Anglican Communion Safe Church Conference

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe | September 2024

Diana Langdon, Safe Church Provincial Representative

It was an honour to represent Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia at the Anglican Communion Safe Church Conference in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. With 100 delegates from across the world, and 140 local leaders from the Anglican Diocese of Matabele, the conference shared a biblical theology of safeguarding, and covered a wide range of safe church topics. The days were long, the content rich, and speakers shared lived experiences of their commitment to growing a safer church in their own contexts. 

Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, a country that declared a nationwide state of disaster earlier this year, having not had rain for two years. And despite the dry, dusty land, mass poverty and glaringly obvious economic struggles, the generous hospitality of Bishop Cleophas Lunga and his diocese was both overwhelming and abundant. It incredibly humbling to see the efforts they went to welcome us, writing and singing songs of praise (even songs about safeguarding!), and hosting celebration dinners each night that resembled a wedding banquet.

The Safe Church Commission conference included provincial representatives from all across the world, including Hong Kong, South Korea, Brazil, England, Wales, Scotland, Japan, Canada, USA, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Australia, and many African nations. The Commission used a fictional church parable to facilitate conversation and learning, which formed the basis of our group discussions and reflections.

A personal highlight was the keynote session from Professor Esther Mumbo, who spoke on a theology of gendered power and vulnerability. She told the story of the first six female bishops in Africa, known as the ‘Africa 6,’ (who were all attending the Conference) and how they represent years of contest for women’s ordination in Africa. At the large outdoor church service on the Sunday, we witnessed the first time in the history of the Central African Province that female clerics have been allowed to process into a church service alongside male clergy. The service celebrated the 71st anniversary of the diocese, and included dancing bishops, hundreds of children, and choirs too numerous to count amidst the 1,200+ in attendance! While this church service lasted 3hours, apparently the 70th celebration lasted 6hrs!

There were times to gather with other provincial reps in various breakout groups and conversations, and we were able to connect and learn from our varied safeguarding journeys. We still have a lot to implement in our own province, and I look forward to keeping in contact and learning from our Anglican Communion neighbours - both here in the Pacific, and overseas.

I am deeply thankful for the opportunity to attend this conference, and honoured to just be in the room, hearing deeply personal stories of God’s faithfulness and grace. It was my first experience of being in an Anglican Communion space, and I was so encouraged by the shared unity in wanting the church to be the safest place for all generations to encounter Jesus.