Letters from Overseas : AIDS, crime and an ordination declined
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/article30626
- Author
- Myers, Bruce (Bruce Joseph Andrew), 1972-
- Journal
- Ministry Matters
- Date
- 2003 Fall
- Journal
- Ministry Matters
- Date
- 2003 Fall
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 3
- Page
- 22-23
- Notes
- The author, a postulant for the Diocese of Quebec, is a radio news anchor in Montreal and a theological student at the Montreal Diocesan Theological College. He is serving an internship in the diocese of Grahamstown in South Africa. Myers describes South Africa as a beautiful and hospitable country but one which faces huge challenges. "HIV/AIDS is by far the major issue confronting this country. South Africa has the highest infection rate of any nation on the continent: 1,600 people die from it every day. One Anglican priest I spoke to this week told me that he buried five of his parishioners on a single day last week -- all victims of HIV/AIDS." Crime and violence are also huge and omnipresent problems. "Every store and ATM has a security guard, sometimes armed with billy clubs and a guard dog. Even our church hires a guard to keep watch over parishioners' cars while they are inside for the service". There is still great poverty and inequality of resources. "The dichotomy is huge and, I've discovered, still falls mostly along racial lines. Nearly 10 years after the fall of apartheid, whites seem predominantly well off, most blacks still struggling". "The church I'm at (St. Saviour's) is very active: there are six clergy. There's a big HIV/AIDS ministry, an active youth group, Mothers' Union, and more. There are two services on Sunday both well attended, although mostly divided along racial lines". The author also describes his attendance at a service of one of the indigenous African churches and how he "got to see firsthand the radically different way Christianity is evolving in this part of the world. Both churches still follow the Levitical laws of the Hebrew Bible, and take all the scriptures literally. So these Christians are kosher, worship on Saturday (the Sabbath), women's heads are covered in church, and animal sacrifice is still a significant part of their worship. At one service, a dozen chickens were sacrificed to the congregation's ancestors before we launched into a more-or-less normal service of Bible readings, hymns, a sermon, and `communion' -- but with holy water rather than wine".
- Subjects
- AIDS (Disease) - South Africa
- AIDS (Disease) - Religious aspects - Church of the Province of Southern Africa
- South Africa - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Church of the Province of Southern Africa. Diocese of Grahamstown
- South Africa - Economic conditions
- Violence - South Africa
- Christianity and culture - China
- African independent churches