Church of the Province of Southern Africa
Encyclopedia
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa, known until 2006 as the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, is the Anglican
province in the southern part of Africa
, including diocese
s in Angola
, Lesotho
, Mozambique
, Namibia
, Saint Helena, South Africa
and Swaziland
. In South Africa, there are at least 2.4 million Anglicans out of an estimated population of 45 million.
The primate
is the Archbishop
of Cape Town
. The current archbishop is Thabo Makgoba
who succeeded Njongonkulu Ndungane
. During the years 1986 to 1996 the primate was Nobel Peace Prize
laureate Desmond Tutu
.
who accompanied the troops when the British occupied the Cape Colony
in 1795 and then again in 1806. The second British occupation resulted in a growing influx of civil servants and settlers who were members of the Church of England
, and so civil or colonial chaplains were appointed to minister to their needs. These were under the authority of the governor.
The first missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel arrived in 1821. He was the Revd William Wright. He opened a church and school in Wynberg
, a fashionable suburb of Cape Town. Allen Gardiner, a missionary of the Church Missionary Society went to Zululand
, and arranged for a priest, Francis Owen to be sent to the royal residence of King Dingane
. Owen witnessed the massacre of Piet Retief
, the Voortrekker leader, and his companions, who had come to negotiate a land treaty with Dingane, and left soon afterwards.
The Anglican Church in Southern Africa at this time was under the Bishop of Calcutta
, whose diocese effectively included the East Indies
and the entire Southern Hemisphere
. Bishops en route for Calcutta sometimes stopped at the Cape for confirmations, and occasionally ordination
of clergy, but these visits were sporadic. It became apparent that a bishop was needed for South Africa, and in 1847 Robert Gray
was consecrated as the first bishop of Cape Town in Westminster Abbey
. The new bishop landed in Cape Town
in 1848.
Some Church of England parishes in the then Cape Colony refused to join the Church of the Province of South Africa when it was constituted in 1870. These parishes expanded throughout South Africa calling themselves the Church of England in South Africa
.
Desmond Tutu
rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid
. Tutu was elected and ordained the first black South African Anglican Archbishop
of Cape Town
, South Africa, and primate
of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. He received the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1984, the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism
, and the Magubela prize for liberty in 1986.
In 2006, the name Church of the Province of Southern Africa was dropped to avoid historic confusion as to its ambiguous name. The church was renamed the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
es organized into diocese
s. The Province is divided into various dioceses, each led by its own bishop:
and political contexts of the sixteenth century. Thomas Cranmer
, Archbishop of Canterbury
, was instrumental in determining the form Anglicanism
was to take, not by writing confessional statements or significant theological treaties, but through his authoring of the Book of Common Prayer
in 1549 and 1552. All expressions of Anglicanism forever after defined itself in relation to the concept of the Prayer Book, whether being faithful to the Reformed tradition or seeking different approaches. Other denominations have found unity in confessional documents, or doctrinal formularies, or a systematically articulated theology, or the pronouncements of magisterial authorities.
When the work of revising the liturgy in the twentieth century was undertaken it was with the understanding that it was touching the nerve-centre of the Anglican ethos, since Anglican identity takes a more intangible form, deeply dependent upon the influence and binding effect of its liturgical worship. The most recent revision of the Prayer Book resulted in the publishing of An Anglican Prayer Book (1989). The Anglican Prayer Book stands alongside the South African Book of Common Prayer (1954). Both the 1989 and 1954 prayers books have the English 1662 Book of Common Prayer as a common source.
The work of the revision reflected the worldwide liturgical renewal, most notably in relation to the Roman Catholic Church
as a result of decisions reached at its Second Vatican Council
. Another influence was the charismatic renewal, which has had a marked impact on the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Particular care was taken to meet evangelical concerns in a Province that is historically High Church
rather than Low Church
in its main emphasis. Theological breadth – catholic
, evangelical
, charismatic, and liberal – was aimed at in order to achieve balance and to accommodate these various convictions.
These sensitivities and influences are most evident in the Eucharistic liturgy. Four Eucharistic prayers are given to accommodate different theological preferences. Two are taken from the Church of England
, one is borrowed with permission from the Roman Catholic Canon, and pride of place is given in the First Eucharistic Prayer to an indigenous product. The influence of the liturgical movement can be seen in the overall structure and language of the Eucharist, including seeking a sense of continuity with the early, apostolic church.
In tracing this line of continuity from the Lord’s Table to the Communion Table, a prayer traditionally ascribed to Hippolytus (c215), Bishop of Rome, called the Apostolic Tradition, captured the imagination of contemporary liturgists and now appears in the modern liturgical books of different churches both Roman Catholic and Protestant. The opening lines of all Four Eucharistic prayers closely mirror the wording of Hippolytus. The Fourth Eucharistic Prayer most closely maintains the link with the Hippolytus liturgy, but allows slight variation with respect to the wording of “we offer you” and “we bring before you” to accommodate different theological persuasions. This is an example of how the Anglican Church of Southern Africa in making revisions for the 1989 Anglican Prayer Book adopted a more conciliatory approach to the various ecclesiastical factions, foreshadowing the conciliatory context of South African politics in the early 90s in regard to political factions and political change.
), include:
The threefold sources of authority in Anglicanism are scripture, tradition, and reason. These three sources uphold and critique each other in a dynamic way. This balance of scripture, tradition and reason is traced to the work of Richard Hooker
, a sixteenth century apologist. In Hooker's model, scripture is the primary means of arriving at doctrine and things stated plainly in scripture are accepted as true. Issues that are ambiguous are determined by tradition, which is checked by reason.
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa embraces three orders of ministry: deacon, priest, and bishop. A local variant of the Book of Common Prayer
is used. The Church is known for having Anglo-Catholic
leanings.
and homosexuality
. Gene Robinson
's election as bishop of New Hampshire
in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America prompted warnings of a possible schism in the Anglican Communion. Retired South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu stated that he did not see what "all the fuss" was about, saying the election would not roil the Church of the Province of Southern Africa. The Anglican Church of Southern Africa is a member of the ecumenical World Council of Churches
.
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
province in the southern part of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, including diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, Namibia
Anglican Diocese of Namibia
The Anglican Diocese of Namibia is part of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which is itself part of the Anglican Communion.The diocese, which covers the whole country of Namibia, was originally known as the Diocese of Damaraland....
, Saint Helena, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
. In South Africa, there are at least 2.4 million Anglicans out of an estimated population of 45 million.
The primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
is the Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. The current archbishop is Thabo Makgoba
Thabo Makgoba
Thabo Cecil Makgoba is the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town. He had served in the past as Bishop of Grahamstown.-Biography:...
who succeeded Njongonkulu Ndungane
Njongonkulu Ndungane
Njongonkulu Winston Hugh Ndungane FKC was the Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa ....
. During the years 1986 to 1996 the primate was Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
laureate Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
.
History
The first Anglican clergy to minister regularly at the Cape were military chaplainsChaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
who accompanied the troops when the British occupied the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
in 1795 and then again in 1806. The second British occupation resulted in a growing influx of civil servants and settlers who were members of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, and so civil or colonial chaplains were appointed to minister to their needs. These were under the authority of the governor.
The first missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel arrived in 1821. He was the Revd William Wright. He opened a church and school in Wynberg
Wynberg, Cape Town
Wynberg is a southern suburb of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape, South Africa. It is situated between Plumstead and Kenilworth, and is a main transport hub for the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town.- Geography :...
, a fashionable suburb of Cape Town. Allen Gardiner, a missionary of the Church Missionary Society went to Zululand
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
, and arranged for a priest, Francis Owen to be sent to the royal residence of King Dingane
Dingane
Dingane kaSenzangakhona Zulu —commonly referred to as Dingane or Dingaan—was a Zulu chief who became king of the Zulu Kingdom in 1828...
. Owen witnessed the massacre of Piet Retief
Piet Retief
Pieter Mauritz Retief was a South African Boer leader. Settling in 1814 in the frontier region of the Cape Colony, he assumed command of punitive expeditions in response to raiding parties from the adjacent Xhosa territory...
, the Voortrekker leader, and his companions, who had come to negotiate a land treaty with Dingane, and left soon afterwards.
The Anglican Church in Southern Africa at this time was under the Bishop of Calcutta
Bishop of Calcutta
The Bishop of Calcutta exercises episcopal leadership over the Diocese of Calcutta of the Church of North India. The diocese was established in 1813 as part of the Church of England and the first bishop was Thomas Fanshawe Middleton and the second Reginald Heber...
, whose diocese effectively included the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
and the entire Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
. Bishops en route for Calcutta sometimes stopped at the Cape for confirmations, and occasionally ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
of clergy, but these visits were sporadic. It became apparent that a bishop was needed for South Africa, and in 1847 Robert Gray
Robert Gray (bishop)
Robert Gray was the first Anglican Bishop of Cape Town.-Biography:Gray was born in Bishopwearmouth, north east England, the son of Robert Gray, Bishop of Bristol, who ordained him deacon in Wells Cathedral on 11 January 1834. His first parish was at Whitworth. In 1845 he became the vicar of...
was consecrated as the first bishop of Cape Town in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. The new bishop landed in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in 1848.
Church of England in South Africa
The Church of England in South Africa was constituted in 1938 as a federation of churches. It is an Anglican church but it is not a member of the Anglican Communion. However, it relates closely to the Sydney Diocese of the Anglican Church of Australia, to which it is similar in that it sees itself...
.
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid
History of South Africa in the apartheid era
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the National Party governments of South Africa between 1948 and 1994, under which the rights of the majority 'non-white' inhabitants of South Africa were curtailed and white supremacy and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained...
. Tutu was elected and ordained the first black South African Anglican Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa, and primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. He received the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
in 1984, the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism
Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism
The Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism is a prize given to people who made exemplary contributions to humanity and the environment. The goal of the prize is to advance the cause of humanitarianism. The prize was established in 1986 by Albert Toepfer, an international grain merchant from...
, and the Magubela prize for liberty in 1986.
In 2006, the name Church of the Province of Southern Africa was dropped to avoid historic confusion as to its ambiguous name. The church was renamed the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
Structure
The polity of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa is Episcopalian church governance, which is the same as other Anglican churches. The church maintains a system of geographical parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es organized into diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s. The Province is divided into various dioceses, each led by its own bishop:
- The Diocese of Cape TownAnglican Diocese of Cape TownThe Anglican Diocese of Cape Town, South Africa, came into being in 1847 with the consecration of the first bishop, Robert Gray, and later expanded to become the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, now called the Anglican Church of Southern Africa....
(Est. 1847) - The Diocese of AngolaAnglican Diocese of AngolaThe Anglican Diocese of Angola is a newly formed diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.-History:It has been formed from the Igreja Evangelica Unida de Angola which shared a common history with the Igreja Evangélica Reformada de Angola from 1922 to 1975.It was constituted as the...
(Est. 2003) - The Diocese of Christ the KingAnglican Diocese of Christ the KingThe Anglican Diocese of Christ the King is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.-History:The diocese was founded in 1990. It comprises Sharpeville, Vereeniging, Boipatong, Vanderbijlpark, Sebokeng and the southern side of the city of Johannesburg in South Africa.The diocese is the...
(Est. 1990, from the Diocese of Johannesburg) - The Diocese of False BayAnglican Diocese of False BayThe Anglican Diocese of False Bay is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.-History:The diocese was founded on Advent Sunday in 2005. It was carved out of the existing Anglican Diocese of Cape Town.-External links:*...
(Est. 2005, from the Diocese of Cape Town) - The Diocese of the Free StateAnglican Diocese of the Free StateThe Anglican Diocese of the Free State is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.-History:The first service North of the Orange River to be taken by an Anglican clergyman was conducted in 1850 by Robert Gray, the first Bishop of Cape Town. In 1863, Edward Twells was consecrated the...
(Est. 1863, formerly Diocese of Bloemfontein) - The Diocese of GeorgeAnglican Diocese of George-History:The seat of the diocese is Cathedral of St Mark in George in South Africa.-List of Bishops:* Henry Bindley Sidwell 1911-1936* Herbert Linford Gwyer 1937-1951* John Hunter 1951-1966* Patrick Harold Falkiner Barron 1966-1978...
(Est. 1911) - The Diocese of Grahamstown (Est. 1853)
- The Diocese of HighveldAnglican Diocese of Highveld-History:The Diocese of the Highveld was formed through a multiplication of the original Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg, which, in geographical terms, embraced the whole of the former Southern Transvaal Province of South Africa. The new diocese extends from the eastern edge of the Metropolis of...
(Est. 1990, from the Diocese of Johannesburg) - The Diocese of JohannesburgAnglican Diocese of JohannesburgThe Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg is part of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It was formed in 1922 from the southern part of the Diocese of Pretoria, and at that time included the whole of the southern Transvaal...
(Est. 1922, from the Diocese of Pretoria) - The Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman (Est. 1911, from the Diocese of the Free State)
- The Diocese of LebomboAnglican Diocese of LebomboThe Anglican Diocese of the Lebombo is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It is one of the two Anglican dioceses of Mozambique...
(Est. 1893) - The Diocese of LesothoAnglican Diocese of LesothoThe Anglican Diocese of Lesotho is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.Lesotho was originally included in the Anglican Diocese of the Free State but became an independent diocese in 1950....
(Est. 1950, from the Diocese of Free State) - The Diocese of MatlosaneAnglican Diocese of MatlosaneThe Anglican Diocese of Matlosane is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.The diocese was founded in 1990. It was originally known as the Diocese of Klerksdorp.It occupies the main proportion of the Province of the North West in South Africa....
(Est. 1990, formerly Diocese of Klerksdorp, from the Diocese of Johannesburg) - The Diocese of MpumalangaAnglican Diocese of MpumalangaThe Anglican Diocese of Mpumalanga is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. The Diocese of Mpumalanga, as the name suggests, spans the Northern section of the South African province of Mpumalanga, while the Anglican Diocese of the Highveld covers the Southern section...
(Est. 2004, from the Diocese of Pretoria) - The Diocese of Mbhashe (Est. 2010, from the Diocese of Mthatha)
- The Diocese of MthathaAnglican Diocese of MthathaThe Anglican Diocese of Mthatha is the new name for a diocese which contains much of the old St John’s area.It came into existence in 2006 and currently has 69 parishes...
(Est. 1872 as Diocese of St John's, renamed in 2006 as Mthatha) - The Diocese of NamibiaAnglican Diocese of NamibiaThe Anglican Diocese of Namibia is part of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which is itself part of the Anglican Communion.The diocese, which covers the whole country of Namibia, was originally known as the Diocese of Damaraland....
(Est. 1924, formerly Diocese of Damaraland) - The Diocese of NatalAnglican Diocese of NatalThe Anglican Diocese of Natal covers the western part of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, west and south of the Tugela and Buffalo rivers. The episcopal leader of the diocese is the Bishop of Natal.-History:...
(Est. 1853) - The Diocese of NiassaAnglican Diocese of NiassaAnglican Diocese of Niassa is a diocese of the Anglican communion. It is one of the two Anglican dioceses of Mozambique. This diocese is the more Northern of the two; the other being Lebombo. It belongs to the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Its Bishop is Mark Van Koevering, an American of...
(Est. 1979, from the Diocese of Lebombo) - The Diocese of Port ElizabethAnglican Diocese of Port ElizabethThe Anglican Diocese of Port Elizabeth is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. The diocese was founded in 1970.-List of Bishops:* Philip Welsford Richmond Russell 1970-1974* Bruce Read Evans 1975-1993* Eric Pike 1993-1998...
(Est. 1970) - The Diocese of PretoriaAnglican Diocese of Pretoria-History:The diocese originally covered the whole of the South African Republic, which later became the Transvaal province of South Africa. In 1922 the Diocese of Johannesburg, covering the Southern Transvaal, was formed. In the 1980s and 1990s several new dioceses were formed.The northernmost part...
(Est. 1878, from the Diocese of Bloemfontein, now Free State) - The Diocese of Saldanha BayAnglican Diocese of Saldanha BayThe Anglican Diocese of Saldanha Bay is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.The diocese was founded on 10 December 2005 and is based in the territory of the Diocese of Cape Town. Previously the area was served by a Regional Bishop of Saldanha within the Diocese of Cape Town, one of...
(Est. 2005, from the Diocese of Cape Town) - The Diocese of St Helena (Est. 1859)
- The Diocese of St Mark the EvangelistAnglican Diocese of St Mark the EvangelistThe Anglican Diocese of St. Mark the Evangelist is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, in the geographical area of the Limpopo province in the north of South Africa.-History:...
(Est. 1987, from the Diocese of Pretoria) - The Diocese of SwazilandAnglican Diocese of SwazilandThe Anglican Diocese of Swaziland is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.The diocese was founded in 1968. It comprises the country of Swaziland....
(Est. 1968) - The Diocese of UkhahlambaAnglican Diocese of UkhahlambaThe Anglican Diocese of Ukhahlamba is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.-History:The diocese was founded in 2009. It was carved out of the existing Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown.-Source:...
(Est. 2009, from the Diocese of Grahamstown) - The Diocese of UmzimvubuAnglican Diocese of UmzimvubuThe Anglican Diocese of Umzimvubu is a relatively new Diocese created out of a portion of the former St John’s See. It came into existence in 1991 and the current Bishop is The Rt Rev Mlibo Mteteleli Ngewu....
(Est. 1991, from the Diocese of St John's, now Mthatha) - The Diocese of ZululandAnglican Diocese of ZululandThe Anglican Diocese of Zululand covers the part of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal around Utrecht, a small town in the foothills of the Balele Mountains in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa...
(Est. 1870)
Diocesan bishops
- The Most Revd Thabo MakgobaThabo MakgobaThabo Cecil Makgoba is the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town. He had served in the past as Bishop of Grahamstown.-Biography:...
- Archbishop of Cape TownArchbishop of Cape TownThe Archbishop of Cape Town is the Primate / Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.The current Archbishop is the Most Reverend Thabo MakgobaRobert Gray was the first Anglican Bishop of Cape Town.-List of Bishops and Archbishops:... - The Right Revd Andre Soares - Bishop of Angola
- The Right Revd Peter LeePeter John LeePeter John Lee, born 5 June 1947, is an Anglican clergyman, bishop of the diocese of Christ the King, Johannesburg, South Africa.Educated at Gresham's School, Holt, Norfolk and St...
- Bishop of Christ the King - The Right Revd Mervyn Castle - Bishop of False Bay
- The Right Revd Patrick Glover - Bishop of the Free State
- The Right Revd Brian Melvin Marajh - Bishop of GeorgeAnglican Diocese of George-History:The seat of the diocese is Cathedral of St Mark in George in South Africa.-List of Bishops:* Henry Bindley Sidwell 1911-1936* Herbert Linford Gwyer 1937-1951* John Hunter 1951-1966* Patrick Harold Falkiner Barron 1966-1978...
- The Right Revd Ebenezer St Mark NtlaliEbenezer St Mark NtlaliThe Rt Rev Ebeneezer St Mark Ntlali is the current Bishop of Grahamstown.Born in 1954, he trained for the priesthood at St Bede's College, Transkei and has a Bachelor's degree in Church History and Systematic Theology from Rhodes University. He was Archdeacon of King William's Town until his...
- Bishop of GrahamstownBishop of GrahamstownThe Bishop of Grahamstown is the bishop of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa in the Diocese of Grahamstown, which encompasses the area around Grahamstown, South Africa and is located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The seat of the Bishop is St. Michael and St. George... - The Right Revd David Bannermann - Bishop of Highveld
- The Right Revd Brian Germond - Bishop of JohannesburgAnglican Diocese of JohannesburgThe Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg is part of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It was formed in 1922 from the southern part of the Diocese of Pretoria, and at that time included the whole of the southern Transvaal...
- The Right Revd Oswald Swartz - Bishop of Kimberley and KurumanBishop of Kimberley and KurumanThe Bishop of Kimberley and Kuruman is the Bishop of the Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which encompasses the area around Kimberley and Kuruman and overlaps the Northern Cape Province and North West Province of South Africa. The current bishop is the Rt...
- The Right Revd Dinis Sengulane - Bishop of Lebombo
- The Right Revd Mallane Adam Taaso - Bishop of Lesotho
- The Right Revd Molopi Diseko - Bishop of Matlosane
- The Right Revd Elliot Williams - Bishop of Mbhashe
- The Right Revd Daniel Kgomosotho - Bishop of Mpumalanga
- The Right Revd Sitembele Tobela MzamaneSitembele Tobela MzamaneSitembele Tobela Mzamane is the current Anglican Bishop of Mthatha, and although the first Bishop to bear that title he is the 10th incumbent-the Bishopric previously being known as St John's. A former Dean of the Diocese’s cathedral he is opposed to the blessing of same-sex relationships...
- Bishop of MthathaBishop of St John'sThe Bishop of St John’s is the Bishop of the Diocese of St Johns in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which encompassed the area around King Williams Town and East London and is located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. In 1991 the Diocese split with a portion of it becoming the... - The Right Revd Nathaniel Nakwatumbah - Bishop of Namibia
- The Right Revd Rubin Philip - Bishop of NatalBishop of NatalThe Bishop of Natal exercises episcopal leadership over the Diocese of Natal of the Church of Southern Africa.-Succession:-See also:*Anglican Church of Southern Africa*Anglican Diocese of Natal-References:...
- The Right Revd Mark van Koevering - Bishop of Niassa
- The Right Revd Bethlehem NopeceBethlehem NopeceThe Right Rev. Bethleham Nopece is the current Bishop of Port Elizabeth.-Sources:...
- Bishop of Port Elizabeth - The Right Revd Jo SeokaJohannes Thomas SeokaThe Rt Rev Johannes Thomas Seoka is an Anglican Bishop, the current Bishop of PretoriaHe was born on 29 August 1948, he was educated at Eshowe College of Education in Zululand and the University of Chicago. He studied for the priesthood at St Bede’s College, Umtata and was ordained in 1975. He...
- Bishop of Pretoria, Anglican Diocese of PretoriaAnglican Diocese of Pretoria-History:The diocese originally covered the whole of the South African Republic, which later became the Transvaal province of South Africa. In 1922 the Diocese of Johannesburg, covering the Southern Transvaal, was formed. In the 1980s and 1990s several new dioceses were formed.The northernmost part... - The Right Revd Richard David Fenwick - Bishop of St Helena
- The Right Revd Raphael Hess - Bishop of Saldanha Bay
- The Right Revd Martin Breytenbach - Bishop of St Mark the Evangelist, Anglican Diocese of St Mark the EvangelistAnglican Diocese of St Mark the EvangelistThe Anglican Diocese of St. Mark the Evangelist is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, in the geographical area of the Limpopo province in the north of South Africa.-History:...
- The Right Revd Meshack Mabuza - Bishop of Swaziland
- The Right Revd Mlibo NgewuMlibo Mteteleli NgewuMlibo Mteteleli Ngewu is the current Anglican Bishop of Umzimvubu an Episcopate in the Province of Southern Africa. Previously an Archdeacon he was appointed in 2003 to succeed the inaugural Bishop, Geoffrey Francis Davies....
- Bishop of Umzimvubu - The Right Revd Dino Gabriel - Bishop of Zululand
Liturgy and the Anglican Prayer Book
The Anglican church was a product of the English ReformationEnglish Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
and political contexts of the sixteenth century. Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build a favourable case for Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon which resulted in the separation of the English Church from...
, Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, was instrumental in determining the form Anglicanism
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
was to take, not by writing confessional statements or significant theological treaties, but through his authoring of the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
in 1549 and 1552. All expressions of Anglicanism forever after defined itself in relation to the concept of the Prayer Book, whether being faithful to the Reformed tradition or seeking different approaches. Other denominations have found unity in confessional documents, or doctrinal formularies, or a systematically articulated theology, or the pronouncements of magisterial authorities.
When the work of revising the liturgy in the twentieth century was undertaken it was with the understanding that it was touching the nerve-centre of the Anglican ethos, since Anglican identity takes a more intangible form, deeply dependent upon the influence and binding effect of its liturgical worship. The most recent revision of the Prayer Book resulted in the publishing of An Anglican Prayer Book (1989). The Anglican Prayer Book stands alongside the South African Book of Common Prayer (1954). Both the 1989 and 1954 prayers books have the English 1662 Book of Common Prayer as a common source.
The work of the revision reflected the worldwide liturgical renewal, most notably in relation to the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
as a result of decisions reached at its Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. Another influence was the charismatic renewal, which has had a marked impact on the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Particular care was taken to meet evangelical concerns in a Province that is historically High Church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
rather than Low Church
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
in its main emphasis. Theological breadth – catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
, charismatic, and liberal – was aimed at in order to achieve balance and to accommodate these various convictions.
These sensitivities and influences are most evident in the Eucharistic liturgy. Four Eucharistic prayers are given to accommodate different theological preferences. Two are taken from the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, one is borrowed with permission from the Roman Catholic Canon, and pride of place is given in the First Eucharistic Prayer to an indigenous product. The influence of the liturgical movement can be seen in the overall structure and language of the Eucharist, including seeking a sense of continuity with the early, apostolic church.
In tracing this line of continuity from the Lord’s Table to the Communion Table, a prayer traditionally ascribed to Hippolytus (c215), Bishop of Rome, called the Apostolic Tradition, captured the imagination of contemporary liturgists and now appears in the modern liturgical books of different churches both Roman Catholic and Protestant. The opening lines of all Four Eucharistic prayers closely mirror the wording of Hippolytus. The Fourth Eucharistic Prayer most closely maintains the link with the Hippolytus liturgy, but allows slight variation with respect to the wording of “we offer you” and “we bring before you” to accommodate different theological persuasions. This is an example of how the Anglican Church of Southern Africa in making revisions for the 1989 Anglican Prayer Book adopted a more conciliatory approach to the various ecclesiastical factions, foreshadowing the conciliatory context of South African politics in the early 90s in regard to political factions and political change.
Doctrine and practice
The centre of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa's teaching is the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The basic teachings of the church, (contained in the catechismCatechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
), include:
- Jesus Christ is fully human and fully God. He died and was resurrected from the dead.
- Jesus provides the way of eternal life for those who believe.
- The Old and New Testaments of the Bible were written by people "under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit". The Apocrypha are additional books that are used in Christian worship, but not for the formation of doctrine.
- The two great and necessary sacramentsAnglican sacramentsIn keeping with its prevailing self-identity as a via media or "middle path" of Western Christianity, Anglican sacramental theology expresses elements in keeping with its status as a church in the Catholic tradition and a church of the Reformation...
are Holy BaptismBaptismIn Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and Holy EucharistEucharistThe Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance... - Other sacramental ritesAnglican sacramentsIn keeping with its prevailing self-identity as a via media or "middle path" of Western Christianity, Anglican sacramental theology expresses elements in keeping with its status as a church in the Catholic tradition and a church of the Reformation...
are confirmation, ordinationOrdinationIn general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
, marriageMarriageMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, reconciliation of a penitentConfessionThis article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
, and unction. - Belief in heavenHeavenHeaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
, hellHellIn many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, and Jesus's return in glorySecond ComingIn Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
.
The threefold sources of authority in Anglicanism are scripture, tradition, and reason. These three sources uphold and critique each other in a dynamic way. This balance of scripture, tradition and reason is traced to the work of Richard Hooker
Richard Hooker
Richard Hooker was an Anglican priest and an influential theologian. Hooker's emphases on reason, tolerance and the value of tradition came to exert a lasting influence on the development of the Church of England...
, a sixteenth century apologist. In Hooker's model, scripture is the primary means of arriving at doctrine and things stated plainly in scripture are accepted as true. Issues that are ambiguous are determined by tradition, which is checked by reason.
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa embraces three orders of ministry: deacon, priest, and bishop. A local variant of the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
is used. The Church is known for having Anglo-Catholic
Anglo-Catholicism
The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism describe people, beliefs and practices within Anglicanism that affirm the Catholic, rather than Protestant, heritage and identity of the Anglican churches....
leanings.
Social issues and ecumenical relations
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa is regarded as the most liberal Anglican province in Africa, particularly on issues such as ordination of womenOrdination of women
Ordination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
and homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Gene Robinson
Gene Robinson
Vicki Gene Robinson is the ninth bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Robinson was elected bishop in 2003 and entered office in March 2004...
's election as bishop of New Hampshire
Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire
The Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America , covers the entire state of New Hampshire. It was originally part of the Diocese of Massachusetts, but became independent in 1841. The see city is Concord...
in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America prompted warnings of a possible schism in the Anglican Communion. Retired South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu stated that he did not see what "all the fuss" was about, saying the election would not roil the Church of the Province of Southern Africa. The Anglican Church of Southern Africa is a member of the ecumenical World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
.
Further reading
- Elphick, Richard & Davenport, Rodney (eds). (1997). Christianity in South Africa: a political, social and cultural history. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-20940-0
- Neill, Stephen (1965). Anglicanism. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books