The Making of an African Clergy in the Anglican Church in Malawi with Special Focus on the Election of Bishops 1898-1996
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Appendix to The Making of an African Clergy in the Anglican Church in Malawi with special focus on the Election of Bishops 1898-1996 by Henry Mbaya Interviews 1 Interviewee: Father David D. Banda Retired priest Liwaladzi, Nkhotakota Interviewer: Henry Mbaya 30th January 1996, Age: 72 HM: Father, it has been a long time since we last saw one another, probably five years have lapsed. I come here to ask you if you can help me to try to know what actually was happening with the training of the African leadership in our church in the years gone by. I am particularly interested in the training of the African clergy under the missionaries. With your experience am sure you will be able to share some of what you know with me as a student of the University of Natal. DB: I will try where I can for I have been outside active ministry for a long time now. HM: What were most important areas that the missionaries stressed in the training of the Africans as clergy? DB: Emphasis was on the esteem of the priesthood as "kingship". The position and status of a priest was approximated to that of a local chief. A priest was a teacher, leader and judge of cases in his local society. He was a teacher of morals. He was on the same par as a local chief to some extent even greater. In some cases this would provoke rivalry between the two. For example Fr. Leonard Kamungu was poisoned by the chief. Another important emphasis was on family leadership with strong emphasis on moral leadership and strength of character one displayed in his family with respect to discipline vis-a-vis children. It was assumed that if a prospective priest is incapable of exercising his family leadership, how he would be able 2 to lead many. The early missionary medium of instructions at Msumba and Likoma was the vernacular language, Chinyanja and Chikhobwe. The reason behind this was that the men who were available then were men of low standards. However, there was also another dimension. The missionaries were very selfish politically. They did not want Anglicans to have higher education quickly. HM: How? What do you mean? DB: When a missionary priest noticed that an African was very clever at standard 2, mind you in those days very few would reach standard 4, those who reached it were destined to become teachers. Some clever ones, promising pupils in standard 4 could be blocked by encouraging them to become teachers as a first step towards the priesthood. Promotion meant being raised from a teacher to the priesthood. They were very tricky. Before the Province of Central Africa was established in 1955, training was being conducted in various Theological institutions in different dioceses. In Zambia, it was at Chipili mission, those guys were like lay readers. In the diocese of Nyasaland, it was Likoma. In 1955 with the establishment of the Province of Central Africa that brought together students from diocese of Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia. Even these early priests at St. Johns were taught in the vernacular. Bishop Nyanja, Fr Joel Bai came to the college in 1957. HM: May I take you back to the issue of requirements far early into the priesthood. What did you say was the basic criteria? DB: The whole congregation had to give a strong recommendation. It was the congregation, which had to take the initiative. Yes I remember, at St John's College, it was in 1960 when English was made the official medium of instruction. Between 1958 and 1960 the syllabus for the Seminary changed. English became dominant. I went to College in 1962, then Mr. Aipa was the youngest, but very clever but also childish. In those days, recommendation for ministry came from the whole congregation. It was some people in the whole congregation who had to approach the parish priest and recommend that we believe this particular boy to be called. Then the priest or bishop would have discussions with the person concerned and to find out from him whether he feel called to the ministry. The theology behind this is is that it is God through his church who calls his people. Today it is almost the opposite. It is the aspirant who first approaches the priest (after the congregation, he would consent or decline. In those earlier days, the matter would be put back to the people. If he agreed to go to the Seminary, before lie left, a si quis- that is a public inquiry into the life and their opinion as to his suitability would be sought. The announcement would be made three times. The congregation would be 3 asked to consent or not depending on how they knew his life as a person. Similarly, before ordination, just like the time awaiting to go to Seminary, as si quis would be proclaimed three times. It was like marriage. The whole idea behind this was that the priesthood was like marriage, once married there was no going or looking back. HM: How long did training at St John's last? DB: Training at St John's took four years. After second year, an ordinand was made deacon. Then followed a period of six months or one year of pastoral work. After the pastoral period you returned to the Seminary. This was unlike St. Andrews when the college was at Msumba and Likoma, you had to serve the diaconate for one year, but if you were still shaky or showed signs of immaturity, your diaconate would be prolonged for more years. HM: What subjects were taught at St John's College? How did they help to try to form into the students the trade and spirit of the priesthood? DB: We were taught philosophy, psychology, sociology, and off course theology. In the course of our training particular stress was laid on forming attitudes and habits. We were made to believe that there was a distinction between the secular world and the church. We had to think of the secular world as in conflict with sacred world, the church. That was why the college was located outside the centre of town outside the worldly life. We were always made to think that as seminarians we were different form the others. We had to live a life that was meant to be so different from the others. We were supposed to be prayerful people. HM: Were you conditioned? DB: Yes, conditioned. We were conditioned and molded into the priesthood through habits of prayer. When you sat or were talking as we are you had to be conscious at the back of your mind that you were at prayer. Prayer was the backbone of our life. We were conditioned to believe that when we were outside the college premises people were watching us what we were doing or saying. HM: Who was the warden of the college during your time? DB: It was Fr Rees Philips, who later on was succeeded by Fr Weller. Fr Rees was an all-round priest. He was an expert almost in every subject, whether, pastoralia, ethics, theology, you name it. Weller was very good in pastoral studies and practical work. Priesthood was a highly esteemed profession. I remember on ordination day, a lawyer was present. You had to swear in his presence. Moreover, the lawyer to sign certain documents pertaining to your ordination. By virtue of your ordination you also became a 4 commissioner of oath so much so that henceforth you had legal authority for which you could act as a commissioner in all civil matters. Since by virtue of ordination you become a commissioner of oath you are under no obligation to swear in matters where civil cases were being held. HM: I once had an interview with Fr Rodney Hunter in where he referred to the strike that took place at St John's seminary. DB: Do you know what that? It concerned students who were apparently not happy when Fr Hunter joined the students' table in the dinning hall. We staged a strike in 1963. That was exciting. Let me tell you about it. You know, I am telling you all this because you are my son. If it were somebody, I would require a fee for all this because I know this will help you as a student to write your Ph. D. HM: Thank you father for your kindness, Father. DB: Yes in 1963, all sorts of things were taking place. It was the time that earn nationalist leaders like Kanda were fiercely challenging colonial authority in Central Africa was very high. Anyway, in 1963 the strike was about the Bible which was in the Library. This bible portrayed all black people as unworthy to enter the kingdom of God. It had pictures which told stories that all black people would never enter the kingdom of God. There was especially another page where it was made plain that the kingdom of God was not for black people. HM: In particular how did it convey this message? DB: There was writing in black ink on the inside covers of the Bible which depicted blacks as snakes having tails while the whites like angels. Under the angels were blacks in hell. Not only these pictures but there was also some comments which portrayed the whites as better than the Africans. HM: How did you come across this bible. I was the librarian. One day, I was going through books and I came across this bible.