Province of the Anglican Church of Burundi

The Province of the Anglican Church of Burundi (French:

Province of the Anglican
Province de l'Église anglicane du Burundi) is a province of the
Anglican Communion, located in East Africa between Tanzania, Church of Burundi
Rwanda, Kenya, and the Congo. The Archbishop and Primate of Classification Protestant
Burundi is Sixbert Macumi. Orientation Anglican
Scripture Holy Bible
Name Theology Anglican doctrine

The name of the Province of the Episcopal Church of Burundi Polity Episcopal
changed to the Province of the Anglican Church of Burundi Primate Sixbert Macumi[1]
(Province de l’Eglise Anglicane du Burundi) as the result of a
Headquarters Bujumbura
decision taken at the Provincial Synod held in Bujumbura, March
2005. Territory Burundi
Members c. 900,000
History Official website Province of the
Anglican Church
After the first missionary work, the first Anglican structures in of Burundi Official
Burundi were established around 1935 and grew rapidly. The Website (http://w
former Ruanda Mission set up its first mission stations at Buhiga ww.anglicanburu
and Matana in 1935, and Buye in 1936. There was much growth
ndi.org)
through medical work and education. Metropolitical authority
came from the Archbishop of Canterbury until in 1965 the
'Province of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire' was established, and the first national bishop was
consecrated for the Diocese of Buye (covering the whole country).

Following expansion, Uganda became an independent province, leaving the rest of the region as the new
Province of Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire.[2] In 1975, Buye diocese was divided into two and the
Diocese of Bujumbura was created. The Diocese of Gitega came into existence in 1985, followed by the
Diocese of Matana in 1990. The most recent diocese to be created was the Diocese of Rumonge, created
from the southern part of the Diocese of Bujumbura and comprising around 50 parishes. Their first bishop
elected was Pedaculi Birakengana, with the official inauguration of the diocese taking place on 4 August
2013.[3]

In 1992 the three countries of the Province each gained independence under their own individual
Metropolitan Archbishop. The Episcopal Church of Burundi had his first Primate in Samuel Sindamuka,
who would be in office until 1998. He was followed by Samuel Ndayisenga, Primate from 1998 to 2005.
In Burundi expansion continued, with Makamba diocese established in 1997 and Muyinga in 2005. Finally
in 2005 the Province adopted the current name. Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi was elected Primate the
same year and reelected in 2010.

Membership
There are approximately 900,000 Anglicans in an estimated population of 12 million in Burundi.

Structure
The polity of the Anglican Church of Burundi is Episcopalian church governance, which is the same as
other Anglican churches. The church maintains a system of geographical parishes organized into dioceses.
The spiritual head of the province is its Archbishop, who is Ordinary of one of the dioceses, Metropolitan
of the Province, and Primate. There are currently nine dioceses, each headed by a bishop:

See Anglican dioceses of Burundi

Archbishop of Burundi
The Archbishop of Burundi is both Metropolitan and Primate; he retains his diocesan See along with the
Primacy. The holders of the office have been:

Samuel Sindamuka, 1992–1998

Samuel Ndayisenga, 1998–2005
Bernard Ntahoturi, 2005–2016
Martin Nyaboho, 2016–2021
Sixbert Macumi; 2021-

Worship and liturgy

The Anglican Church of Burundi embraces three orders of ministry: deacon, priest, and bishop. A local
variant of the Book of Common Prayer is used.

Doctrine and practice

The center of the Anglican Church of Burundi's teaching is the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The
basic teachings of the church, or catechism, includes:

Jesus Christ is fully human and fully God. He died and was resurrected from the dead.
Jesus provides the way of eternal life for those who believe.
The Old and New Testaments of the Bible were written by people "under the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit". The Apocrypha are additional books that are used in Christian worship, but
not for the formation of doctrine.
The two great and necessary sacraments are Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist
Other sacramental rites are confirmation, ordination, marriage, reconciliation of a penitent,
and unction.
Belief in heaven, hell, and Jesus's return in glory.

The threefold sources of authority in Anglicanism are scripture, tradition, and reason. These three sources
uphold and critique each other in a dynamic way. This balance of scripture, tradition and reason is traced to
the work of Richard Hooker, a sixteenth-century apologist. In Hooker's model, scripture is the primary
means of arriving at doctrine and things stated plainly in scripture are accepted as true. Issues that are
ambiguous are determined by tradition, which is checked by reason (on how scripture, tradition, and reason
work to "uphold and critique each other in a dynamic way").[4]

Social issues

The Church's major concerns include peace and reconciliation, repatriation of refugees and displaced
people, community development, literacy and education, and fighting AIDS. It is committed to mission and
evangelism and is concerned to support theological education and training for ministry.

Ecumenical relations

Unlike other Anglican churches, the Anglican Church of Burundi is not a member of many ecumenical
bodies. The Church is not a member of the World Council of Churches.[5][6]

Anglican realignment
The Anglican Church of Burundi is a member of the Global South but hasn't been very active so far in the
Anglican realignment. Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi attended GAFCON II, that took place in Nairobi,
Kenya, from 21 to 26 October 2013.[7] The province was represented at GAFCON III, held in Jerusalem,
on 17-22 June 2018, by a single delegate.[8] The leading name of the GAFCON in the province is Bishop
Seth Ndayirukye, of the Diocese of Matana. Four bishops of the Anglican Church of Burundi attended the
GAFCON Training Bishops Institute in May 2019.[9]

References
1. Fifth Archbishop of Burundi, Elected, Province of the Anglican Church of Burundi Official
Website (http://www.anglicanburundi.org/news/2021/05/24/fifth-archbishop-burundi-elected/)
2. "Province of the Anglican Church of Burundi" (https://web.archive.org/web/2007101619484
3/http://www.anglicanburundi.org/news/printer_19.shtml). Archived from the original (http://w
ww.anglicanburundi.org/news/printer_19.shtml) on 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2012-03-25.
3. "Church in Burundi to create new diocese, consecrate bishop" (http://www.anglicannews.or
g/news/2013/07/church-in-burundi-to-create-new-diocese,-consecrate-bishop.aspx).
anglicannews.org.
4. "Anglican Listening" (https://web.archive.org/web/20080705192528/http://www.anglicanliste
ning.org/anglican_listening_61766_ENG_HTM.htm). Archived from the original (http://www.
anglicanlistening.org/anglican_listening_61766_ENG_HTM.htm) on 2008-07-05. Retrieved
2014-06-05.
5. http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=3587 World Council of Churches
6. "Coalition" (http://www.ccc.one/p/coalition.html). CCC. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
7. Anglican Communion Office. "Page not found - Anglican Communion" (http://www.anglicanc
ommunion.org/provincialnews/eab/client/news/client_news_detail.cfm?naid=2319&isPrinta
ble=1). Anglican Communion Website. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
8. GAFCON III largest pan-Anglican gathering since Toronto Congress of 1963, Anglican Ink,
20 June 2018 (http://anglican.ink/2018/06/20/gafcon-iii-largest-pan-anglican-gathering-since
-toronto-congress-of-1963/)
 9. Burundi: The Advancing Role of the Anglican Church, Virtue Online, 22 June 2019 (https://vi
rtueonline.org/burundi-advancing-role-anglican-church)

Further reading
Anglicanism, Neill, Stephen. Harmondsworth, 1965.

External links
Official website (http://www.anglicanburundi.org/)
Province of the Anglican Church of Burundi at Anglican Communion Official Website (http://
www.anglicancommunion.org/structures/member-churches/member-church.aspx?church=b
urundi)

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