South Sudanase primate, the Most Rev. Justin Badi Arama, has declared the see of Malek vacant, writing on 27 Nov 2023 that he was accepting the resignation of the Rt. Rev. Peter Joh Ayom with immediate effect. However, Bishop Joh reports he had not resigned when he wrote to Archbishop Badi Arama in November, but merely stated his loyalty lay with the ousted archbishop of the Internal Province of Jonglei, the Most Rev. Ruben Akurdid Ngong.
The Episcopal Church of South Sudan in Jonglei state broke into rival factions in August 2020 after Archbishop Badi Arama excommunicated Archbishop Akurdid Ngong for contumacy, after the Jonglei archbishop rejected a penalty of a one year’s suspension for consecration three bishops in his province without national church approval.
The national church in Juba appointed the Most Rev. Moses Anur Ayom to be the new Jonglei archbishop, but Archbishop Akurdid Ngong held fast, refusing to vacate his office and rallying support from bishops and congregations across the state.
Violent clashes have erupted between supporters of the two archbishop, with the government closing some churches to prevent further outbreaks of violence.
Archbishop Akurdid Ngong filed a lawsuit against Archbishop Badi Arama in the Juba civil courts, seeking an injunction against his removal. However, the Juba High Court dismissed the case, citing the Episcopal Church’s right to govern its internal affairs free from state interference. In July 2022 the president of South Sudan offered to mediate a settlement between the parties, and in July 2023 Archbishop Akurdid Ngong offered a written apology to Archbishop Badi Arama; however he said a condition of his ending the dispute would be if the primate allowed him to be reinstated, and then permit him to retire in good order after a decent interval. This demand was rejected.
In a radio interview, Bishop Joh said: “What I wrote on 25 Nov 2023 was our position as the diocese of Malek where we declared our autonomy from ECSS until Badi and Akurdit plus Anur resolved the wrangle in Jonglei.”
He told Mingkaman Radio the archbishop had deliberately misconstrued his letter, demanding he publish it on social media to show what he had written.
In his letter of 27 Nov 2023, Archbishop Badi Arama said: “It has taken four years of prayer and contemplation over your actions and decision to remove yourself out of the Administration of the ECSS. Now with reference to your recent decision expressed in your letters” of November 9 and 25, in accordance with the ECSS constitution’s Article 49 “we accept your resignation from being a Bishop in the ECSS”.
