian Ocean)
5. Most Rev Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis (Jerusalem and the Middle East)
6. Most Rev Emmanuel Musaba Kolini (Rwanda)
7. Most Rev Justice Ofei Akrofi (West Africa)
8. Most Rev Henry Luke Orombi (Uganda)
9. Most Rev Dr Fidèle Dirokpa (Congo)
10. Most Rev Francis K. J. Park (Korea)

The revision process has taken eight days. The final statement can be read in full HERE. It was signed by nine primates:

1. Most Rev Dr Peter J. Akinola (Nigeria)
2. Most Rev Dr Bernard Amos Malango (Central Africa)
3. Most Rev Dr John Chew Hiang Chea (South East Asia)
4. Most Rev Ian Ernest (Indian Ocean)
5. Most Rev Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis (Jerusalem and the Middle East)
6. Most Rev Emmanuel Musaba Kolini (Rwanda)
7. Most Rev Justice Ofei Akrofi (West Africa)
8. Most Rev Henry Luke Orombi (Uganda)
9. Most Rev Dr Fidèle Dirokpa (Congo)

Missing from this list is the Primate of Korea, The Most Rev. Francis K.J. Park

Here is a picture of those gathered in China: There are ten men pictured here. I believe only nine of these men are Global South Primates.

The content of the Communique signed by nine primates contains no surprises. It is roughly the same sort of statement that has be produced by the bishops of the Church of Nigeria last September 13, or the Archbishops now famous letter "A Most Agonizing Journey towards Lambeth 2008." At the heart of the new Communique is the following:

"7.1 We call for an urgent meeting of the Primates to receive and conclude the draft Anglican Covenant and to determine how the Communion should move forward;

7.2 We urge that the proposed Lambeth Conference 2008 be postponed to a later date when bishops of all the provinces in the Communion can participate in a spirit of true collegiality and unity in the faith;"

The third point of section 7 of the Communique says this:

"7.3 We request the Steering Committee to start preparations for the 4th Encounter of the Global South in 2008;"

This (to use a biblical phrase) is in fulfillment of the words of the Archbishop of Nigeria who called for a 4th Trumpet, noted in an article by Ruth Gledhill in the Times on September 21st. So now there are nine who have taken up the call to the secretariat to prepare for a 4th meeting of the Global South in 2008.

It may perhaps be of some interest to note that Bishop Martyn Minns has been, and I assume still is secretary to the Global South Steering Committee.

It is also worth remarking on a small footprint of the good bishop in Nigerian Church presentation of self: I bookmarked the Church of Nigeria webpages several weeks ago and was surprised to find the same logo just before the address / name as is on the CANA website bookmark link. On my bookmarks list the logo next to the Church of Nigeria was the CANA logo. I just linked the Church of Nigeria again and it is no longer there. While it is still used on the CANA website address, the resources page does not link to the logos at the moment.

Odd.

In terms of the two documents just posted by the Global South and the Church of Nigeria: the Communique took eight days to cook. The second, which is worth a bit of further rumination, was also published today. Now it just turns out that the Archbishop has been in a meeting with all the missinary bishops of the Church of Nigeria, including Bishop Minns. This too was reported today.

I have no idea when this retreat was held, but it seems it was held in the recent past. Perhaps in the last eight days. I am sure Bishop Minns would have been of help if he could and would have been of some value in forming the Primate's Open Letter to the Primates and perhaps also in the completion of the Communique.

Well, perhaps we will never know. Or perhaps it is of only passing interest. Still, odd doings.

Sometimes the footprints are very small, sometimes they are only possibly his footprints. But my bet is that if followed they add to the growing conviction that the Bishop is at the least helpful to and at the most guiding the Global South Chairperson and Primates along.