wfn.org | (CPSA Synod) Media interest following Archbishop's charge

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Africa

by Frankie Simpson, Synod Member, Editor, Iindaba

Immediate press interest was high and focussed on the issue of 
international debt and apartheid-caused debt.  Archbishop 
Ndungane expressed deep concern over the debilitating effect 
endless paying of debt has caused so many nations of the world.  
He quoted statistics on Mozambique, where 70% of the population 
live below the poverty level. 
 
The Archbishop was asked about the Church's vision for young 
people and he emphasised the Church's involvment with young 
people and children. He said he hoped that the young people 
whoare in Synod would take part in the debates, especially those 
around youth issues. He said the chuch needed to hear the youth 
and respond to their needs.

In reply to a question on violence he said that the figures for rape of 
women and young children are shocking. "As a nation we have to 
do something about it," he said. He refered to the statistics he'd 
given in his charge indicating that a woman is raped every twenty-
six seconds.

Asked about the homosexual issue he pointed to the full Lambeth 
Report on Sexuality in the Second Agenda Paper saying that it 
was very informative and contained insights from people with 
differing views on the matter. He said that in the Anglican Church 
there was no consensus among the leadership on the issue.It is up 
to the synod members to speak their mind.

On the moving closer of the Anglican and Roman Catholic 
Churches he said that when he was at a meeting with the Pope in 
Rome,"The ordination of women to the Priesthood was not even 
'there'" in the conversation. He said the newest document from both 
Communions, 'The Gft of Authority', was a wonderful step forward 
and that there was a groundswell of coming together of the 
Christians as we move into the new millenium.

[Text of the Archbishop's charge is available from the CPSA web 
site]

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Item submitted by the CPSA Provincial Synod Media Team
Synod meeting in Durban, Diocese of Natal, South Africa

Tel  +27 (31) 260 2445  --  Fax  +27 (31) 260 1633
http://www.cpsa.org.za/ -- cvd@letterbox.com
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