Iosias
3rd May 2007, 09:58 AM
Enemy of liberal Anglicans was fatally poisoned
The Times reports today that a British missionary who opposed the appointment of the Rev Nicholas Henderson as Bishop of Lake Malawi has been fatally poisoned.
According to the Times, relatives of Canon Rodney Hunter, 73, believe that his food was contaminated by supporters of the Rev Nicholas Henderson in a battle between the liberal and conservative wings of the Anglican Church.
Mr Henderson, Vicar of St Martin’s Acton West and All Saints’ Ealing Common, was elected as Bishop of Lake Malawi last August. He had been involved in the area for 18 years, raising funds for religious, social and humanitarian projects. However it seems few in Malawi knew of his record as a leading liberal theologian and that he had been chairman of the Modern Churchpeople’s Union. There was also concern that he had a male lodger.
The diocese’s Court of Confirmation blocked Mr Henderson’s consecration, describing him as “a man of unsound faith”, and instead appointed the retired Bishop of Zambia, the Right Rev Leonard Mwenda.
Canon Hunter's nephew, Mark Hunter, told The Times that he had received an initial postmortem report which confirmed that three poisons had been used, and believed that his uncle had been murdered. He said: “I understand that in the last months of my uncle’s life, local supporters of Mr Henderson made his life hell. I know he spoke out to the bishops, saying he should not be appointed. My uncle’s beliefs were strong. If he believed something, he would not give way.”
Mr Henderson told The Times: “I have not got anything to say. I have not seen the autopsy report. I heard accusations were going round that he was poisoned. I had a very high regard for Canon Hunter. But I am here in England, 5,000 miles away. I do not know what is going on. I have not been to Malawi for months.”
Click here (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article1706475.ece) for article
(Source: The Times, 26/04/07)
From EV News (http://www.evangelicals.org/index.asp)
The Times reports today that a British missionary who opposed the appointment of the Rev Nicholas Henderson as Bishop of Lake Malawi has been fatally poisoned.
According to the Times, relatives of Canon Rodney Hunter, 73, believe that his food was contaminated by supporters of the Rev Nicholas Henderson in a battle between the liberal and conservative wings of the Anglican Church.
Mr Henderson, Vicar of St Martin’s Acton West and All Saints’ Ealing Common, was elected as Bishop of Lake Malawi last August. He had been involved in the area for 18 years, raising funds for religious, social and humanitarian projects. However it seems few in Malawi knew of his record as a leading liberal theologian and that he had been chairman of the Modern Churchpeople’s Union. There was also concern that he had a male lodger.
The diocese’s Court of Confirmation blocked Mr Henderson’s consecration, describing him as “a man of unsound faith”, and instead appointed the retired Bishop of Zambia, the Right Rev Leonard Mwenda.
Canon Hunter's nephew, Mark Hunter, told The Times that he had received an initial postmortem report which confirmed that three poisons had been used, and believed that his uncle had been murdered. He said: “I understand that in the last months of my uncle’s life, local supporters of Mr Henderson made his life hell. I know he spoke out to the bishops, saying he should not be appointed. My uncle’s beliefs were strong. If he believed something, he would not give way.”
Mr Henderson told The Times: “I have not got anything to say. I have not seen the autopsy report. I heard accusations were going round that he was poisoned. I had a very high regard for Canon Hunter. But I am here in England, 5,000 miles away. I do not know what is going on. I have not been to Malawi for months.”
Click here (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article1706475.ece) for article
(Source: The Times, 26/04/07)
From EV News (http://www.evangelicals.org/index.asp)