Archbishop Mullally ends Africa tour with calls for healing from church’s role in slavery

NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — After renewing her commitment to a controversial £100 million Church of England fund apologizing for the church’s historical ties to the slave trade, Archbishop Sarah Mullally ended her 10-day Africa tour Tuesday (Aug. 4) calling for peace and healing.

“Our world cries out for healing. Millions of people live in fear. Millions are displaced. Hundreds of children do not have access to school,” said Mullally in a sermon on Aug. 4 from the Cameroonian capital of Yaounde. “I heard you speak of all these things, and I know the people of Cameroon have suffered far too long.”

The trip marked Mullally’s first visit to Africa since her March 25 installation, when she became the first woman to serve as archbishop of Canterbury. She is also the first in her role to visit Cameroon.

Mullally visited Ghana from July 26-31 and Cameroon from July 31-Aug. 4. While Ghana is regarded as one of West Africa’s more stable democracies, Cameroon is grappling with armed conflict between government forces and militant separatists identifying with the historically sidelined Anglophone community.

The archbishop praised the peace-building partnerships between the Anglican…