Archbishop of Canterbury risks church split as he seeks to meet Mugabe

By Daily Mail Reporter

Meeting: The Archbishop of Canterbury will become the first British dignitary to visit Zimbabwe in a decade

The Archbishop of Canterbury is planning a face-to-face meeting with Robert Mugabe to try to save Anglicans from persecution by the ruler of Zimbabwe.

But the risks of humiliation for Dr Rowan Williams were growing yesterday as leading Church of England clerics failed to support  him – and it emerged that Mugabe may insult the Archbishop by refusing to meet him.

Dr Williams will become the first British dignitary to visit Zimbabwe in a decade.

His trip next month follows an intensification of intimidation of Christians in the country who are perceived to oppose its president.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, opted not to offer endorsement as Dr Williams’ request for a meeting with Mugabe was made public.

Dr Sentamu has made a campaign against Mugabe a centrepiece of his mission since becoming second in the CofE’s hierarchy and has not worn a clerical collar for almost four years in protest against Mugabe’s rule.

Concerns: Leading Church of England clerics fear Mugabe may snub the Archbishop

But yesterday an aide would only say that Dr Sentamu ‘continues to be concerned about the situation in Zimbabwe and  continues to pray about the situation daily’.

Mugabe’s recent targets have included members of the Church of the Province of Central Africa, the CofE’s sister church set up by a missionary who arrived alongside David Livingstone in 1861.