It appears increasingly likely that murder was the cause of death for an English priest who has served in Malawi for many years. The Rev. Canon Rodney Hunter, who helped organize opposition to the consecration of another English priest as Bishop of Lake Malawi, was found dead in his home in Nkhotakota on Nov. 10.

Physical evidence suggests the 72-year-old assistant priest of All Saints’ Cathedral, Lake Malawi, was murdered, though results of an autopsy have not been made public. Local newspapers reported a black substance was found on Canon Hunter’s lips after his death, suggesting he had been poisoned.

Malawi police have taken into custody Bernard Mlota, a lay member of the diocese, while a second, unnamed man is helping the police with their inquiries. The police have declined to speculate as to possible motives.

A former librarian of Pusey House in Oxford, England, Canon Hunter went to Malawi in 1965. Last year he spearheaded opposition within the diocese to the election of the Rev. Nicholas Henderson as Bishop of Lake Malawi. Following a challenge by Canon Hunter and other members of the diocese, the College of Bishops for the Province of Central Africa declined to affirm Fr. Henderson’s election because of concerns over his doctrinal views, as evidenced by his writings while head of the Modern Churchpersons Union, a British-based group whose stated purpose is in part to promote “liberal theology.”

Supporters of Fr. Henderson have refused to accept his rejection and have mounted legal challenges within Malawi. They also have filed an appeal with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Panel of Reference. Other violence has also marred the diocese. In July, a mob claiming to be supporters of Fr. Henderson disrupted services at the cathedral, allegedly assaulting Canon Hunter.

Writing in the July 2006 issue of New Directions, the monthly magazine of Forward in Faith, Canon Hunter blamed Fr. Henderson for the turmoil. Henderson partisans, known as the “Task Force” are “responsible for all the pro-Henderson activities, locking the buildings, letter writing, disruption of services, legal action, etc. All this depends on Mr. Henderson himself,” he wrote.

“If he would accept the decision of the Court of Confirmation as final, as it is according to the canons, and allow the Task Force to disband, the disturbance would end. I am convinced that the solution to our problem lies in England where it began,” Canon Hunter stated.

Following Canon Hunter’s funeral, the dean of All Saints’ Cathedral, the Very Rev. Dennis Kayamba, charged Henderson partisans with the murder of Canon Hunter, telling the Nation newspaper that he had also received death threats over his opposition to the bishop-elect.

“Everyone, including [Canon] Hunter’s relations in the United Kingdom, wants to see the post-mortem results. We will make sure justice prevails even though we have buried him,” Dean Kayamba said.

(The Rev.) George Conger

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