Bishop Nick will accompany the Archbishop of Canterbury as he visits Sudan this weekend to inaugurate the 39th province of the Anglican Communion in Khartoum on Sunday.
The Anglican church in Sudan has been administered from Juba, the capital of South Sudan, which is the world's newest country and which is predominantly Christian. Sudan itself is predominantly Muslim and there are restrictions on Christian activity.
.jpg)
The new province, formed out of what was previously called the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan, will be led by the Archbishop of Sudan and Bishop of the Diocese of Khartoum, Ezekiel Kondo (right with Bishop Nick).
Bishop Nick says, “It’s a privilege to be in Sudan with the Archbishop of Canterbury to inaugurate the new province of the Anglican Communion.
“Our partnership with Sudan is 35 years old and I look forward to strengthening our relationship in the years to come”.
South Sudan (where the 4.5 million Anglicans are mainly based) gained independence from Sudan in 2011.
Archbishop Kondo said: “The Christians and the entire people of Sudan are very much looking forward to welcoming the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby and Mrs Welby to inaugurate the New Province of Sudan, number 39, which represents 39 Articles of faith of the Anglican Church and the 39 books of the OT! It is my prayer and hope that the occasion will strengthen the church in Sudan for God's glory and extension of His Kingdom.'
Archbishop Justin and Bishop Nick will also visit Kadugli, one of five dioceses in Sudan (with which the Diocese of Leeds is linked), where there has been violent conflict. He will open a new office, replacing one that was previously destroyed in the violence.
Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, ACC secretary general, said: 'It's a welcome development that we now have another Anglican Province in a predominantly Muslim country. We hope the province will stand and proclaim Christ in a way that will be meaningful in that context. Having Sudan as a separate province of the Communion will benefit Christians in Sudan; now they will know they are not alone, that they are a part of the worldwide Anglican family, a family of 85 million believers.'
Bishop Anthony Poggo, Archbishop Justin Welby's adviser for Anglican Communion Affairs, who is himself from South Sudan, said: 'This is a sign of growth. I don't think any of us think it is going to be easy. There will be challenges. But the challenges will be more easily solved by the people themselves in Sudan than by an Archbishop based in Juba in South Sudan.'
Adapted from 'Hope for Sudan' by Ruth Gledhill in Christianity Today, here.