Laurent Mbanda

Laurent Mbanda (born 25 October 1954)[1] is a Rwandan Anglican bishop. He was the bishop of the Diocese of Shyira when he was elected the fourth Archbishop and Primate of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda on 17 January 2018,[1] being enthroned on 10 June 2018.

The Most Reverend

Laurent Mbanda
Bishop of Shyira
ChurchAnglican Church of Rwanda
SeeAnglican Province of Rwanda
PredecessorJohn Rucyahana
Orders
ConsecrationMay 2010
by Emmanuel Kolini
Personal details
Born1954

Ecclesiastical career

He was born in Rwanda but spent a large part of his childhood in Burundi. He graduated at the Kenya Highlands Bible College, in Kericho, Kenya, before returning to Burundi, where he was ordained an Anglican priest. He moved to the United States in 1984, where he completed course work for an M.A. in Missiology at the Fuller Seminary's School of World Missions, in Pasadena, United States, a Master of Arts in Christian Education at Denver Seminary and a PhD at Trinity International University, in Deerfield, Illinois.[2]

He was consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Shyiria in March 2010. He was elected the fourth Archbishop and Primate of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda on 17 January 2018, among five candidates, during the meeting the House of Bishops at St. Étienne Cathedral, in Kigali, and his enthronement took place on 10 June.[3][4]

He has been a longtime supporter of GAFCON, since he attended their first meeting in Jerusalem, in June 2008.[5] He attended GAFCON III, in Jerusalem, from 17-22 June 2018.[6]

He published Committed to Conflict: The Destruction of the Church in Rwanda (1997), co-written with Steve Wamberg, about the Rwandan genocide, and his autobiography, From Barefoot to Bishop (2017).

Views on church/state relations in Rwanda

In his book Committed to Conflict Mbanda wrote:

The Hebraic model of theocracy, which would link spiritual leaders with political power, failed to become reality in Rwanda, but made a significant impact on the political leadership. Church leaders in Africa, and elsewhere, have to be careful to avoid combining religious and political functions. Church and mission leaders must watch the relationship between church and state, as these can be dangerous for the Church. In Rwanda they have demonstrated patterns of manipulation within the Church, and the abuse of governmental relationships by the Church.[7]

References
  1. "Musenyeri Laurent Mbanda yatorewe kuyobora itorero ry' Abangilikani mu Rwanda". Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda (in Kinyarwanda). 17 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  2. Archbishop-elect Laurent Mbanda "humbled" by the opportunity to serve Church in Rwanda, Anglican Communion News Service, January 19, 2018
  3. Dr. Mbanda Is New Anglican Church Archbishop, KT Press, January 17, 2018
  4. "Day of Jubilation" as new Primate enthroned for Province de L'Église Anglicane au Ruanda, Anglican Communion News Service, 11 June 2018
  5. Bishop Laurent Mbanda elected Primate of Rwanda, GAFCON Official Website, January 19, 2018
  6. GAFCON III largest pan-Anglican gathering since Toronto Congress of 1963, Anglican Ink, 20 June 2018
  7. Mbanda, Laurent; Wamberg, Steve (1997). Committed to Conflict : The Destruction of the Church in Rwanda. London: SPCK Publishing. ISBN 9780281050161.
Anglican Communion titles
Preceded by
Onesphore Rwaje		 Primate of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda
2018–		 Succeeded by
incumbent
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