The Visit of the Most Reverend Henry Luke Orombi
The fourth week of September brought a momentous occasion for Covenant College: the visit of the Most Reverend Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Uganda. During the week when the leaders of the American Episcopal church were meeting in New Orleans to figure out their response to the call of worldwide Anglican leaders to stop ordaining homosexual clergy, Archbishop Orombi was speaking to our students about the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Scripture’s call to self-sacrificing witness and obedience. His five messages, over three days, focused on Jesus’ question to his disciples: “But who do you say that I am?” and the words we heard came from the heart of a man who has lived the reality of his declarations that Jesus is the Bread of Life, the Good Shepherd, the Light of the World, the Resurrection and the Life.
Born to Christian parents, Archbishop Henry responded to God’s call to ministry after initial vocational experiments in training to be a mechanic and teaching. After completing his theological education, he served as a youth minister, and God planted deep in his heart a love for young people and for the task of preparing them for faithful and fruitful lives. Then for ten years he served as bishop of a Ugandan province that enjoyed enormous revival as it became the fastest-growing diocese in the country. In 2004 he was installed as Archbishop, and for these last three years he has pastored the congregation of the principal Anglican church in Kampala, shepherded the Ugandan Anglican clergy, and joined with other leading Anglican church leaders in calling for biblical reformation in the worldwide Anglican Communion. In this latter role, he has stood courageously for the authority of the Scripture and the Scripture’s clear teaching about Jesus Christ and the righteousness of God. More recently, as a number of American Episcopal churches have felt compelled to separate from the Episcopalian communion primarily because of its pro-homosexual actions, Archbishop Orombi has provided guidance and encouragement for several of these congregations and is prodding them toward unifying with like-minded congregations to form a faithful communion of American churches.
In naming him “Daniel of the Year” for 2006, WORLD Magazine told of the 1977 murder of his ministry mentor, then-Archbishop Janini Luwam; his own imprisonment during the Amin regime; his outspoken advocacy for biblical sexuality; his burden of leading the Ugandan church amid the political and religious crises in his home country; the personal and ecclesiastical cost of his public ministry; and his faithful pastoral leadership and care at All Saints Cathedral in Kampala. “[His] biblical stands are making a difference not only in Africa but in the United States,” states WORLD.
During one day of his visit to Covenant, we invited local Anglican and Episcopalian churches to our campus to attend our chapel services and then to have several hours of conversation with him. While acknowledging our theological distinctives, Presbyterians and Anglicans also joyfully acknowledged our common commitments and convictions about the Scripture, the gospel, and the glory of Christ. These common convictions were further evidenced on the weekend as the Archbishop spoke at two local PCA churches with many Anglicans and Episcopalians in attendance. Sunday evening, in a 1,000-seat sanctuary filled to overflowing, we sang together “Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory!” and heard the Archbishop’s reminder that Jesus is the Friend of Sinners. What an encouragement and challenge to watch this man who is in the thick of the battle but whose heart is soft toward those who oppose him! What a blessing to hear him hold out the message of the gospel, the grace of God, and the love of our Savior for those who are lost!
Since his visit, our students have been gathering in smaller and larger groups to pray for God’s wisdom and leading as they seek to apply the challenging truth they heard. His words cut through spiritual complacency and pride, and the Holy Spirit is prompting examination and confession and a renewed vision for the gospel around the world.
Why has God given us this opportunity? At a very practical level, this is the fruit of Dr. Henry Krabbendam’s years of labor in Uganda, where he became friends with the Archbishop and relentlessly encouraged him to accept our invitation. (Dr. Krabbendam recently retired after thirty-four years as professor of biblical and theological studies at Covenant.) More profoundly, I believe that this is another important step in God’s broader purpose for our College, connecting our students to the global church, giving them a picture of what God is up to around the world, providing a magnificent example of a Christian leader who stands strong for biblical truth in the midst of huge controversy, and encouraging us to pursue with even greater energy our foundational mission to declare and demonstrate the preeminence of Jesus Christ in all things.
Postscript:
The Sept. 26 New York Times reported that, at their meeting in New Orleans, “Bishops of the [American] Episcopal Church rejected demands by leaders of the worldwide Anglican Communion to roll back the church’s liberal stance on homosexuality, increasing the possibility of fracture within the communion and the Episcopal Church itself.”
Published on 2 Oct 2007 at 10:57 am. 5 Comments.
What an historic event in the life of Covenant College - to embrace the global relevance of the timeless message of Christ - His abundant grace and salvation and His sovereign reign over all - great and small. I pray that the students will remember this visit and carry it with them as they process church and world events in the future. May this be only the beginning…
Jane Jelgerhuis on 2 Oct 2007 at 11:12 am.
I just wanted to say hi, Dr. Nielson! Blogging seems like the hipster teen thing to do, and yet the president of the college I attend has a blog. Well, in that case it must be REALLY cool.
Joe Dodd on 5 Oct 2007 at 1:29 am.
My congregation from Signal Mountain enjoyed the combined church service with the Archbishop. Thanks for arranging it all.
Marshall St. John on 6 Oct 2007 at 8:51 am.
I got referred to your blog on mine, after I chatted about Peter Akinola, Nigerian archbishop, visiting Wheaton College in much the same way! These are very exciting things, and thanks so much for the recap.
Ben Hines on 8 Oct 2007 at 11:39 pm.
Thank you for bringing the Archbishop to Chattanooga and extending an invitation to area Anglicans to visit. We were able to hear him twice and to visit with him. He is cetainly one of God’s special ministers on earth. We were blessed beyond measure. And what a wonderful group of students you have.
Les Jones on 18 Oct 2007 at 7:27 pm.