Anglican-Orthodox commission meets in Istanbul

INFORMAL talks between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Anglican Communion were held at Phanar, in Istanbul, last week, when the International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue met there. Metropolitans Athenagoras of Belgium, Job of Pisidia, and Maximos of Silyvria, and the co-secretary of the dialogue, the Very Revd Evlogios Tsatsas, were joined by the Rt Revd Michael Lewis, formerly Bishop in Cyprus & the Gulf; the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Most Revd Mark Strange; and Canon Christopher Wells and the Revd Neil Vigers from the Anglican Communion Office. They also had a private audience with the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew, who encouraged the continuation of their common work.

First women priests ordained in Central Africa

ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICEThe 14 women ordained in Botswana diocese

THE ordination of the first 14 women priests for the Church of the Province of Central Africa was held in Holy Cross Cathedral, Gaborone, on 17 May, attended by the First Lady of South Africa, Dr Tshepo Motsepe. The Archbishop of Central Africa, the Most Revd Albert Chama, told the newly ordained women: “God’s time is the best time. . . Thank you for your patience. You have been waiting for a long time, but today that has been fulfilled: history has been made, and I’m happy that I’ve seen this happen during my time in office as Archbishop.” After several attempts, a motion that dioceses ready to ordain women should be allowed to proceed was passed in the Central African Provincial Synod in November 2023. Bishops from the dioceses of Matlosane (South Africa), Harare, and Pretoria (South Africa) were joined at the service by others from the Episcopal diocese of North Carolina, in the United States, and from the diocese of Newcastle, which is linked with Botswana.

WCC discusses antimicrobial-resistance divide

A SIDE event to the World Health Assembly was organised by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and ReAct Africa on 20 May, to explore the antimicrobial-resistance (AMR) divide. The World Health Organization regards AMR is one of the top global public-health and development threats. Professor Mirfin Mpundu, the executive director and founder of ReAct, told the gathering that the focus should be on the provision of clean water and sanitation. “A lack of clean water and safe water also affects health systems,” he said. “Menstrual-health restrictions reduce hygiene access, raising infection risk.” Dr Sherin Paul, the monitoring and evaluation manager at ReAct Africa, said that faith-based organisations provided 40 to 60 per cent of healthcare delivery in sub-Saharan Africa.