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ACNS 3814     |     AFRICA     |     19 APRIL 2004

Statement from the Primates of the Council of the Anglican Provinces of
Africa (CAPA)

We, at the CAPA Primates meeting in Nairobi on 14 April, had a very
constructive discussion of the issues that concern our church in Africa.
We are encouraged by the outcome of the meeting in which we affirmed the
importance of the ownership of CAPA and furthering its development. We
therefore recommended the following steps:

To work hard to develop our economic and organisational resources.
To increase the financial contribution to CAPA.
To develop our African theological training programme that would equip
our ministers with the African spirituality that is based on the
scripture.

In regard to the sexuality issues:

We continue to affirm Lambeth resolution 1.10 of 1998 and our statement
of the last CAPA meeting as well as the Primates statement of October
2003.

We are committed to prayerful support for the Archbishop of Canterbury
the Most Revd Dr Rowan Williams and his leadership to the Communion in
this very difficult time. We also pray and support the Lambeth
Commission set by him to study the appropriate actions towards those in
ECUSA who ignored the Primates' warnings and violated the historical
faith and order of the Church by consecrating a non-celibate openly
homosexual priest as Bishop.

We appeal to the Commission to consider the serious implications of not
taking strong disciplinary action against ECUSA, which will definitely
tear the Communion apart and will badly affect our ecumenical and
interfaith relations as a Communion.

The Primates of CAPA reaffirm the statement that was issued in September
last year.

We note that some Provinces have already taken action in declaring
broken Communion with ECUSA as an institution, while maintaining
communion with individuals who have stayed away from the official
position of ECUSA.

Some Provinces have impaired communion with ECUSA.

The Commission is requested to call ECUSA to repentance giving it a
three-month period to show signs of such repentance. Failing that,
discipline should be applied.

As CAPA Primates we stand firm to what we have decided that if there is
no sign of repentance on the part of ECUSA, the consequences will
determine the next line of action.

WEST AFRICA

The question of the enthronement of the Primate that did not take place
was received with sadness and we asked the secretariat to write to the
Dean of the Church of West Africa assuring them of our prayers and
expressed the availability of CAPA if there was need for consultation.

CHURCH OF RWANDA

We congratulate and rejoice with the people and government of Rwanda on
the efforts made for reconciliation.
We support the Primate of Rwanda, the Council of Churches and the
Government of Rwanda in their reconciliatory efforts.
An emphasis on the catechistical teaching of the sanctity of human life
and the ministry of healing of memories are of great importance for this
situation.

CHURCH OF SUDAN

The Primates are encouraged by the progress made in the peace process in
Sudan. We hope and pray that both the government of Sudan and the SPLA
will reach a final peace agreement.

THE MIDDLE EAST

The CAPA Primates are saddened by the continuing violence in the Holy
Land and appeal to the international community to intervene to achieve
peace for both the Palestinians and the Israeli people.

Our hope is that Iraqi people resume their peace and develop their
country under Iraqi government.

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