Diocese of Natal
| Diocese of Natal | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Ecclesiastical province | Southern Africa |
| Archdeaconries | 15 |
| Information | |
| Rite | Anglican |
| Established | 1853 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of the Holy Nativity |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | Dino Gabriel |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Thabo Makgoba |
| Suffragan | Nkosinathi Ndwandwe, Tsietsi Seleoane |
| Website | |
| www |
|
The Diocese of Natal covers the western part of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, west and south of the Tugela and Buffalo rivers. The episcopal leader of the diocese is the Bishop of Natal.
The history of the Diocese of Natal starts with the consecration of John William Colenso as Bishop on St Andrew's Day, 30 November 1853, at Lambeth Parish Church. Hitherto Anglicans had been in Natal since the arrival of the first English settlers in 1824. The first missionaries came in the 1830s. In 1849, Colonial Chaplains were appointed for Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
In 1847 Robert Gray was appointed Bishop of Cape Town and his vast Diocese included the Colony of Natal. Following his visitation to Natal in 1850 Gray saw the great need for mission and for a bishop who could lead that mission. He found and recommended Colenso to be the first Bishop of Natal. As with Bishop Gray, Colenso was appointed by letters patent, issued by Queen Victoria.
Bishop Colenso was highly gifted in many ways. He had a distinctive missionary theology and spoke and wrote widely on biblical criticism. He was severely critical of British political intentions towards the Zulu people. His preaching and writings brought about clashes between him and Dean Green and Bishop Gray, as well as with the leaders of the Colony.
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Wikipedia