Anglican Communion News Service - Digest News

The Right Revd Ken Clarke, Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh, has been appointed as the new full-time Mission Director of SAMS Ireland (South American Mission Society). He will take up the post later this year and continue as bishop of his diocese until the Autumn. Bishop Ken Clarke is in his twelfth year as Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh, having been elected as bishop on the 13th November 2000.

[More]

From http://www.secularism.org.uk

The High Court today ruled that "The saying of prayers as part of the formal meeting of a Council is not lawful under s111 of the Local Government Act 1972, and there is no statutory power permitting the practice to continue". The judgement follows a Judicial Review initiated by the National Secular Society.

[More]

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has accepted the invitations of Primates of Anglican Communion provinces in Asia to visit, address diocesan gatherings, celebrate Eucharist and preach during February and early March.

[More]

Bishop Victoria Matthews: “We are still proclaiming the Gospel...and God is with us and will see us through”

[More]

London, 8 February (ENInews) British Anglicans have called upon the United Kingdom government to support those in Nigeria seeking to protect religious minorities of all faiths and enable them to practice their religion without fear.

[More]

By Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Revd Nick Baines on his blog

My Brother's Keeper

According to the commentariat the General Synod of the Church of England is obsessing about women bishops today. The twitter sphere is buzzing with it. A bit disappointing, then, that the day begins with a ‘debate’ about the plight of Christians in Nigeria. Or… about time we got some proportion into the significance of what preoccupies us (the Synod as well as the commentators)?

The new Bishop of Durham reported from a recent visit to Nigeria on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury. He described the situation of the church in northern Nigeria as “systematically, deliberately and progressively being eliminated”. He explored political, economic and religious developments there and reminded us of the complexity of such realities. The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of “the threatened disintegration of a society under pressure from Boko Haram, one of the most extreme organisations in the world”.

The importance of this debate this morning is that it exemplifies again the vital nature of the Anglican Communion. The Archbishop of York expressed the essential solidarity within the community – emphasising, as did others, that this is not just about us defending other Christians, but defending all people and minorities in Nigeria – by stating that whatever happens to ‘them’ happens to ‘us’. Hence, our prayers, support, advocacy and encouragement to politicians to use their weight in addressing this disastrous situation.

Several speakers in the debate related stories of how diocesan link relationships demonstrate their real value at times like this. Real people meet real people… on the ground… unalloyed by spin or selective reporting.

This is the heart of the Anglican Communion beating strongly: not about issues, but about fellowship in Christ, rooted in a common humanity under God, unafraid to speak truth to power.

Now back to women bishops…

As Patron of the Benefice, the Bishop of Birmingham is delighted to announce the appointment of the Revd Dr Joshva Raja as Vicar. This appointment has the goodwill of the parish representatives.

[More]

The Archbishop of Canterbury last night warned that moves to legalise assisted suicide could spell “disaster” for society.

[More]

How to serve your community’s needs without reinventing the wheel in every parish: that is the challenge posed by a new project to be launched by the Archbishop of York at this week’s General Synod. 

[More]

A prayer written at The Queen’s Direction by the Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral for Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee has been released. It will be used in the Jubilee Thanksgiving Service in St Paul’s Cathedral on Tuesday, June 5^th. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have commended it for use throughout the Church of England and other Churches are also welcome to use it.

[More]

In our reflections last year on the commemoration of independence we emphasised with much concern that the sixty third commemoration of our Independence can be meaningful only by creating an environment where all people alike will be able to live without fear or suspicion and without any hesitation, they will have to feel and believe that they are a valuable and a useful part of this country.

[More]

Rome, 2 February (ENInews)  One of the world's most recent ecumenical entities, the Global Christian Forum (GCF), met in late January with Vatican officials, affirming a desire to continue to journey together in the search for Christian unity.

[More]

Today, with 6,000 co-ed students in Chennai, India, Madras Christian College (MCC) is the largest of the 50 Indian members of Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC). 

[More]

Osun State deputy governor, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Laoye-Tomori has reiterated the efficacy of prayer as the only panacea to the incessant killing of Christians by Boko Haram sect in some parts of Nigeria.

[More]

Archbishop Peter Akinola, a retired Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), has urged Christians to remain peaceful and shun retaliatory attacks against their Muslims brothers.

[More]

The Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA) had completed its 45TH Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Honiara last week.

[More]

OGWASHI-UKU (DELTA) - The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Asaba, Most Rev Justus Mogekwu, has called on the Chiefs and inhabitants of Ogwashi-Uku to do away with the worship of deities.

[More]

Once passed by the parliament, the proposed Christian Divorce (Amendment) Bill 2011 will bring some vital changes in the present applicable law of 1862 that provides only one ground of divorce for people belonging to Christian community.

[More]

"Divisions between churches remain a scandal that we have to overcome," Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) said today at a "Pilgrimage of the Holy Robe" an ecumenical preparatory event being held this week.

[More]

The Anglican Church says it will be at least another month before details of a temporary cathedral for Christchurch are made public.

[More]