RWANDA: Province approves name-change, affirms new Metropolitan diocese in Kigali
Episcopal News Service. December 13, 2007 [121307-03]
The Province of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda, known locally as L'Eglise Episcopal au Rwanda, will change its name to the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, according to a resolution unanimously approved November 29 by the Provincial Synod.
The resolution was first presented at a November 27 extra-ordinary meeting of Rwanda's College of Bishops, which includes irregularly consecrated bishops who are not formally recognized by the Anglican Communion's Instruments of Communion or the Archbishop of Canterbury. Those bishops, some of whom are former Episcopal priests, serve as missionary bishops in the breakaway Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA).
The Synod also affirmed that a Metropolitan diocese would be created in Rwanda's capital city Kigali to further church development, according to a provincial news release.
The meeting further resolved that the Anglican theological College in Kabuga village become a full university with various academic faculties for effective education of Rwandans.
Anglican Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini hailed the work of Synod members and urged them to be active for the sake of streamlining the work of the church and the nation, the news release said. He advised the Synod to be a blessing to the church and the community.
Rwanda's nine dioceses are home to 180,000 Anglicans. The Church plays a major role in the healing ministry to the many traumatized people in Rwanda as a result of the 1994 genocide, during which more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered by Hutu extremists. The Church is committed to the ministry of reconciliation, restoration, and rehabilitation and has been involved in rural development, medical work, vocational training, and education.