Nigeria: The Evangelical Fellowship of Anglican Communion (EFAC); location, size, activities, executive members, and description of membership cards; whether the EFAC has a youth group

Two references were found to the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC) among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate (The New Republic 5 Aug. 2002; The Times 2 Aug. 1991). According to a report by Carol Flake Chapman, the author of Redemptorama: Culture, Politics, and the New Evangelicalism, when Anglicanism was brought to Africa and Asia in the twentieth century by American and British missionaries, the most conservative of the African and Asian clerics established the EFAC (The New Republic 5 Aug. 2002). The EFAC was led by John Stott, "the charismatic and ultra-conservative rector of All Souls Langham Place in London's West End" (ibid.). The same report states that

In the early 60's Stott developed a scholarship program that brought aspiring clerics from the developing world to England for strictly conservative theological training. Branches of EFAC soon began sprouting up in Anglican communities across the globe; and although its membership was relatively small, EFAC spawned a number of conservative movements and gained a respectable foothold within mainstream Anglicanism (ibid.).

Although no information could be found on the historical relationship between the EFAC and the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) among sources consulted by the Research Directorate, according to the Anglican Communion website, as of August 2000 the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) had 17,500,000 members (Anglican Communion n.d.). While not specifically referring to the EFAC's membership, another source states that the "evangelical-dominated church of Nigeria now has more than 13 million members" (The New Republic 5 Aug. 2002).

Although no information was found on an EFAC youth group among sources consulted by the Research Directorate, according to the Director of the Presbyterian World Service and Development who lived in Nigeria for 16 years, every Christian denomination in Nigeria has a youth group (6 Aug. 2002). The Director stated that youth groups print their own membership cards and they are organized at local, regional, diocese and national levels (ibid.). He also noted that, in his experience, Nigerian Christian youth groups have an infinite number of positions within their executive structures (ibid.).

No additional information on the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC) could be found among sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Anglican Communion. n.d. "A Tour of the Communion Worldwide." [Accessed 9 Aug. 2002]

Presbyterian World Service and Development, Toronto. 6 August 2002. Correspondence with Director.

The New Republic. 5 August 2002. Carol Flake Chapman. "Mission Control; Mobile Dispatch." (NEXIS)

The Times. 2 August 1991. Ruth Gledhill. "Carey Wants End of Clergy Freehold." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

Unsuccessful attempts to reach the following organizations: Christian Association of Nigeria, Joint Christian Ministry in West Africa - Jos office, Anglican Church of Canada.

Internet sites including:

AllAfrica.com

Christianity Today

Church Net UK

Churches Network

Daily Champion

International Christian Concern

Net Ministries

Newswatch Nigeria

Vanguard

World Evangelical Alliance

World News.com

World News Connection (WNC)

Search engines including:

Google