Anglican Church effectively outlawed in Zimbabwe

http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/news/?NewsID=2052

[Religious Intelligence] 28 May 2008--Reports are coming out of Zimbabwe that the Government has effectively shut down the Anglican Church there.

The move comes following an uprising in the Church against the former Bishop of Harare, Nolbert Kunonga (pictured), a close ally of President Robert Mugabe. He was deposed from the leadership and his successor has been welcomed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

A court case upheld the bishop’s deposition, but allowed him to carry on holding services in the cathedral in Harare. He refused to relinquish office and instead seized the cathedral building and accounts. That move was also deemed illegal in court. However, he was required to share the building with the Anglican Church under his successor Bishop Sebastian Bakare.

Now it seems that security forces in Zimbabwe have over-ruled the courts and deemed that only services loyal to Kunonga can go ahead. It seems likely that Anglicans will now have to join services of other denominations.