The Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan has consecrated nine new bishops following a leadership conference in which they resolved to preach against revenge and war.

At a ceremony held at All Saints Cathedral in Juba on Sunday the Episcopal Church consecrated new leaders for its dioceses at Malek, Athooc, Kongor, Duk, Ayod, Malek-Ruuup, Abyei, Pariang and Nasser.

This is the biggest number of bishops ever consecrated by the church at one ceremony. It follows a meeting of the Episcopal House of Bishops held at Kajo-Keji last week.

According to the communiqué of the Kajo-Keji conference, bishops discussed the ongoing political crisis in South Sudan, among other issues. The bishops were briefed by their own Bishop Enock Tombe, who has been an observer at Addis Ababa peace talks.

The communiqué says, “The Bishops are calling on all clergy to preach Repentance of Sins (particularly the sin of revenge)… God wants all of us to repent of our sins and He will save us from all our troubles that have befallen us as a nation.”

Episcopal leaders are “asking our political leaders to allow peace… We continue to urge our leaders to implement the agreements signed so far,” according to the communiqué.

Specifically also, the bishops also cited Lakes State, which has seen a cycle of revenge killings and inter-clan feuding, saying, “We call on our Government to address the crisis in Lakes State.”

Commenting on the consecration ceremony to The Christian Times, Bishop Joseph Maker Atot from Pacong diocese said, “The expansion of the Church of God will bring peace... the Church will demolish tribal boundaries that are set up by evil to divide God’s people.”

Meanwhile, in the conclusion of their communiqué the church leaders also compared the Juba and Khartoum governments saying, “The people of South Sudan had suffered for many years in the hands of the government in the old Sudan… but now the people of South Sudan continue to suffer in the hands of their own political leaders/government.”

Photo: Consecration of new Episcopal Bishops (The Christian Times)