This response seeks to set the record right and to inform fellow Christians in general and Anglicans in particular that the author of this article "Reverend Jacob PL Zachariah", is neither an ordained member of the Anglican Church nor a Parishioner of the Anglican congregation at St Simon of Cyrene Anglican Church in Tlokweng. I am writing this article on the understanding that everyone is entitled to his/her opinion; as such Mr Jacob PL Zachariah is entitled to his opinion. However, on behalf of the Anglican Diocese of Botswana, we seek to set the record straight that this particular person is not an ordained priest in our church nor is he a member of our congregation at our Tlokweng congregation as he purports. I need to spell it out clearly that the Anglican Church respects order; as such it has a process of identifying people for ordination.
The proper process laid down in the Anglican Diocese of Botswana for all those who feel called to the ordained ministry is very clear and straight-forward and every Anglican clergy is aware of it. In order for candidates to be considered for the different routes of ordination training the following steps are followed: first, a consultation with the local Priest and Parish Council takes place in order to avoid people who come in through 'the back door'. Without their approval it is impossible for any person to be considered for ordination because it is the local congregation that knows the prospective candidate very well.
