Afro-Anglicanism Conference Comes to an End in Toronto

The Third Afro-Anglicanism Conference drew to a close in Toronto last week with a lively worship service drawing on the theme of the conference “Celebrating the Gifts of Afro-Anglicanism”.

The meeting, which lasted eight days, was attended by Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of Cape Town, South Africa, who at the start of the Conference urged black Anglicans to share and live out the Southern African concept of ubuntu (I am, because we are) with the wider Anglican Communion.

“We will share ubuntu this week. We must share ubuntu with the Anglican Communion,” he said in his opening sermon at St. James’ Cathedral.

“Ubuntu means to live and care for others; to act kindly to one another; to be kind, just, fair, compassionate, trustworthy, honest; to assist those in need; and to uphold good morals,” the Archbishop said. “Ubuntu can only be experienced in richly varied community.”

The conference focused on issues particularly current to Afro-Anglicans including the challenge of human rights, new democracies, the Anglican Communion as “our global village”, young adults and the life of the church, challenges to the family, and HIV/AIDS.

The delegates, which numbered more than 270 from Africa, the Caribbean, United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, also discussed the Codrington Consensus statement which said the “Anglican family mosaic consists of many strands and cultural shapes, among which Afro-Anglicanism takes its rightful place.”

Youth delegates also mounted a challenge to the older generation of delegates to work with them together as leaders, saying “We are not leaders of tomorrow, but also of today.”

Sadie Goddard, a youth delegate from Barbados, said: “God speaks to everyone and that includes the youth...we need to learn to do ministry together both the young and the old.”

Nigerian Bola Famuyibo, who attends the Luther College, University of Regina in Saskatchewan said he found the “different views on what spirituality means for the youth of today was very encouraging.” He added: “Before I came here I was wondering where the Anglican Church is today in regards to youth, but this conference made me realise there is a future for us.”

Kebalephile Matlhako also testified to the success of the event saying “I feel the conference lived out ubuntu.” He said: “We managed to come out with one statement that represents all the differing views.”

Areas of particular focus and the work of the Afro-Anglicans for the next 10 years, when the next conference will be held, was set out in a six-part document entitled the Toronto Accord.

The accord stated: “Afro-Anglican identity means that we share common human concerns.” It said: “The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a matter of concern for all of us, whether we live in Africa, in the UK, in the Caribbean, or in North America.”

The accord went on to call all members of the Anglican Communion to share in the task of meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals which, among other things, aim to reduce global poverty by half.

A special appeal was also made to leaders and older generations of Communion members to “fully incorporate the participation of young people within the total life to the church.”

The accord also denounced the decision to limit participation of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA) in the recent meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Nottingham: “We decry this act of marginalisation and request that the provinces have full access and participation in this forum.”

The accord continued by urging all bishops “who believe it is their duty to interfere in provinces, diocese and parishes other than their own to stop such disruptive action” and to “respect the territorial borders of such provinces, diocese and parishes.”