Fri Dec 27 21:43:50 UTC 2024: ## Churches Must Account for Abuse of Boys in Africa: A Reckoning Long Overdue
**HARARE, ZIMBABWE** – The Anglican and Catholic churches are facing mounting pressure to address decades of widespread child sexual abuse in Africa, specifically Zimbabwe, mirroring similar reckonings in the West. A recent independent review into the actions of John Smyth, a prolific abuser linked to the Church of England, revealed a pattern of cover-up and failure to report his crimes, which spanned England, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Smyth, who died in 2018, allegedly abused over 100 boys, including the suspicious death of a 16-year-old in Zimbabwe in 1992.
The article highlights the experiences of a former student at a Jesuit-run Catholic school in Zimbabwe, who details widespread rumors and allegations of abuse involving several priests. Research for a novel on the topic uncovered accounts of horrific abuse at St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. George’s College, and St. Francis Xavier, with at least three priests frequently named. The Catholic Church is accused of moving these priests to different locations to avoid accountability. Only one, James Chaning-Pearce, has been convicted, following his identification by a former student in Australia and subsequent extradition from there to England.
The author argues that the churches’ apologies and commitments to change, primarily focused on Western victims, are insufficient. The article calls for full inquiries into historical sexual abuse at schools across Africa, demanding accountability for the suffering of African victims, many from impoverished backgrounds who saw these prestigious schools as their only chance for advancement. The author concludes that failure to address this issue would demonstrate that the churches value the lives of white victims far more than those of Black Africans.
First Piper 