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Daily Briefing · Sunday, 20 September 2026

A new bishop for Zanzibar closes a long vacancy

The Anglican Church of Tanzania filled a diocese that had gone years without a bishop, while the Christian press also carried word from Nigeria, Leeds, and three matters of American law and policy.

The FaithDaily Desk2 min read7 sources

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A new bishop for Zanzibar closes a long vacancy

Good morning. The Primate of the Anglican Church of Tanzania, the Most Rev. Maimbo William Mndolwa, consecrated the Rt Rev Lameck Ndomba as the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Zanzibar, according to Anglican Ink. The consecration ends a vacancy that had run for years, following the suspension and eventual retirement of Ndomba's predecessor. Anglican Ink frames the appointment as the close of a long stretch of diocesan strife. A diocese without a bishop lacks the person who ordains its clergy and confirms its members; the gap in Zanzibar had lasted long enough to matter.

Two further Anglican items reached the press over the preceding days. Anglican Ink published the communiqué issued at the close of the 15th General Synod of the Church of Nigeria, which met at Our Saviour's Church, Ikenne, in the Diocese of Remo, Ogun State, from Monday 14 to Friday 18 September. Separately, Anglican Ink reported that Leeds Minster had closed a Gaza memorial, the "Stitch Their Names Together" exhibition, after receiving evidence suggesting it commemorated "at least 18 known terrorist fighters." The exhibition had been due to run until Sunday; the minster announced on Friday morning that it had closed with immediate effect.

From the United States, Charisma News carried three stories. It reported that an Amish man in Minnesota was jailed over an electronic permit, in a dispute the outlet says turns on the county's failure to offer religious accommodations. First Liberty attorney Ryan Gardner said his firm is representing two Amish congregations. Charisma News also reported that California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to expand oversight of artificial intelligence, an order the outlet describes as considering an AI "kill switch," with the state's Government Operations Agency directed to work with industry experts. In a third item, Charisma News said the Department of Health and Human Services is reviewing electromagnetic field exposure and has issued a Request for Information.

Away from the news, The Gospel Coalition published a reflection titled "The Parable of the Cancer Cell," reading cancer as an image of sin in both its ruin and its cure.

Zoom out: Much of the day's reported church news travelled by way of the Anglican Communion, from Tanzania to Nigeria to Leeds.

What we're following

  • Anglican Ink: Tanzania consecrates new bishop for Zanzibar after years of diocesan strife Read it
  • Charisma News: Amish Man Reportedly Jailed Over Electronic Permit, County Accused of Criminalizing ‘Being Amish’ Read it
  • The Gospel Coalition: The Parable of the Cancer Cell Read it

Sources

Summarized from the linked reports by the FaithDaily desk. Verify against the original sources before citing.

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