Archbishop Reuben Akurdid Ngong. | Courtesy

The head of the Anglican Communion in South Sudan said Monday he will reinstate and immediately retire the Archbishop of Jonglei Internal Province, arguing the latter has surpassed the retirement age.

Primate Justine Badi Arama said he has given Archbishop Reuben Akurdid Ngong two weeks to consult with his group of the church before his supposed retirement.

This come on the heels of an uneasy reconciliation process which resulted in Bishop Akurdid’s apology to Primate Badi on June 13 – in what could be the end of a two-year long crisis between the two men of God.

The church leaders fell out in 2020 Badi dethroning Akurdid over alleged canonical disobedience.

In the August 2020 standing order defrocking Akurdid, Badi also accused him of violating the constitution, standing orders and bylaws of the church as well as dividing Christians.

But Akurdid had since protested the decision – leading to a rift within the Bor church.

Speaking to journalists in Juba on Monday, Archbishop Justin Badi Arama acknowledged Akurdit’s recent apology over the church wrangles but denounced his call to be reinstated to serve for another three months.

The Anglican Primate said he has given Akurdit two weeks to be reinstated as a retired Archbishop, but the religious leader is yet to consult with his group on the proposal.

“The spirit of God will work because this is spiritual fight against worldly thoughts and Godly ways of doing things,” Badi said.

“The Church told him that in two weeks’ time, if they are ready, they can come. He has been working all these years and then what is it that he can do within another three months?”

Badi adds: “He has reached his retirement age and we will reinstate him as retired Archbishop of Jonglei.”

In August 2020, the embattled archbishop of the Jonglei State Internal Province declared his intentions to continue to serve the dioceses as a sovereign entity and make it autonomous from the larger Episcopal Church of South Sudan until his tenure ends in 2028.