NIGERIAN PRIMATE ACCUSES CHURCH TIMES OF RACISM

News Analysis

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
8/25/2006

The Archbishop of the largest Province in the Anglican Communion has accused "The Church Times", the world's leading independent liberal Anglican weekly newspaper of racism over accusations that CANA Bishop Martyn Minns ghostwrote an article for the Most Rev. Peter Akinola, Primate of Nigeria.

In a blistering letter to the Church Times, the Venerable AkinTunde Popoola, Director of Communications for the Church of Nigeria, told U.K. editors that an article by Pat Ashworth entitled "Software Suggests Minns Rewrote Akinola's Letter" was very "insulting" and "racist" inferring that the Primate of All Nigeria is being dictated to because he sought help from Minns. "Is this in continuation of the 'jamming' of people opposing the [homosexual] agenda," asks Popoola?

Ashworth said the document, "A Most Agonising Journey towards Lambeth 2008", appears to express to Nigerian synods the personal anguish of Archbishop Akinola over his attendance at the Lambeth Conference, but computer tracking software suggests that the letter was extensively edited and revised over a four-day period by the Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns, who was consecrated last year by Archbishop Akinola to lead the secessionist Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA).

"Close examination of the document, tracing the authorship, editing history, and timing of changes, reveals about 600 insertions made by Bishop Minns, including whole new sections amounting to two-thirds of the final text. There is also a sprinkling of minor amendments made by Canon Chris Sugden of the conservative group Anglican Mainstream."

The story said that the first three paragraphs seem to be from the hand of Bishop Minns, describe a "costly and debilitating" ten-year journey, "as most recently demonstrated by the tepid response to the invitations to the proposed Lambeth Conference 2008". There is "little enthusiasm even to meet", the writer suggests.

The letter includes a suggestion that the Archbishop of Canterbury's status as a focus of unity is "highly questionable". It also refers to a "moment of decision" for the Anglican Communion, which is on the "brink of destruction".

One of the most significant revisions says,: "Sadly, this Conference is no longer designed as an opportunity for serious engagement and heartfelt reconciliation, but we are told will be a time of prayer, fellowship and communion. These are admirable, commendable activities, but this very Communion, however, has been broken by the actions of the Canadian and American Churches. The consequence is most serious because, even if only one province chooses not to attend, the Lambeth Conference effectively ceases to be an instrument of unity. The convenor's status as a focus of unity also becomes highly questionable. Repentance and reversal by these provinces may yet save our Communion."

The paragraph ends with the warning,: "Failure to recognise the gravity of this moment will have a devastating impact." It replaces deleted wording: "Anything else is like going to bed and ignoring a naked flame burning in the house."

Popoola said that the "computer software" story might have been believable were it not for the allegation of "minor amendments" by Canon Chris Sugden [of "Anglican Mainstream"] who had nothing to do with the document. Sugden was not available for comment.

According to Popoola, "Archbishop Akinola informed his senior staff and the Episcopal Secretary the need to highlight efforts at maintaining unity and the intransigence of the revisionists so that the Nigerian community is left in no doubt about who is 'walking apart'".

"Along with his PA [personal assistant] in Abuja, work started on the gathering of materials and relevant documents on 6th August, 2007. We used in addition to existing statements and my Internet searches, Nigerian Episcopal meeting documents and TECUSA resolutions supplied respectively by our Episcopal Secretary, the Rt. Rev. Friday Imaekhia and a CANA priest, the Rev. Canon David Anderson. The draft of the statement was ready for correction by the primate on 9th August 2007 who was however unable to correct it as he was about to travel.

"Archbishop Akinola was in the U.S. and Bahamas between 10th and 22nd August 2007. I sent the draft to him through the Rt. Rev. Minns with a request for assistance in getting some online references which I could not easily locate.

"I fail to see any issue if amendments are then made on Bishop Minns' computer. Apart from the fact that they were together during the period of the amendment, the Archbishop like many effective leaders who spend little time glued to a desk often phones me and other staff to write certain things. Such remain his idea and anyone who knows Archbishop Peter Akinola knows you can not make him say what he does not mean."

Popoola blasted the "Church Times" saying the publication's doubting authenticity is another attempt to divert attention away from the carefully researched document which shows that the revisionists are directly responsible for problems confronting the Communion. "Instead of chasing shadows, concerned Anglicans should consider the indisputable scenario highlighted in the document and pray for ways to save our beleaguered Communion."

In a note of irony, the "Church Times" mentions the Bishop of Botswana, the Rt. Rev. Trevor Musonda Mwamba, who also expressed reservations about the tone and style of pronouncements "in the past", which have purportedly come from African bishops.

Speaking at the Ecclesiastical Law Society conference in Liverpool in early February, Mwamba said: "Up till now the loud voices in Africa have threatened the Anglican Communion with schism, insisting that some provinces be expelled from our worldwide fellowship. Yet such voices, because of the very diversity and strength of the Anglican Church in Africa, could be playing a reconciling role. The voice of the majority of Africa's 37 million Anglicans had been "eclipsed by the intensity of sounds on opposing sides of the debate"."

The Province of Central Africa, from whence Mwamba hails, is an Anglo-Catholic stronghold. Its Archbishop, Bernard Malango, retires in September. Mwamba wants his position. If he should get the top slot, he will immediately bring in the weak, fey, pro-gay but able fund-raiser, London cleric Nickie Henderson as Bishop of Lake Malawi who has been promoting himself for the job. Should this happen, it will allow, for the first time, a major pro-western pansexual plant in Africa's heartland, outside of Southern Africa. It could be the beginning of the end for orthodoxy in Africa.

In a puff about itself, the "Church Times", which outsells the evangelical Church of England newspaper, said it once promoted "Anglo-Catholic principles" but in the 1940s and '50s the paper began the move to broaden its outlook and coverage. It now attempts to provide balanced and fair reporting of events and opinions across the whole range of Anglican affairs. Apparently it has failed to achieve its goals.

END