Lambeth Conference: Archbishop of Cape Town calls on bishops to “express your difference”

[Anglican News] The Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, has called on Anglican bishops to attend the next Lambeth Conference despite differences within the Anglican Communion.

Sermon at a Confirmation Service of churches in the Parish of Wynberg, Cape Town

Confirmation Service: Christ Church, Kenilworth
The Most Revd Thabo Makgoba
Archbishop of Cape Town
Sunday, 3rd February 2019 

Jeremiah 1:4-10; 1 Corinthians 12:31b -13:13, Luke 4:21-30

May I speak in the name of God, our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, Amen.

Thank you Rob for the warm welcome we received on our arrival here this morning. Thank you for the refreshing worship and testimonies from the confirmation candidates during this service.

Religious leaders meet Western Cape political leaders to urge peaceful elections

W. Cape religious and political leaders at Bishopscourt.

With an eye on the pending national and provincial elections, the Electoral Code of Conduct Observer Commission (ECCOC), chaired by Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, met with representatives  of nine political parties active in the Western Cape on Tuesday 29 January at Bishopscourt.

The purpose of the meeting was to introduce ECCOC to political leaders.  One of ECCOC’s tasks is to ensure that political parties and their leaders understand that they should not incite violence and instability at election times when tensions could be running high.

“We help to defuse tense situations where they arise or seem likely, by playing a mediating role at times of stress or potential violence. We hope that political parties and the electorate see our presence as helping to ensure that there is a moral presence on election day,” said the Archbishop.

He said that ECCOC will have a strong presence at polling stations, acting as an observer. Its presence will stress the need for a moral and value driven election and ECCOC will report any irregularities and inappropriate behaviour by parties to the IEC.

The parties present at the meeting indicated support for ECCOC and thanked the Archbishop and his ECCOC team for acting as an independent and impartial influence prior to and on election day.

Homily for licensing the Revd Monwabisi Peter as Chaplain of Diocesan College

(Photo: Bishops Facebook page)

The text of a homily delivered by Archbishop Thabo Makgoba at the licensing of the Revd Monwabisi Peter as Chaplain of Diocesan College in the Bishops Memorial Chapel, Cape Town, on 18 January 2019: 

Reading:  Matthew 11:25-27

In the name of God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, dear people of God, Mr (Guy) Pearson, heads of departments, educators, friends and families, it is a great joy to be with you today and share in this milestone in the history of Diocesan College.

Statement on the resignation of the Bishop of Zululand

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba will seek the input of the next meeting of the Synod of Bishops in response to the recent resignation of the Right Revd Monument Makhanya, the Bishop of Zululand.

He said this in a statement issued after the Johannesburg Sunday Times published a report revealing that Bishop Makhanya had resigned after a former deacon in his Diocese had laid a complaint of sexual misconduct against him.

The Archbishop's statement said:

"I very much regret that someone appears to have relayed the content of Bishop Monument's ad clerum (a letter to his clergy) to the press.

"As I explained to the newspaper concerned, as soon as the complainant in this matter was willing to lodge a written statement, we followed our Province's guidelines for dealing with such allegations.

"Bishop Makhanya resigned during the process which followed, which is still ongoing. I have consulted with the Province's Safe Church Network and legal advisers and will seek the input of the next meeting of the Synod of Bishops on the way forward."

Media coverage of Archbishop's Christmas sermon

SABC news clip:





ENCA news clip:





From South Africa's media:

TimesLIVE:  Archbishop: Liberation denied by our violent ways

news24: SA must stop solving problems through violence - Archbishop Thabo Makgoba

IOL: South Africans need to stop trying to solve problems through violence - Archbishop Makgoba

Daily Maverick [excerpt]: The flames of darkness associated with violence need to be extinguished forever

Eyewitness News: Makgoba ‘concerned’ about high levels of aggression in SA

iAfrica: Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Condemns Levels Of Violence in SA

The Citizen: Violence will not solve SA’s problems – Archbishop Makgoba

Algoa FM: Violence will not solve SA's problems - Archbishop Makgoba  


Overseas - Archbishop Thabo with Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu

Daily Mail, London (photo): Millions of Christians gather in churches around the world to celebrate Christmas  

Gulf News (photo): Christmas brings cheer to people around the globe


Earlier bulletins:

Eyewitness News: Makgoba: '2019 will define new South Africa'

Eyewitness News: Archbishop Makgoba condemns levels of violence in SA 

Early Christmas morning news from the SABC: