wfn.org | Cape Town diocese pledges support for SA Archbishop

[Theo Coggin, Sunday 1 March 1998]

Tel: +2711-648-5461 / 487-0026
e-mail: coggin@sn.apc.org

The Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, the Most Revd
Njongonkulu Ndungane, has been pledged full support by his Diocesan
Council for his role ‘in addressing various issues pertaining to our
common life.’

In a resolution at its meeting in Cape Town yesterday, the Council said
it assured Archbishop Ndungane of its ‘continued support and prayers as
he seeks to discern the will of God for the moment, and to speak out
with conviction.’

The resolution was taken in response to reports of President Nelson
Mandela launching an attack this week on the Archbishop’s views in the
presence of two bishops and ten other clergy of the Anglican Church.

The full text of the resolution is as follows:

‘This Diocesan Council of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa,
meeting on 28th February 1998, wishes to affirm and support our elected
leader and spokesperson, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, in his role in
addressing various issues pertaining to our common life. The Church
recognises that we are called to struggle alongside all the people of
our land and our democratically elected government, to ensure that
justice and morality undergird all aspects of our society. We also
affirm and encourage the government in all it has accomplished thus far.

‘We hereby wish to affirm the statements made by our Archbishop on
issues such as the sales of arms, the eradication of violence, and the
pension payout problems in the Eastern Cape. Furthermore, we wish to
assure our Archbishop of our continued support and prayers as he seeks
to discern the will of God for the moment, and to speak out with
conviction. This has always been the Anglican stand against all forms of
evil and injustice, regardless of the government of the day.’

The Homepage address of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa is
http://www.cpsa.org.za/