On Feb. 17, 2007, the Rt. Rev. Robert Ihloff, bishop of Maryland, withdrew an invitation for a visit from Archbishop of West Africa the Most Rev. Justice Akrofi. He did so by publishing the letter on the internet in the midst of the Primates’ Meeting taking place in Tanzania.
Archbishop Akrofi with six other primates had issued a statement to explain why they continued to decline taking communion with the Presiding Bishop of TEC. Read here
Since the time of Bishop Ihloff’s letter, which circulated the Anglican blogs and Internet widely, Archbishop Akrofi has responded twice in two separate letters, found at the links below. Bishop Ihloff’s original invitation withdrawal is also below for reference.
Archbishop Akrofi writes: "Since your original letter appeared on the internet, it is my wish that this letter like my earlier quick acknowledgement are also put on the internet. Our communications should be equally public knowledge for the sake of posterity. The typical African that I am, whose epistemology and ontology are characteristically communitarian, I wish that those who come after us to take up our story will have the facts and possibly learn from it."
Feb. 27, 2007 Letter from Archbishop Akrofi (West Africa) to Bishop Ihloff
April 4, 2007 Letter from Archbishop Akrofi-West Africa to Bishop Ihloff