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Church declines to follow Kunonga

by
13 December 2007

by Pat Ashworth

THE FIRST vestry in Harare, Zimbabwe, to decide whether it remains in the Church of the Province of Central Africa (CAPA) or leaves with the disgraced former Bishop Kunonga, has voted to stay in CAPA.

The churchwarden of St Peter’s, Meyrick Park, reported on Monday that the congregation had voted 109 in favour and none against, with one abstention.

St Mary Magdalene’s, Avondale, will vote on 18 December, and has issued a statement saying that Dr Kunonga’s breakaway organisation is “unlikely to be recognised by the worldwide Anglican Communion”.

Dr Kunonga has “ordained” several men, none of whom are reported to be students at the theological college.

Anglican clerics have suffered intimidation, and there are reports of the arrest of two “priests” who tried to prevent the interim Bishop of Harare, Dr Sebastian Bakare, from entering churches.

Dr Bakare said in his Christmas message: “One sometimes wonders whether we in Zimbabwe are aware of the power that darkness has upon us. The power of darkness is visible where people live in fear; where violence prevails as well as a sense of hopelessness, eventually pushing them into pessimism.

“If we are unable to acknowledge the power of darkness, we will also fail to see the light that the birth of Jesus brings into our world and nation.”

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