Anthony Poggo named Anglican Communion secretary general

Anthony Poggo, a South Sudanese bishop who was forced with his family into exile before he was a year old, has been named as the next secretary general of the Anglican Communion. Poggo, the former bishop of Kajo Keji in the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, is currently the archbishop of Canterbury’s adviser on Anglican Communion affairs.

He will take up his new role in September, succeeding Josiah Idowu-Fearon, who is stepping down this summer.

Poggo was ordained a deacon in 1995 and a priest in 1996. In 2007 he was elected bishop of Kajo Keji, a position he held until 2016, when he moved to Lambeth Palace to support the archbishop of Canterbury.

“It is a huge privilege to be appointed as the next secretary general of the Anglican Communion, taking over from the Most Reverend Dr. Josiah Idowu-Fearon. His are big shoes to fill,” Poggo said. “I would like to thank the Anglican Communion’s Standing Committee for the trust and confidence in appointing me to lead the staff team at the Anglican Communion Office as it undertakes its role in supporting the Instruments of Communion.”

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said he was delighted by Poggo’s appointment.

“Anthony’s wise counsel and his heart for the gospel will be put to good use in his new role as secretary general,” he said. “He starts his new ministry at an exciting time for the Anglican Communion, with [the] Lambeth Conference [this month] helping to set the agenda and focus of our shared mission and ministry for the next decade, as we continue to discern and put into practice our calling to be God’s Church for God’s world.”

The archbishop of South Sudan, Justin Badi Arama, said, “We thank God that out of the suffering Church in South Sudan, God has raised bishop Anthony to this highest position. He is coming at a time that the Anglican Communion is facing many challenges. But as Mordecai said to Esther; We trust God that ‘maybe it is for such a time like this that God brought up.’ We encourage him to always be guided by the scriptures as we support him in prayers.” –Anglican Communion Office