Episcopal Church of the Sudan
Encyclopedia
The Episcopal Church of the Sudan is an autonomous province
of the Anglican Communion
in Sudan
and South Sudan
. The province consists of twenty-four diocese
s, each headed by a bishop
. One of the diocesan bishops is elected to serve as Archbishop of the Sudan, and represent the province to the rest of the Communion as its primate
. In February 2008, the Episcopal Church of Sudan elected the Rt Revd Daniel Deng Bul of the Diocese of Renk to serve as its next Primate. Bishop Deng will succeed Archbishop Joseph Marona, who retired on 31 December 2007 after serving eight years as Sudan's Primate.
The first major Anglican
mission
in Sudan was founded in Omdurman
in 1899, under the auspices of the Church Mission Society
. The mission led to widespread conversion to Christianity throughout southern Sudan. Missionary activity came first under the Diocese in Jerusalem, and then, in 1920, as part of the new Diocese of Egypt and the Sudan, with Llewellyn Henry Gwynne
as its first bishop. As the pace of growth continued, a separate Diocese of the Sudan was formed with its own bishop in 1945. In 1957, oversight for the Diocese of the Sudan was transferred from the Archbishop of Canterbury
to the Archbishop in Jerusalem. In 1974, when the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
underwent structural reform, Sudan became an independent province of four dioceses.
Due to continued growth and displacement due to the Second Sudanese Civil War
, the province had eleven dioceses in 1993 and has twenty-four today. Most of the dioceses are small (due to poor transportation) and clustered in the south. The Episcopal Church has played a prominent role in the peace
process in Sudan. Today, four large dioceses cover the north of Sudan (Khartoum, Port Sudan, El Obeid and Kdugli). The other twenty dioceses cover South Sudan
. With a claimed four million members, the Episcopal Church of the Sudan accounts for almost half of that nation's population.
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
of the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
. The province consists of twenty-four diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s, each headed by a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. One of the diocesan bishops is elected to serve as Archbishop of the Sudan, and represent the province to the rest of the Communion as its primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
. In February 2008, the Episcopal Church of Sudan elected the Rt Revd Daniel Deng Bul of the Diocese of Renk to serve as its next Primate. Bishop Deng will succeed Archbishop Joseph Marona, who retired on 31 December 2007 after serving eight years as Sudan's Primate.
The first major Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
in Sudan was founded in Omdurman
Omdurman
Omdurman is the second largest city in Sudan and Khartoum State, lying on the western banks of the River Nile, opposite the capital, Khartoum. Omdurman has a population of 2,395,159 and is the national centre of commerce...
in 1899, under the auspices of the Church Mission Society
Church Mission Society
The Church Mission Society, also known as the Church Missionary Society, is a group of evangelistic societies working with the Anglican Communion and Protestant Christians around the world...
. The mission led to widespread conversion to Christianity throughout southern Sudan. Missionary activity came first under the Diocese in Jerusalem, and then, in 1920, as part of the new Diocese of Egypt and the Sudan, with Llewellyn Henry Gwynne
Llewellyn Henry Gwynne
Llewellyn Henry Gwynne CMG CBE was the first Anglican Bishop of Egypt and Sudan.- Early life :Gwynne was born in Swansea, Wales, in 1863. While at the Swansea Grammar School, the headmaster encouraged him to follow the example of his beloved brother Charlie by working hard and pursuing his...
as its first bishop. As the pace of growth continued, a separate Diocese of the Sudan was formed with its own bishop in 1945. In 1957, oversight for the Diocese of the Sudan was transferred from the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
to the Archbishop in Jerusalem. In 1974, when the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East is a province of the Anglican Communion stretching from Iran in the east to Algeria in the west, and Cyprus in the north to Somalia in the south. It is the largest and the most diverse Anglican province. The church is headed by a President...
underwent structural reform, Sudan became an independent province of four dioceses.
Due to continued growth and displacement due to the Second Sudanese Civil War
Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War started in 1983, although it was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated in southern Sudan, the civil war spread to the Nuba mountains and Blue Nile by the end of the 1980s....
, the province had eleven dioceses in 1993 and has twenty-four today. Most of the dioceses are small (due to poor transportation) and clustered in the south. The Episcopal Church has played a prominent role in the peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
process in Sudan. Today, four large dioceses cover the north of Sudan (Khartoum, Port Sudan, El Obeid and Kdugli). The other twenty dioceses cover South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
. With a claimed four million members, the Episcopal Church of the Sudan accounts for almost half of that nation's population.
Dioceses
- Aweil
- Bor
- Cueibet
- El-Obeid
- Ezo (formed out of Yambio Diocese)
- Ibba (formed out of Maridi Diocese)
- JubaJuba, SudanJuba is the capital and largest city of the Republic of South Sudan. It also serves as the capital of Central Equatoria, the smallest of the ten states of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and functions as the seat and metropolis of Juba County.- Population :In 2005, Juba's...
- Kadugli & Nuba Mountains
- Kajo KejiKajo KejiKajo Keji, also spelled Kajo Kaji and Kajo-keji, is a city in southern South Sudan, lying in the state of Central Equatoria, a part of the region of Equatoria. It is just south of the capital Juba and lies very close to both the state border with Eastern Equatoria and the international border with...
- Khartoum
- LainyaLainya CountyLainya is a county on the Yei Juba road in the Central Equatoria state of South Sudan. The county has been affected by the civil war between Sudanese People's Liberation Army/Movement and the National Congress Party of the Sudanese government...
- Lui (formed out of Mundri Diocese)
- Malakal
- MaridiMaridi-Location:Maridi is located in Maridi East County, Western Equatoria State, near the international border between South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This location lies approximately , by road, west of Juba, the capital of South Sudan and the largest city in that country...
- Mundri
- Port Sudan
- RejafRejafRejaf, also Rajjāf or Rageef, is a community in Central Equatoria State in South Sudan, on the west bank of the White Nile.The Lado Enclave was an exclave of the Congo Free State that existed from 1894 until 1910, leased by the British to King Leopold II of Belgium for the period of his lifetime...
- Renk (formed out of Bor Diocese)
- Rokon (formed out of Juba Diocese)
- Rumbek
- ToritTorit-Location:The town is located in Torit County, Eastern Equatoria State, in the southeastern part of South Sudan, close to the International border with the Republic of Uganda. Its location lies approximately , by road, east of Juba, the capital and largest city in that country...
- Twic East
- Wau
- YambioYambio-Location:The city is located in Yambio County, Western Equatoria State, in southwestern South Sudan, close to the International border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its locacation lies approximately , by road, west of Juba, the lagest city in South Sudan and the capital of that country...
- Yei (Sudan)
- Yirol (formed out of Rumbek Diocese)