On any journey we need to know not only where we are, but also where we have come from and where we are going to. We are where we are, but where we are has been largely determined by where we have come from. Where we go to and the route we take may seem to be a matter of free choice, but even that choice will be influenced by past experiences, both good and bad. It will therefore be helpful if we begin our consideration of An African Perspective of the Anglican Communion by looking briefly at where we in Africa are coming from. In one sense, of course, we all have a similar history because we are all beneficiaries of a rich Anglican heritage. There are however very significant differences of timing, approach and experience. The canvas of this huge continent is vast, and therefore my presentation will focus largely on Nigeria, where I was born, baptised, ordained and consecrated as a missionary, evangelist and pastor of the flock of God.

Where have we come from?

Time and again God spoke through Moses and commanded his people to remember their past and to teach their history to the children (Dt.7:18-19; 11:18-19). By so doing they would learn from their own mistakes and from God's provision. This would equip them better for the future, giving them a deeper understanding and knowledge, and also a greater courage (Dt.7:18-19). In the same way we too need to remember and learn from God has done for our forefathers and for us. There is a saying that a people without knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots.

Whereas in the West the dawn of Christianity has almost been lost in the mists of time in Nigeria the arrival of Christianity is a recent event which is still very sharp in our memories. In Plateau State where I was born and where I now live and work as Bishop, we are this decade celebrating the centenary of the first arrivals of the various Missions: SUM (now Action Partners) 1904, RCM 1907, CMS 1907. Our grandparents were amongst the first Christians in their towns and villages. One of my own grandfathers chose to follow Christ and therefore left his throne with its pagan, cultic practices. My father was converted and left his pagan house. This difference in time scale makes a huge difference to our perception of the Christian faith and thus to our vision, expectations, hopes and longings for the Anglican Communion.

The first Christians to arrive in Nigeria were missionaries and evangelists: Henry Townsend, Samuel Ajayi Crowther and their colleagues who came on missionary expeditions up the River Niger in the 1840's. As in the days of St Paul, those who first accepted the gospel at once became missionaries themselves as the church began to take root in pockets here and there. The church simply WAS the mission and it was encouraged onwards by Henry Venn's great vision of the church as self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating. As soon as a baby local church could stand on its own the original missionaries moved on to another area, leaving the African agents to lead the local congregation and to evangelise the immediate area.

It is for us in Nigeria highly significant that one of those very first missionaries was Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the boy slave who was freed, converted, educated in Sierra Leone and England, came back to his native region as a member of the missionary expeditions of the 1840s, was subsequently ordained and later consecrated in Canterbury Cathedral as "Bishop in the said countries of Western Africa beyond the limits of our dominions" in 1864.

Crowther's vision, commitment, determination and linguistic capabilities were gifts from God which were used to the full for the founding of the Anglican Church in Nigeria. His concern for education, agriculture, the welfare of the people, and the building of the economy which was linked to the elimination of the slave trade, all grew out of the gospel and in turn furthered the work of the gospel. His was what we might today term a "wholistic" approach, of which we are the beneficiaries and which we in our generation seek to continue and develop yet further.

Very quickly of course, the gospel was complicated by its becoming intertwined with the coming of colonialism - which brought both pains and joys. At the end of his life, Crowther himself suffered at the hands of those who were motivated by racial and colonialist attitudes and policies. It is a great joy that the truth of this painful episode is now being acknowledged and brought out into the open. Attitudes and prejudices rarely change overnight however, and it may take generations before inherited ways of thinking are worked out of our systems. Nonetheless, the positive legacy of Crowther lives on, and continues to grow. He did not bury a box of treasure; he planted a living seed, which continues to bring forth new life as it is watered by God.

Through Crowther's consecration in Canterbury, the apostolic succession was assured. Apostolic succession, however will be ineffective and irrelevant if it is not followed with apostolic focus and success. The Bishop with apostolic succession must follow in the steps of the apostles as a leader in mission, ministry and community development, as a teacher and pastor. As Archbishop Peter Akinola would say at the consecration of bishops, "the days of ceremonial bishops are over!" Through Crowther and his successors has come the vital passion and drive for mission and evangelism today. The demonstration of the power of the gospel runs through our veins from head to foot. In Nigeria other great African Bishops and Archbishops have followed in the wake of Crowther, down to Archbishop Olufosoye in 1979 and Archbishop Adetiloye in 1988, and now our present primate, Archbishop Peter Akinola. In their time the Church of Nigeria has grown, and grown beyond human expectation. It has developed from being a part of the Province of West Africa, to being the Province of Nigeria, then three Provinces and now ten Provinces. From just a handful of dioceses, we now have 121 - and more are on the way! The creation of missionary dioceses was an inspiration from the time of the Decade of Evangelism and has proved its value and effectiveness. Anglicanism in Nigeria is only Anglican in its true sense when it is missionary, evangelical and socially active in community development and community transformation. It was not actually an Anglican, but a Roman Catholic missionary to Africa who summed it up so well:

"Mission is the meaning of the church. The church can exist only insofar as it is in mission, insofar as it participates in the act of Christ, which is mission. The church becomes the mission, the living outreach of God to the world. The church exists only insofar as it carries Christ to the world. The church is only part of the mission, the mission of God sending his Son to the world. Without this mission, there would be no church. The idea of church without mission is an absurdity." (Vincent J Donovan Christianity Rediscovered, London SCM 1978, p.102)

Where are we now?

Today therefore we have in Nigeria a growing Anglican Church in a country whose population is growing even faster! That means that it is a predominantly young population. The youth form the majority in our churches. At a point the average age of the Plateau State was calculated to be as low as 22 years.

In comparison with the west we have a young church, young in its existence and young in its membership.

We have a church which in parts of the country is persecuted, suffering and not free to build structures or buy land.

We have a church which is facing the growth and incursion of Islam.

We have a church which is struggling with poverty, societal corruption and political uncertainties.

We have a church which is still struggling with inherited colonial mindsets concerning power, ability and trust.

We have a church which draws its membership from very many different tribal and racial groups, many of which have fought each other in the past, and now have to learn to live and grow together.

But above all, we have a church where faith is vital, real and the motivating power behind life and worship. It is a faith worth living for and a faith worth dying for - and thousands have so died. The very possibility of persecution makes a difference, and lessens complacency. Please do not think that we have all the answers or that every single church is alert, alive and kicking - sadly that is not so! The vision is beginning to fade especially in some of the older churches, and that situation must be rectified before they fall into the sleep of death, and before mission degenerates into maintenance. But overall there is a fire and a passion which is burning, and we must fan that fire until it catches light over the whole country - and all over the world.

The burning concern for mission is at the heart of what it means for us to be Anglican. We are therefore training and sending missionaries further and further afield, for example reaching into the nooks and crannies of the north of Nigeria and from there over the border into Liger, Cameroun, and even Kazakistan, with some missionaries working from their diocese, some through the Church of Nigeria Missionary Society. CNMS is the heart-beat of Anglican work in Nigeria and beyond. For many years we have had a Nigerian chaplain working with students in London: Cyril Okorocha, Ken Okeke, Jacob Ajetinobe and now Ben Enwuchola. The Rt Rev Abiodun Olaoye is a missionary Bishop working in the Congo; the Rt Rev Simon Mutum is working with the nomadic mission in the North of Nigeria; the Rt Rev Martyn Minns is in America. These bishops are all bishops of the Church of Nigeria, consecrated along with others in Nigeria, but sent by the church to work in other areas or countries, just as in earlier years, English bishops came to work alongside us here. We in our turn are glad to welcome long term mission partners as well as short term visitors to live and work in Nigeria.

Where are we going?

In the world today there is much suffering, darkness, evil and death. The one and only power which can overcome this and transform individuals, communities and nations is the power of the gospel. The gospel is not a static, established tradition but a living powerful force with the ability to transform in ways which even pass the hopes and expectations of those who carry and plant the initial seed.

The gospel is all about the Kingdom. At the start of his ministry, Jesus set out his agenda by quoting from the prophet Isaiah: the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. (Lk 4.18-19).

There are huge social concerns to be met in Africa: the poor, the widows, orphans, refugees, homeless, HIV/AIDS patients and their families and so much more, but caring for these is a result of an overriding vision for the Kingdom and for mission. If any one of these works of compassion becomes and end in itself, then we are back in the potentially dangerous situation of Acts 6: "Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food." (Acts 6:1).

Caring for the widows had given rise to grumbling, complaints and backbiting which not only resurrected what we might refer to as tribal or nationalistic sentiments and prejudices, but which actually threatened to hinder the spread of the gospel. The attention of the church was being turned inwards upon itself, rather than looking outwards to the world and to its call and mission. The apostles quickly realised that this was a trick of the devil, and they at once set in motion a godly plan of action which took care of all the aggrieved parties and which set the apostles free to preach, to teach and to continue this mission.

Today in Africa one of the biggest social concerns is HIV/AIDS which still claims hundreds of lives each year. The church has therefore set up specialist ministries to teach, to care for and to support patients, families and communities, leaving other pastors free to concentrate on other aspects of mission and ministry. All ordinands are trained in HIV/AIDS counselling at our seminary and we are aware that we have pastors and workers who are HIV positive, but the prime focus of the church is not on HIV/AIDS. It is on preaching the gospel in word and in living (of which caring for those who suffer is an example).

In Nigeria homosexuality is not such a big issue as poverty, diseases, corruption, political stability and HIV/AIDS, nor by the way is homosexuality a major cause of HIV infection which is much more likely to be spread by heterosexual intercourse. Amongst ordinary church members, there is surprise and some bewilderment that homosexuality should be the cause of so much trouble and they cannot see why it should have assumed such prime importance that it threatens to stop the growth and mission of the church. They wonder why it could not be dealt with, yes in truth and honesty, but with love and compassion, in such a way that the overriding purpose, vision and reason for the existence of the church is not lost, but continues apace.

It is the gospel which has brought us education, health care, and so much more, but above all, it is the gospel which has brought life, light and hope in darkness - for this world and the next. We therefore are not prepared to compromise or trade this gospel for anything at all - not even for our physical lives. The gospel, as Paul describes it in Romans 1 16-17 is the power of God; it is universal, and it is a faith venture.

"I am not ashamed of the gospel; because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel, a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

The gospel has an explosive power, as demonstrated by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not a passive entity simply passed on like a set of clothes which has become more and more shabby and less and less attractive as successive generations handle them. The gospel is a creative power, endowed with the creating Spirit of the One who is the creator of the universe. When faced with sin, hell and Satan, the gospel is also a destroying power, deadly, unconquerable and uncompromising. The gospel seeks approval from nobody, bribes no authority, and makes no apology for its coming. Paul says simply: "I am not ashamed of the gospel."

The gospel is universal: it is for the salvation of everyone who believes, no matter where they come from or who they are. It is people, not money, that are the target of the gospel, the main asset of the gospel, and the carriers of the gospel. It is the saving power of this universal gospel which brings radical change - change from death to life, from hell to heaven, from darkness to light.

The gospel is also a faith venture from start to finish. It is visionary and missionary; it is revolutionary and exciting; it is living and active, and full of adventure and risk. It is not something that can be "done" by reading a text book or passing and exam! The gospel is a living reality, and it has to be preached, taught and "caught" by living examples and witnesses, so that people can see that it makes a difference, and for example, they do not just see the social work, but they also see the reason and the power behind the social work.

The Anglican Communion

What we expect, hope and work for within the Anglican Church of Nigeria, we look for on a bigger scale in the Anglican Communion. Here is where we look for the mission explosion as we joyfully exchange personnel, provide mutual support, weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. An inward looking church is a dying church, and we need to look outwards in our own local communities, in our diocesan regions, in our provinces and in our world. Our caring and our vision will be worldwide and without limit - because our primary focus is not on one another, it is not on any particular group, it is not on what we can get, but it is on the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. If that were not so, we in the North of Nigeria and in many other places around the world would not have the ability to survive. But as it is, we know we must, we can and by the grace of God we will press on.

The temptation is to look at what we have started and be content. The joy that accompanies the starting of a project can be so overwhelming that we work stops completely because everyone is admiring the beginning of a laudable programme. Very subtly, other things then choke our minds and the vision is lost. The apostle Paul would give room to none of this. His detractors could not stop him. Enemies from within and from without could not stop him. His own personal qualifications he put aside. His health, his condition in prison, indeed his life was completely surrendered to the task of the gospel and the mission of the church of God. The goal was set before him. Never at any point would he have thought that having started, he had arrived. In fact, he recognises that it is God who has started and it is God who will finish the task. We are both indebted to God and dependant on him. Therefore every effort, all available resources, are put together towards this one goal.

"Forgetting what lies behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Phil 3. 13b-14).

Paul had only one task, one goal and so nothing would come between him and this one task. He presses on, his focus is right and he strains towards the prize. People of God, let us sharpen our focus on this one goal, the task of making Christ known, getting people to live righteously, to live holy lives, and to put all their energies, all their efforts into the mission of God in evangelizing the world.

It is therefore a deep worry and concern to us today when we see energy, effort, gifts and time being spent on rancour, argument, abuse and division. It pains us when the essential truth of the gospel appears to be compromised in any way. In the nineteenth century in England there was the Oxford movement in some areas which eventually led to argument and controversies over elaborate vestments and ceremonies. Even without TV and the internet, news of this reached Crowther in Nigeria. In his charge to his clergy in Lokoja in 1869 Crowther said:

"Not only in the missionary fields do we witness...[the] attempts of Satan to gain back those who had forsaken his service... but he makes his approach in more subtle form, in a mask, to corrupt vital religion under the revival of rituals. " (Duke Akamisoko, (Samuel Ajayi Crowther in the Lokoja Area, Ibadan, Sefer, 2002, p. 33).

Conclusion

The message I would bring from Africa is first one of deep gratitude to God and to those who in the name of Christ risked everything to bring us the gospel.

Secondly, it is passionate plea: as those brothers and sisters gave their very lives for the gospel, let us grasp their vision and run with it, not being held back by debates and struggles, but pressing on in mission, knowing that we too may be faced with persecution, suffering, heartbreak, pain and misunderstanding, but knowing above all that the Lord who goes before his people has never failed us and will never leave us or forsake us. The mission is his - and the Church is his too. May we in the Anglican Communion be found faithful for the glory of God and for the sake of the generations yet to come.

Bibliography:

Akamisoko, D., Samuel Ajayi Crowther in the Lokoja Area, Ibadan, Sefer, 2002

Crampton, E.P.T., Christianity in Northern Nigeria, London, Geoffrey Chapman, 1979, 3rd edition

Donovan, Vincent J., Christianity Rediscovered: an Epistle from the Masai, London SCM 1978

Jemkur, J.F and Udeozo, O. (ed) The Light: 100 years of Catholicism in Jos Archdiocese, Nigeria, Jos: Fab Educational Books, 2007

Kew, R. and Okorocha, C., Vision Bearers: Dynamic Evangelism in the 21st Century, Harrisburg: Morehouse Publishing 1996

Page, J The Black Bishop, Samuel Ajayi Crowther, London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908. Reprinted Westport: Greenwood Press 1979.

Sanneh, L, West African Christianity: The Religious Impact 1983.

Unpublished works:

Kwashi, B.A. An examination of some of the challenges for a Bishop in Northern Nigeria in the Third Millennium (Doctoral Thesis)

Periodicals.

CMS Yes Magazine May-August 2007

--Bishop Ben Kwashi is the Bishop of Jos in Northern Nigeria