LAGOS: African Bishops to confront issues of faith and morals. ACNS spin revealed
News Analysis
By David W. Virtue
A press release from the Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) saying that a meeting of the CAPA (All Africa Bishops) next year in Lagos "is not a reaction to current crises in the Anglican Communion," is flat out untrue.
The CAPA bishops intend to take up the serious matters of faith and morals that confront the Communion. The ACNS statement completely omitted the stated agenda items from the CAPA statement. The topics to be discussed at the conference will include HIV/AIDS, political instability, technological stagnation, poverty and ecclesiastical issues and the current state of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
All Anglican Bishops from Africa will meet for the first time in Lagos, Nigeria, from October 24 to 31, 2004 for the Africa Anglican Bishops Conference (AABC) and high on the agenda will be to "consult and map out strategies to address various issues affecting the Anglican Church in Africa and the continent in general."
The theme of the historic gathering is "Africa comes of Age: An Anglican Self Evaluation." 300 Diocesan and Suffragan Bishops are expected to attend.
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) is hosting the meeting while CAPA is the Conference Secretariat. CAPA Design Committee has been meeting to plan the event, in which Bishops are only be expected to transport themselves while the accommodation will be provided by Church of Nigeria.
A Directory complete with the contact details of all African Bishops and Dioceses is being prepared and will be released at the Conference. Bishops have been urged to provide CAPA Secretariat with their contacts and passport photographs.
Bishops are expected to confirm their participation to the AABC by April 2004. Those requiring more information on the event are encouraged to liaise with CAPA Secretariat.
VIRTUOSITY HAS REMOVED THE OFFENDING ACNS REPORT FROM ITS WEBSITE